National Public Radio (NPR) recently aired a story, “Cyber Scout Puts Autism Studies on Faster Track,”which discusses the Interactive Autism Network (IAN). Spearheaded by the Kennedy Krieger Institute, IAN is an innovative online project designed to accelerate autism research by allowing families to share information with researchers online.
Prior to IAN's launch on April 2, 2007, scientists had difficulty finding participants for studies, often delaying research. In the two years since IAN launched, more than 30,000 people have participated and more than 100 projects have utilized its data. IAN, which is funded by Autism Speaks, recently announced that it is opening its doors to adults, furthering autism research.