| Autism Society National Conference a Great Success!
Thank you to everyone who made the 2009 National Conference so successful! The Autism Society would especially like to thank its sponsors: AMC Entertainment Inc., MetDesk, Eden Autism Services, MedicAlert, Flaghouse, Santa America, Integrative Hyperbaric Chambers, Indiana Resource Center for Autism, Monarch Center for Autism, Dan Marino Foundation and Easter Seals. Read more… Panel of Experts Kicks off Autism Society National Conference
What is the future of autism? The Autism Society attempted to answer this question as the organization opened its 40th National Conference on Autism Spectrum Disorders in St. Charles, Ill., on Thursday, July 22nd. Read more… MedicAlert and the Autism Society Announce Partnership at National Conference
During the opening keynote session of the Autism Society’s 40th National Conference on Autism Spectrum Disorders, MedicAlert Foundation CEO Dr. Martin Kabat joined Autism Society President & CEO Lee Grossman in announcing a new program to safeguard individuals with autism. Read more… Don’t Miss Sensory-Friendly Showing of G-Force
The next AMC/Autism Society Sensory Friendly Film will be G-Force this Saturday, August 1, at 10 a.m. local time. Read more… Unique Surfing Event Offered in Santa Barbara
The Autism Society of Santa Barbara has partnered with the Santa Barbara Seals to host a unique event for families: A Learn to Surf Day! It will be held at Leadbetter Beach in Santa Barbara, Calif., on Sunday, August 15th, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Read more… Marines Make a Dream Come True for Teenager with ASD
For as long as anyone can remember, Alex Saldivar has been fascinated by the Marine Corps. The slight-framed 14-year-old who grew up in Bridgeport, Calif., watching Marines come and go is on the autism spectrum and suffers from bipolar disorder and ADHD—a combination of disabilities that means his dream was destined to remain just beyond his grasp. Read more… U.S. Signs onto UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Today, the United States joins 141 other nations who have signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The signing of the UN Convention sends an important message that this country is committed to equal rights for people with disabilities, in the United States and around the world. Read more… Update on Health-Care Reform
The timeline on health-care reform has shifted, as the Senate and House are both expected to take their usual August recess without having put the health-care bills to vote on the floor. Despite President Obama’s continued calls for urgent action, both Chambers of Congress are on pace to miss the President’s original August deadline. Read more… IACC Issues Request for Information to Update Strategic Plan
On behalf of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC), the National Institute of Mental Health is seeking comments to inform the annual update of the IACC Strategic Plan for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Research, as required by the Combating Autism Act of 2006 (P.L. 109-416). Read more… IACC Town Hall Follow-Up
The IACC held a successful Town Hall meeting at the Autism Society National Conference in St. Charles, Ill., and would like to thank the members of the public who attended. If you were unable to attend the meeting, you can watch the video from the event at http://videocast.nih.gov/PastEvents.asp. Nature-Nurture Gene Link Sheds New Light on Autism
Neuroscientists at MIT’s Picower Institute for Learning and Memory found that a previously unsuspected set of genes links nature and nurture during a crucial period of brain development. The results, reported in the July 8 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), could lead to treatments for autism and other disorders thought to be tied to brain changes that occur when the developing brain is very susceptible to inputs from the outside world. Read more… New National Professional Competencies for Teachers of Autism The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and the Autism Society announced the publication of professional competencies for teaching students with autism spectrum disorders at the Autism Society’s 40th National Conference on Autism Spectrum Disorders in St. Charles, Illinois, last week. The competencies will be incorporated into CEC’s resource on highly qualified teachers, What Every Special Educator Needs to Know. Read more... Morgan Autism Center & Santa Clara University Autism Conference
The Morgan Autism Center’s Annual Conference will be held at Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, Calif., starting Friday, Sept. 25th. Read more… Fall Defeat Autism Now! Conference to Be Held in Dallas
The upcoming fall Defeat Autism Now!® Conference will be held October 8-12 in Dallas, Texas. The Defeat Autism Now! conference provides those interested in biomedical approaches to autism the opportunity to connect with leading researchers in the field. Read more… New DVD Reminds us That the Way we Speak About Others Matters One in 150 children in the United States has autism and experiences what it is like to be outnumbered by neurotypical peers. As an adult with an autism diagnosis, Judy Endow has experienced first-hand what it feels like to be the “1” in 150. Based on a poem “The Language of Us and Them” (Shevin, 1987), Endow’s The Power of Words DVD combines words, pictures and music to present powerful examples of how the “149” talk about the “1” with autism. Read more…
2010 Hidden Curriculum One-A-Day Calendar for Older Adolescents and Adults
The 2010 Hidden Curriculum One-A-Day Calendar for Older Adolescents and Adults is filled with year-round entries specifically written for adolescents and adults with autism-related disorders. This unique calendar is designed to be a fun learning tool that is suitable for the home or office. Read more…
New Book Addresses the Need for Quality Autism Instruction
AutismClassroom.com has launched a new book for educators, administrators and parents that includes practical, hands-on information about the elements needed in a classroom to provide instruction to students with autism. Read more… New Activity Book for Kids on the Spectrum
Tara Delaney, an occupational therapist and co-owner of Steps Therapy, Inc., an occupational and speech therapy clinic in Sacramento, Calif., has written the book 101 Games and Activities for Children with Autism, Asperger’s, and Sensory Processing Disorders (McGraw-Hill), which will be published on August 7, 2009. Read more… Author Seeks Stories from Families for New Book
Peter A. LaPorta and his wife and are blessed to have a five-year-old son with autism. Peter is currently seeking stories from families that have children with autism for his new book, Adventures in Autism. Read more...  | 
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