| Autism Society Conference Just Three Weeks Away Don’t miss the Autism Society National Conference in St. Charles, Ill., July 22-25. This year’s conference offers many unique opportunities. The Autism Society has invited First Lady Michelle Obama to participate in the July 24 keynote panel on public policy and autism. We have also launched our conference blog at http://autismconference.wordpress.com/. Read more … Autism Community Mourns Passing of Dr. Ted Carr The autism community recently lost a great leader, Dr. Edward Carr, who was killed by a drunk driver the afternoon of June 20. Dr. Carr, the Leading Professor in the Department of Psychology at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, was a top advisor to the Autism Society. We are deeply saddened by the loss of our friend and colleague and his wife, Ilene Wasserman, who was also killed in the crash, and we send our thoughts and prayers to their family. Read more … AMC and the Autism Society Announce Special Sensory Friendly Showing of “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” Don’t miss the AMC/Autism Society Sensory Friendly Film line-up this summer! In addition to the July 11 showing of Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, due to the large amount of interest in the new Harry Potter movie, we’ll be having a second show on July 25. Now, families affected by autism that might not be able to see a traditional show will have a chance to watch Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince on the big screen. We will also be showing G-Force on August 1. Read more … IACC Holds Town Hall Meeting at Autism Society Conference The Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) will hold a Town Hall Meeting on July 24, 2009, at 10:45 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Autism Society National Conference in St. Charles, Ill. The town hall meeting is an opportunity to share your comments, feedback and questions regarding services for people with ASD and their families. Read more … Tell Congress to Fund Lifespan Respite Congress will decide on funding for the Lifespan Respite Care Act of 2006 shortly after coming back from the July 4th recess. On July 8, the Appropriations Committee is expected to quickly finish their work on the Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 Labor/HHS/Education appropriations bill. This bill is the opportunity for Congress to fund the lifespan respite care that families need. Read more … Support the IDEA Fairness Restoration Act (H.R. 2740) Congressmen Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Pete Sessions (R-TX) have introduced the IDEA Fairness Restoration Act (H.R. 2740). This bill is critically important to families trying to assert the rights afforded to their students under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), one of the key laws governing disability rights and education. Read more … U.S. House Passes Bill to Expand Autism Treatment to Military Families On June 25, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation expanding services for autism treatment for military families. The National Defense Authorization Act includes an amendment authored by Congressman Joe Sestak (D-PA) expanding insurance coverage for the children of service personnel under the military’s health-care program (TRICARE). Read more … Congress Continues Work on Health-Care Reform Congress began its week-long Independence Day recess this week. Health-care reform is expected to take center stage during the June 29-July 3 Independence Day district work period. Read more … President Obama Announces New Initiatives to Assist Americans with Disabilities President Barack Obama recently celebrated the 10th anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court decision in the case of Olmstead v. L.C. by launching "The Year of Community Living," a new effort to assist Americans with disabilities. Read more … New Appointments to the Obama Administration New leaders have been confirmed in the U.S. Departments of Disability Employment, Labor, HHS, Education and Housing. Read more … States Take Action to Support Individuals Affected by Autism New Jersey, Wisconsin and West Virginia are moving forward with new laws that will help individuals with autism and their families. Read more … AASPIRE Gateway Project The AASPIRE Gateway Project is an online research project conducted by the Academic Autistic Spectrum Partnership in Research and Education (AASPIRE). They are recruiting participants with and without disabilities, and participants on the autism spectrum, for a series of continuing online studies on topics such as health care, Internet use, online sense of community, identity, problem solving and perspective taking. Read more … Parents Key in New Measure to Evaluate Language in Children with Autism A new parent questionnaire, developed at the University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, will help health practitioners to more accurately gauge the acquisition of language skills in children with autism. Read more … CDC's "Learn the Signs. Act Early." Launches "Go Out and Play!" Kit Early educators know the importance of play and that, for a child, to play is to learn. But play also offers an opportunity to observe a child’s development. To help encourage play, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” campaign offers the Go Out and Play! Kit for early childhood educators. This free resource offers fun and interactive activities designed for children 3 through 5 years of age, as well as other important information about child development and sharing concerns with parents. Read more … Free Workshop Series in New York City Resources for Children with Special Needs, Inc., presents What’s Out There and How to Get It, a 2009-2010 free training series for families and professionals needing programs and services for children with disabilities. Read more … Autism Spectrum Disorders: From Childhood to Adulthood Autism Spectrum Disorders: From Childhood to Adulthood, a conference sponsored by the Cambridge Health Alliance and Harvard Medical School, will take place November 20-21 at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel. Read more … Latest Tool from the Autism Asperger Publishing Co. Helps Outsmart Explosive Behavior Judy Endow, author of Outsmarting Explosive Behavior, has created a support system, using the visual of four train cars, which has not only helped Judy and her son, but today helps countless individuals on the autism spectrum and their teams of support people. Read more … Adult Siblings of People with Disabilities Give their Perspective In the thought-provoking essay collection Thicker Than Water, 39 adult siblings reflect on how their lives have been indelibly shaped by their relationship with a brother or sister with special needs. Edited by Don Meyer, creator of Sibshops and an expert on sibling issues, Thicker Than Water reveals both positive and negative aspects of growing up with someone who might have received the lion’s share of his or her parents’ attention or who now requires extra support as an adult. Read more … Autism and the Economy In his new book, Create Your Own Economy: The Path to Prosperity in a Disordered World, economics professor Tyler Cowen highlights the cognitive strengths of autism and what they contribute to the economy. Read more … Rethink Autism Launches Web Site Empowering Families and Professionals Rethink Autism, Inc., an educational technology company based in New York City, recently launched http://www.rethinkautism.com/, the first online resource to offer parents and professionals immediate access to effective and affordable treatment tools for the growing population affected by autism spectrum disorders. Rethink Autism’s methods and resources are based on Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Read more … Author Seeking Input from Parents for Book The Many Faces of Autism is a book in progress that aims to offer a spectrum of advice for the spectrum of autism. Read more …  | 
My StumbleUpon Page
