October 30, 2009 Autism in Adolescence

Autism in Adolescence: Social Skills, Sexuality and Transition to Adulthood

Presenter: Dr. Peter Gerhardt

Friday, October 30, 2009

Registration 8:00-8:30 am, Conference: 8:30 am- 4:00 pm

For registration information email: loufeat@bellsouth.net

Today, professionals, families and learners with ASD are beginning to redefine the outcomes of the transition process beyond simple job placement to focus on career development and measures of personal competence and life satisfaction. To this end, this presentation will provide an overview and practical suggestions for transition planning AT ANY AGE in inclusive of employment, community based training, social competence, sexuality and quality of life concerns.

Workshop Objectives

1.I dentify the components of a comprehensive transition plan
2. Define the multiple constituent groups whose needs are to be meet in the employment development process
3. Identify the three primary components of sexuality.
4. Describe the individually determined components of an assessment of quality of life

Peter F. Gerhardt, Ed.D. is President of the Organization for Autism Research (OAR), a nonprofit organization, the mission of which is to fund applied research and disseminate the relevant findings in support of learners with Autism Spectrum Disorders and their families. Dr. Gerhardt has over 25 years experience utilizing the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis in support of adolescents and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders in educational, employment, and community based settings. He is the author or co-author of articles and book chapters on the needs of adults with autism spectrum disorder, the school-to-work-transition process, assessment of social competence, and analysis and intervention of problematic behavior. He has presented nationally and internationally on these topics. Dr. Gerhardt received his doctorate from the Rutgers University Graduate School of Education. Dr. Gerhardt was recently awarded the John W. Jacobson Award for Significant Contributions to Effective Behavior Intervention by New York State ABA. Dr. Gerhardt has been an active member of Maryland ABA since relocating to Maryland (from New Jersey) 6 years ago and he is currently the President-Elect. Previously, he had served on the Board of Directors on New York State ABA and was a founding director of Connecticut ABA.

Introduction to ABA: Functional Assessment and Behavior Plans in Austin, TX

Central Texas Autism Center will be having a workshop in Austin, Texas October 8th from 8:30-3:30.

Introduction to ABA: Functional Assessment and Behavior Plans

If you have any questions you can email Lindsey Allan at lallan@ctac1.com or call 512-328-5599.

Central Texas Autism Center
www.ctac1.com
(512) 328-5599 ofc
(512) 328-5585 fax

Direct Instruction Workshop Rescheduled: Saturday, November 1, 2008

The Direct Instruction Workshop previously scheduled for September 20, 2008 has been rescheduled to Saturday November 1, 2008.

Registration will be from 8:00AM-8:30AM and the workshop will begin promptly at 8:30AM. Registrations received before October 15, 2008 will include the teacher manual for Language for Learning.

For more information, please refer to the previous blog post.

Workshop postponed

Due to Hurricane Gustav the workshop scheduled for September 20,2008 will be postponed. I will post the new date once it is determined.

Fall Workshop

Choosing and Using Direct Instruction Programs

Presenter:
Lisa Simon Cohen

September 20, 2008
8:30am-3:30 pm

St. Matthew the Apostle Orthodox Church

8775 Jefferson Highway, Suite E

Baton Rouge, LA

Attendees can expect a fast-paced seminar. Everyone will leave able to explain what Direct Instruction is and what it is not. Ms. Cohen will concentrate the review of the research on the success of the use of Direct Instruction DI with students who have autism. The program Language for Learning has been used successfully with students having significant communication disorders and will serve as the model for learning about Direct Instruction programs.

Learning Objectives

Participants will:

· Know the difference between Direct Instruction (DI) and direct instruction

· Know the history of and evidence supporting the use of DI curricula with a focus on teaching students with autism

· Know the reasoning behind and basic principles of the design of DI literacy and arithmetic programs

· Know how to use the basic principles of the DI instructional design

· Be able to correlate the needs of their own students with specific Direct Instruction programs

Ms. Cohen received her master’s degree in special education, with a focus on Direct Instruction, from the University of Oregon. She has worked in the field of education for more than 25 years. Ms. Cohen’s experiences include classroom teaching and tutoring using the Direct Instruction curricula, and providing teachers with Direct Instruction program training and in-classroom coaching. Additionally, she has played an active role in the charter school arena, including conducting qualitative research on the school designs of seven major charter school management companies for the book Learning on the Job: When Business Takes on Public Schools (Steven F. Wilson, Harvard University Press, 2006). Three teenagers and two dogs enrich Ms. Cohen’s life.

Cost: $90.00

Includes lunch and breaks

Registration includes a teachers guide for Language for Learning if pre-registered by September 6, 2008

Language for Learning - Language for Learning provides young learners with the knowledge and understanding of language they need to achieve proficiency and reading comprehension. This oral language program teaches children the words, concepts, and statements important to both oral and written language, and helps enable them to extend this knowledge to other areas of their development. Designed for kindergarten and primary age school children, as well as ELL learners, Language for Learning gives early students the essential tools and understanding to foster continued educational success!

To register send name, email and check to:

LouFEAT

735 High Plains Ave

Baton Rouge, LA 70810

HB 958

Only one week left for the bill to be signed, vetoed or pass into law.

This bill would mandate health insurance coverage for ABA. For details of the bill go to http://www.legis.state.la.us/ and search HB 958.

Please express your gratitude to Representative Foil for sponsoring this legislation and to Toni Peters (FHFBR), Shelley Reynolds Hendrix (AutismSpeaks) and others who worked so hard for its passage!

Upcoming presentation in Baton Rouge-

This presentation is not sponsored by LouFEAT but is recommended:

Motivating Children With Autism To Speak: Incorporating ABA Principles To Build Functional Communication Motivating Children With Autism To Speak: Incorporating ABA Principles To Build Functional Communication

April 18, 2008 Baton Rouge, LA

Tamara S. Kasper, M.S., CCC-SLP, BCBA

more details:
http://www.nss-nrs.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/NSS.woa/wa/Seminars/detail?id=1000805

Need for volunteers

In the last year since I agreed to take over as president, LouFEAT has sponsored three workshops. Pairing, Manding in the Natural Environment and and Introduction to ABA and autism.

I think we can do more. I have not done well at organizing volunteers to broaden the activities of LouFEAT.

Perhaps there is someone out there willing to be a volunteer coordinator?

I am also interested in developing a Board of Directors to determine what activities to pursue. This is not as auspicious as it may sound! I would see us have email “meetings” and coming up with a list of goals and priorities and recruit members to accomplish these. Alternatively or in addition to this, we I would like to have specific activity coordinators who could develop the following programs:

Educational Workshops – planning, contacting speakers, marketing of these
Parent to Parent Network Development – so parents could meet someone in their area to help with the practical aspects of an ABA program
Material Lending Service - to accept and loan out materials for home programs
Fundraising Activities - to offer scholarships to families for attendance at conferences, etc
Resource Guide – preparation of a local and national list of ABA resources.
Blog master – we get 8-15 visitors to the blog each week, but I need someone to add new and interesting information to help families and providers.


The need for research based resources for children and adults with autism in Louisiana is great. I would really appreciate your assistance in improving this goal!

Mary Elizabeth Christian