“She has some behaviors like not looking at you directly in the eye, she’s a little more sensitive to noises and lights, but when she comes together with Abby and Elmo, she shares not only these challenges, but also what she shares in common,” explains Dr. Jeanette Betancourt, Senior Vice President of U.S. Social Impact at Sesame Workshop, whom she told ABC News.
The initiative’s website was designed with children in mind, featuring larger buttons, audio-off options, and the ability for children to customize content. For now, Julia is only part of Sesame’s digital resources, so she’s not on television yet.
“Sesame Workshop is uniquely positioned to play a meaningful role in increasing people’s understanding about autism,” said Sherrie Westin, Executive Vice President of Global Impact and Philanthropy at Sesame Workshop. “This project is an extension of the belief we’ve always promoted: we are different, but all the same.”