Houston organization is providing access to special education resources 'anywhere there is Wi-Fi'

Autism Awareness Month

Houston-based Incuentro provides online education with individuals with Autism, ADD, Asperger's, social anxiety, or learning differences — as well as parents or employers. Getty Images

A Houston-based online platform is hoping to provide easy access to special education resources to support individuals with special needs, as well as their employers, teachers, and caregivers — or anyone with internet access.

The online program, Incuentro, launched April 1, coinciding with the start of Autism Awareness Month. The first 15 classes are slated to go live in June. These virtual classes are intended to be a resource for people from first grade all the way through adulthood who are coping with Autism, ADD, Asperger's, social anxiety, or learning differences.

"Over 30 students participated in the pilot program over the past 9 months," says Wendy Dawson, founder of Incuentro. "I've seen students relate to the lessons, make connections with the topics, engage in peer conversation, and find support and learning in a safe environment."

Students learn and practice skills applicable to school, employment, and social situations in the virtual company of a qualified teacher and peers from the comfort of their own home. The teaching style is as interactive as possible and requires participants to engage in discussion.

Life education
Dawson says that students will get the most out of this experience if they are verbal, able to sustain attention, and participate in a video conference forum. Hour-long classes focus on friendship, behavior, social interactions in the primary and elementary years, while tweens focus on making peer connections.

"We want to provide help upfront to reduce the anxiety and depression that we commonly see later in life," Dawson says.

Teen classes set up students with skills for future employment and transitions post-high school. Adult learners benefit from job skills and workplace behavior norms.

Students who are employed or looking for employment learn about topics like conversing with coworkers and supervisors, appropriate social interactions, and understanding the rules of the workplace. Equally important, teachers discuss with participants ways that they can be their own advocate as they maneuver through society.

A focus on inclusion
Incuentro offers employer training as well, to help foster a climate of inclusion in the workplace, to discourage a lowering of expectations when accommodating employees with Autistic traits. Classes give supervisors understanding and practicalities that will foster a positive environment for employees who are also enrolled in the course.

"Employers are coached on topics such as: understanding a literal mind, being factual, making simple accommodations like visual schedules, delivering information in a low-stress manner, and understanding learning styles," Dawson says.

Incuentro helps to bridge the gap between the service and people in need through technology.

"There is a huge disconnect between the people who need services, and the actual resources. Many times they don't know where to go, or are too far away to access them."

All you need is internet access
Accessing the classes remotely removes the barrier of accessibility for people in rural areas, as well as people who would rather not drive to a class after a long day at work or school. Oftentimes, students will feel more comfortable participating in a one-hour, online discussion with 5-7 peers, rather than enduring the social pressures of a classroom setting.

"Our desire is to bring access to special education expertise to anywhere there is Wi-Fi," says Dawson.

Incuentro curriculum is created by Education Visionary Specialist Brandi Timmons, a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and a Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA). Classes are taught by expert teachers who specialize in special needs education.

Family business
Dawson's passion behind Incuentro was inspired by her step-son, Cameron Dawson, who was diagnosed with Autism at the age of two.

"There were no services to fit his needs available in the market," Dawson says, "so we've spent 10 years advocating and learning, and figuring out how to best bring services to people who need them."

Cameron participated in the Incuentro pilot program while attending Texas Tech, and in May he will be graduating with his degree in Communication Studies. Upon returning home to Houston, he will be seeking a job in one of many local churches, where Dawson says he has experienced love and support throughout his life.

As a mother of a child with Autism and advocate for people with special needs, Dawson has seen the challenges faced by parents. Parents not only must navigate the ups and downs of school life and home life with their child each step of the way, but also plan next steps past high school graduation, and long-term care, if necessary. Incuentro helps to facilitate the discussion and provide resources for caregivers wanting to learn what options are available.

With April designated as Autism Awareness Month, Incuentro seeks to partner with organizations serving special needs populations, such as school districts, health clinics, or Autism support networks, and reach the people who need it most. Incuentro has pledged to donate a portion of its profits to a Houston non-profit that offers in-person classes for people with special needs, Social Motion. At its heart, Incuentro intends to be an answer to the question: how do we set individuals with special needs up for success, and help give them the tools to live an independent and fulfilling life?

Brandi Timmons (left) and Wendi Dawson, Incuentro founderCourtesy of Incuentro

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Houston researchers develop breakthrough device that could bypass spinal injuries

breakthrough research

Scientists at Houston Methodist have announced a significant leap forward for spinal cord injury recovery.

The researchers have developed a device that essentially bypasses spinal injuries, allowing signals from previously “lost” functions to reach the brain, a new study published in Nature Communications shows.

“Most current technologies try to improve whatever function remains after a spinal cord injury,” Dr. Damiano Barone, assistant professor of neurosurgery in the Department of Neurosurgery at Houston Methodist and co-lead on the study, said in a news release. “Our goal is different. Rather than fixing the injury itself, we want to bypass it completely and create an alternative route for signals to travel.”

The study involved a single ultrathin circumferential electrode array made to conform around the spinal cord without penetrating neural tissue, which was implanted into rodent and pig models with spinal injuries. The electrode array was able to interpret motor, sensory and autonomic signals around the injury. Think of it as a set of detours that restore road access to isolated towns after a disaster destroys the highway instead of just rebuilding the highway.

Over the course of three days, the arrays detected signals of intended movement from low-frequency spinal oscillations with more than 94 percent accuracy. This worked across species and was replicated in feasibility studies on human cadavers.

This research could serve as a new foundation for neuroprosthetic implants that could restore connectivity to the 2.5 million people worldwide suffering from spinal injuries that result in loss of ability. Future development could result in everything from restored organ function to mobility, according to Houston Methodist.

