Join our worldwide group of family members and educators dedicated to meeting the needs of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders. This site will give you valuable information, provide an opportunity to get your questions answered and much, much more.

Who is this site for? Parents, family members, educators, Speech Pathologists, therapists and others who work to support the learning and living needs of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders and related learning challenges.

Autism 100 Day Kit This kit is produced by Autism Speaks. The Autism Speaks 100 Day Kit is created specifically for newly diagnosed families, to make the best possible use of the 100 days following the diagnosis of autism. A tool kit to assist families in getting the critical information they need in the first 100 days after an autism diagnosis. . . . keep reading Education & Therapies - Education Adolescence to Adult Years Education adolescence to adults Years. Connecting the Dots of Life toward a Meaningful Future: At a recent autism strategies workshop, the facilitator asked each of us to make a list of ten tasks we performed that morning at home to get ready for the day. After we generated our lists, she asked us to categorize each task by the skill required. The skills were: . . . keep reading More

Visual Strategies Experiences Each year I take my class of students with moderate to severe Autism to our Oklahoma Special Olympics State Games on the campus of Oklahoma State Univeristy. We spend 2 nights and 3 days on campus participating. Each student or his/her coach carries with them a visual schedule of what is happening step by step for each day. Along with daily schedules down to brushing teeth, showering etc., we put in rain plans, cancellation plans and change of venue plans just in case. The visual schedules help my students . . . keep reading Sensory Integration for Children with Learning Disabilities - Introduction Dr. Susan Larson Kidd The purpose of this article is to provide professional educators with practical ways to implement sensory integration strategies into everyday teaching in order to help children with learning disabilities (LD) to be successful. In doing so, the author hopes to eliminate apprehension about the use of sensory integration while supporting brain-based practices as essential teaching tools. Sensory integration (SI), defined by Ayers as "the organization for sensory input for use…so that a person can interact with the environment effectively and experience appropriate satisfaction" (1979, p. 184), has been used by occupational therapists since . . . keep reading Honoring and Including Students with Communication Differences Paula Kluth "I have a new student coming to my sixth-grade classroom and I am stumped. Ben does not speak very much but he sometimes uses an electronic device to make choices and greet people. He also knows some sign language. I am not sure how to include him in the class or how to build a relationship with him. HELP! " This note came to me in the form of an e-mail. It was sent by a fourth-grade teacher who has never had a student . . . keep reading Hygiene 2 X 2 pictures deodorant, grooming, soap, brush, comb . . . keep reading Using Visual Strategies with ASD Individuals: Success Stories (Part 1) Do you have a success story or an experience story or some comments about your experience using visual strategies? Here's what they shared: We had a preschool child in whom we suspected Asperger's. He did not transition well so we used a digital camera and took pictures of each place he had to go with a time line. (he was obsessed with time and clocks) There were different schedules for each different daily schedule like the day he had speech, and the day he had music library or PE. . . . keep reading Autism Service Dogs: An Interview with John Wheelwright- Audio Service dogs are specially trained to anchor themselves in a "stay" position and not move when children wander or bolt into danger. They accompany the child . . . keep reading When They Stare Kerri Stocks Some days it can feel like everyone is staring at you. Whether it is when you walk into a classroom and the kids look straight at you, or . . . keep reading Show Your Student How to Make Ice Tea with Pictures 2 X 2 pictures ice tea, 2 spoons, add water, stir . . . keep reading Change 2 X 2 pictures change 1, change 2, change 3, something is going to change, what is going to happen? . . . keep reading Using Visual Strategies with ASD Individuals: Success Stories (Part 2) Do you have a success story or an experience story or some comments about your experience using visual strategies? Here's what they shared: Using visual strategies has been successful with all of my students with autism. Whether picture icons, written rules,schedules, etc. visual strategies do work. We had one 4 year old boy in preschool who tantrumed every morning and refused to get . . . keep reading Body Functions: Use Pictures to Help You Communicate With Your Student 2 X 2 