Assistant Professor Marija Čolić, in the UH Mānoa College of Education Department of Special Education, was a visiting scholar at the University of Washington (UW) on April 4, 2026. Each year, UW selects one individual from the Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) field whose research is innovative, thought-provoking, and impactful to visit their program.

In Čolić’s presentation, Inclusive ABA in Action – Centering Culture, Lived Experience, Stigma-Informed Practice, she shares how to make ABA more culturally responsive and stigma-informed by directly elevating the lived experiences of neurodivergent individuals. She emphasizes the critical importance of shifting away from traditional, deficit-based models toward a person-centered, neurodiversity-affirming approach.

“By listening to neurodivergent voices and integrating the unique cultural values of families into our goals, we can create collaborative interventions that honor individual differences, dismantle workplace and systemic stigmas, and prioritize the autonomy and well-being of the people we serve,” Čolić said.

During the first day of her visit, Čolić toured UW’s special education department facilities and met with graduate students and faculty members in the ABA field. On the second day, she delivered a three-hour presentation in a hybrid format (both in person and online). Attendees expressed their appreciation for the meaningful and important content.

The University of Washington’s Visiting Scholar Program has been established for 11 years. Scholars from previous years include Dr. Lynn Koegel, a leader in the field of autism who currently serves as Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, as well as Drs. Tyra P. Sellers and Shahla Alai-Rosales who are leaders in ABA.

“Being included among such distinguished scholars highlights that the work I am doing related to autism, social support, stigma, and ABA is important and impactful to the field,” Čolić said. “I am grateful for the opportunity to present my work and represent the UH Mānoa College of Education and the Department of Special Education. Having a researcher in Hawaiʻi engaged in this type of work contributes to the visibility and reputation of the university and the college and highlights the importance of advancing research in this relatively new area of research.”