George Malliaras, the Prince Professor of Technology in the Department of Engineering at the University of Cambridge, who co-led the study, sees it as a fundamental restructuring of the science of spinal trauma.

“This could represent a paradigm change in how we think about spinal cord injuries,” Malliaras said. “Instead of starting from the idea that what is lost is gone forever, this approach asks whether we can restore function by carrying the signal around the injury.”

Further work involving laboratory models will need to be completed before launching human trials.

Grants from the National Institutes of Health, Houston Methodist Katz Investigator Award, Helaers Research Award and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council helped support the study. Other collaborators on the study include Salim Hadwe, Ruben Serrano, George Psaltakis, Margaux Forner, Chaeyeon Lee, Sydney Swedick, Moleca Ghnnam, Tawfique Hasan and Alejandro Carnicer-Lombarte from the University of Cambridge; and Anton Banta and Xueer Zhang from Houston Methodist.

Abbott assembles expert team to help lure U.S. Space Academy to Texas

space race

State Rep. Greg Bonnen of Friendswood has been tapped to lead a new team that will promote Texas as the future home of the U.S. Space Academy.

Bonnen, a neurosurgeon, chairs Houston Physicians’ Hospital and the powerful Texas House Appropriations Committee. His House district is close to NASA’s Johnson Space Center.

Gov. Greg Abbott appointed the seven-member team. Last month, President Trump signed an executive order establishing the Presidential Commission on the U.S. Space Academy. Commission members, who held their first meeting this month, will recommend a permanent location for the academy.

Texas officials are pushing a site near Johnson Space Center to host the academy. Alabama, Colorado and Florida are among Texas’ competitors.

In a joint statement, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and U.S. Rep. Brian Babin, both of Texas, issued a statement backing the state’s bid for the academy. Cruz lives in Houston. Babbin lives in Woodville, about 55 miles south of Beaumont.

“America’s space program is built across the country, but Texas is where the pieces come together,” the lawmakers said. “We are ready to lead the next generation of space pioneers and look forward to showing why Texas is the right home for the U.S. Space Academy.”

The academy’s curriculum will include technical education, leadership development and public service components. Graduates will be set up for careers in the U.S. military, civil service, and aerospace sectors.

The Abbott-appointed team will work with the Texas Space Commission to prepare the state’s proposal for the academy.

In addition to Bonnen, team members with ties to Houston include:

  • Robert Ambrose, who grew up in Houston. He worked at Johnson Space Center before becoming associate director of the Texas A&M Space Institute.
  • Former NASA astronaut Nancy Curry-Gregg, director of the Texas A&M Space Institute. She earned a doctoral degree from the University of Houston and previously worked at Johnson Space Center.
  • Former NASA astronaut Jack Fischer, senior vice president of Houston-based Intuitive Machines. The company builds spacecraft, delivers payloads to the moon and launches satellites.

“Texas is the home of America’s human spaceflight program,” Abbott said in a release. “No state can match what Texas brings to this mission.”

“NASA’s Johnson Space Center, world-class universities, a premier commercial space industry, major military installations, and an unmatched aerospace workforce give Texas every asset the United States Space Academy requires,” the governor added.

Houston university named No. 10 in nation and more top innovation news

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Editor's note: September sees a flurry of news for the innovation community, with one Houston university topping a nationwide ranking and one Houston-area NASA contractor poised to go public. Here are the five most-read Houston innovation headlines published September 1-15, 2026:

Houston university ranks No. 10 best in the U.S. in new 2027 report

Education ranking and review website Niche has released its 2027 rankings of the best colleges in the U.S., and Rice University leads as the No. 1 best university in Texas, and No. 10 best nationwide. Rice University ranked 10th in three national lists: Best Colleges in America, Top Private Universities, and Colleges with the Best Professors. Continue reading.

Houston-area NASA contractor plans Nasdaq IPO

Webster-based NASA contractor Rothe Development Inc. has filed paperwork with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to go public. Rothe, a minority- and woman-owned business, hasn’t yet identified how many shares it will sell and how much money its IPO might raise. Rothe plans to offer Class B common stock on the Nasdaq exchange. Continue reading.

10+ can't-miss Houston business and innovation events for September

The energy transition and AI will be the talk of this town this month, thanks to a packed calendar of Houston events. September brings the return of Houston Energy and Climate Startup Week and some of its signature anchor events, plus AI conferences and talks exploring how the technology is impacting everything from healthcare to leadership. Here’s what not to miss and how to register. Continue reading.

Amazon's robotaxi service Zoox rolls out in 'sprawling' Houston market

Amazon-owned robotaxi ride-hailing service Zoox is zooming into Houston in September, becoming the latest robotaxi operator jockeying for local riders. Initially, self-driving retrofitted SUVs with safety drivers on board will serve downtown Houston, centrally located tourist hotspots, and certain residential neighborhoods. The SUVs will test Houston roads before Zoox rolls out autonomous robotaxis here, the company says. Continue reading.

10 Houston billionaires land on Forbes' 2026 list of richest Americans

The richest billionaires in America have a collective worth of $8 trillion in 2026, a staggering $1.4 trillion increase since last year, says Forbes. American billionaires are so wealthy that it now takes an unprecedented $4.4 billion net worth to be considered one of the richest people in the country. And one local billionaire has regained the title as Houston's wealthiest resident. Oil tycoon Jeffery Hildebrand, 67, now reigns as the No. 1 richest Houstonian, the 9th richest Texan, and the 88th richest person in America for 2026. Continue reading.

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