pictures use a tissue, wipe your nose, go in the bathroom, use a tissue . . . keep reading Exercise 2 X 2 pictures jump, run . . . keep reading Using Visual Strategies with ASD Individuals: Success Stories (Part 3) Do you have a success story or an experience story or some comments about your experience using visual strategies? Here's what they shared: I used a powerpoint presentation of saying "Hi" to friends. This program was used as a script and video model for my students. The students loved it. It helped the student learn to initiate greeting. . . . keep reading Bathroom: Show your Students Pictures of How to Use the Bathroom 2 X 2 pictures use the toilet, lift the seat up, put the toilet seat down, hang up your towel . . . keep reading Picture of Hand 2 X 2 pictures hand . . . keep reading Senators consider requiring insurance cos. to cover autism Bob Bennett November 03, 2009 The role health insurers should be playing in paying for the treatment of autism spectrum disorders was taken up Oct. 23 a . . . keep reading Using Visual Strategies with ASD Individuals: Success Stories (Part 4) Do you have a success story or an experience story or some comments about your experience using visual strategies? Here's what they shared: I had a good experience with a boy in grade eight, who is non verbal and severely autistic. Our class was going to the bowling alley and I was concerned about the boys anxiety level at the bowling alley. He had never initiated using the washroom with me and I was beginning to use picsyms to communicate with him, and to give him a way to communicate his . . . keep reading Communication: Help Your Child Communicate With Pictures 2 X 2 pictures what do you want?, no, thumbs down, thumbs up, ok, give me five . . . keep reading Can Autism Diets Help a Child Recover From Autism? Julie Matthews, Certified Nutrition Consultant Many parents today are learning things they can do to help their children thrive and pursue recovery. Autism pediatricians, researchers and nutritionists are now suggesting that parents consider implementing autism diets, autism-specific nutrition and specialized supplementation, in addition to traditional behavioral therapy and other proven treatments. You hear the word "recovery" more and more lately. How can your child recover from autism? Is it really possible? Parents you know are coming back from conferences enlightened and hopeful. The terms "biomedical intervention" and "autism diet" are rising to the top of conversations, literature and web sites. Of course you would be curious. Pursuing recovery is not about "curing" autism. Pursuing recovery is about believing in and taking action toward improved health and healing. . . . keep reading Lions training dogs for children with autism Penny Coles As the number of children with autism has ballooned in recent years, the Lions service club has stepped up to the plate with a program to provide assistance with dog guides. For more than 25 years, the Lions Foundation of Canada has been providing dog guides to people with disabilities, first for the visually impaired, then to people with hearing problems, those with special needs or suffering from seizures. Their newest program will place dogs with children . . . keep reading Copying Kerri Stocks Sometimes when we feel we are not good enough, we watch other people or other children and think that if we were . . . keep reading Jobs: Pictures to Show Your Child How to Help Out 2 X 2 pictures stack the chairs, clean up, fold laundry, put things away . . . keep reading Improving the Quality of Life for Children with Learning Disorders with Brain Gym® Pamela Formosa, MA OTR/L - Licensed Brain Gym® There are many types of sensory integration techniques that therapists use with children with special needs. Brain Gym is an example of one therapy technique. Excerpt taken from FRAID NOT! Empowering Kids with Learning Differences |image1|A learning difference is a general term describing a range of learning challenges, including autism. Children with learning differences often have average to high IQ's, and may do well in some areas of life, but are significantly challenged in others. Parents are often the first to notice their child struggling, but sometimes don't know how to get help. . . . keep reading Caity has Spring Break Without Mom Marianne Bryant In my wildest dreams, I would never have thought ten years ago that it would be possible for Caity and me to be separated. Who was going to brush her hair, help her brush her teeth, made sure she wore pajamas to bed, or kept her from eating everyone's deodorant? Most importantly, who would deal with . . . keep reading Using Visual Strategies with ASD Individuals: Success Stories (Part 5) Do you have a success story or an experience story or some comments about your experience using visual strategies? Here's what they shared: The greatest success that I have repeatedly seen is when a student walks into the classroom every morning and looks at the schedule then moves on . . . keep reading