UTSA’s Camp Durango brings joy and fun to research

Each year researchers conduct a new set of projects during the camp. This year, two projects focused on teaching social communication skills and gameplay skills using board games and video games, like Mario Kart.

"Our purpose is three-fold: conduct fun and meaningful research-focused on social communication skills and play, provide training and supervision for our counselors, and offer a meaningful and free service to the community," said Marie Kirkpatrick, UTSA assistant professor.

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's Autism Grant Program funding makes this camp financially accessible for families or for caretakers of the 150 campers each summer. With an opportunity this good, it explains why it took UTSA less than 24 hours to fully book the camp this year.

"There are limited opportunities for children with autism, particularly those with behavioral concerns, since many camps are not always equipped with how best to support these needs," said Humberto Peña, UTSA associate professor of research.

As the camp enters its final week, the ABA team at Camp Durango is already noticing positive outcomes during its research sessions, including more successful interactions for the students while playing games and more interactions beyond the research environment.