Shelley Gualtieri

"Building Bridges Across the Spectrum" is Gualtieri's winning program using iTouch technology to eliminate social barriers between children with autism and their classmates. Students at Morton Elementary School will create community outreach initiatives and promote volunteer community service. The iTouch is a tangible, non-threatening communication tool that provides an array of educational applications. According to Gualtieri, the autistic students, while working in pairs with students in the general education curriculum, will improve social and communication skills. Simultaneously, the constant interactivity will teach their partners more about their classmates living with autism as well as about the condition. Together, each pair of students will create projects to inspire community awareness to dispel the misconceptions of autism. Gualtieri is an autism program specialist who lives in Jacksonville.