The Autism Oasis offers Nonverbal Autism Homeschool, a specialized educational program designed to help nonspeaking and minimally speaking autistic students make meaningful academic progress. Created by Heather Anderson and Ken Sims, M.A. in Special Education, the program is built around the belief that autistic students who have significant communication and learning support needs can develop academic skills when given appropriate instruction, accommodations, and individualized support.
The program grew from Heather Anderson’s experience homeschooling her son, Tosh, who has severe nonspeaking autism. After struggling to find an appropriate educational environment through the local public school system, Heather began working with homeschool teacher Ken Sims. According to her account, Tosh made substantial academic progress after one school year, advancing in subjects that included reading, writing, mathematics, history, geography, literature, science, and current events. This experience inspired Heather and Ken to make their approach available to other families.
Nonverbal Autism Homeschool is intended to help parents support their children’s education at home. The program emphasizes academic learning while recognizing that students may need significant accommodations for attention, expressive communication, and participation. Parents are encouraged to dedicate time each day to working with their students, with guidance from the program’s educational approach.
The Autism Oasis offers prospective families a free 45-minute Zoom consultation with Heather Anderson. During the meeting, families can receive a tour of the program and ask questions before deciding whether to enroll. Those who are not ready for a live consultation can request access to a video tour.
The Autism Oasis has also been featured in Autism Parenting Magazine, including an article by Heather Anderson about homeschooling. Through Nonverbal Autism Homeschool, the creators aim to help families recognize their children’s learning potential and pursue meaningful academic opportunities tailored to their needs.