|
Pump It Up and Autism Society of America Host "Bounce for Autism"
The Autism Society of America and Pump It Up, the nation's largest and fastest-growing franchise of giant indoor inflatable playgrounds for private parties, are teaming up for the second year to host "Bounce for Autism" this April in over 30 locations nationwide. This community-based fundraising event combines family fun with raising awareness and support for autism in locations that welcome children on the autism spectrum. Autism now affects one in every 150 children in America, and ASA and Pump It Up hope to energize families affected by autism and their friends to raise funds for and awareness of autism today. Read more …
ASA Web Advocacy Campaign to Begin Next Week
Very soon, comprehensive autism legislation will be introduced in the U.S. Congress. In a few days, ASA will need your help to make sure Congress understands just how critical this issue is to all of our friends and families that are affected by autism. Next week, ASA will launch a Web-based email campaign to call attention to the critical need for appropriate lifespan services. Read more …
Sensory Friendly Films Expand to New Markets
The next ASA-AMC Sensory Friendly Film will be Race to Witch Mountain on March 14, at 10 a.m. local time. Visit www.autism-society.org/sensoryfilms to find a theatre near you, and be sure to look for our new locations in Grand Rapids, Mich.; Houston; San Francisco; Spokane, Wash.; and Tampa, Fla.
Race for Autism
NASCAR driver Scott Lagasse will feature the autism awareness ribbon as he races Car #11, America's Incredible Pizza Company Toyota. The car’s hood with be painted with the multicolored puzzle ribbon beginning at the O’Reilly 300 on April 4 at the Texas Motor Speedway. Learn more about Scotty, his charity work and upcoming races at http://www.scottlagasse.com/.
Autism on the Seas
Join the Autism Society of America on a fabulous 12-night Mediterranean cruise aboard award-winning Oceania Cruises as we sail from Athens, Greece, to Venice, Italy, October 22-November 3, 2009. We will visit 13 ports of call across six countries. Read more …
Breakdown of Health-Care Funding in the Stimulus Package
The economic stimulus bill has a large number of health-care provisions. Read more …
Funding for Lifespan Respite Included in Appropriations Bill
The FY09 Omnibus Appropriations bill, expected to be voted on by the House this week, includes $2.5 million for Lifespan Respite. The funding is included in the budget for the Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Services. A federal agency within HHS will still have to be selected to administer the funding for the program.
Alabama Autism Task Force Releases Final Report
The Alabama Autism Task Force, created by the Alabama Legislature in 2007, has released its final report after almost two years of study. State Representative Cam Ward (R-Alabaster), who co-chaired the Task Force with Lieutenant Governor Jim Folsom, said in a release that the findings make it imperative that the state take a proactive approach to helping parents diagnose and treat children with autism. Read more …
Request from the Office on Disability
Kareem Dale, Special Assistant to President Obama for Disability Policy, has requested ASA’s help in finding people with disabilities who have gone back to work or been rehired as a result of the economic recovery plan (e.g., a company starts hiring again as a result of money they are going to receive from the stimulus bill). If you know of such cases that have recently occurred, please send your information to Jeff Sell, ASA Vice President of Advocacy and Public Policy, at jsell@autism-society.org.
Read My Lips
When someone speaks to you, do you see what they are saying? We tend to think of speech as being something we hear, but recent studies suggest that we use a variety of senses for speech perception - that the brain treats speech as something we hear, see and even feel. In a new report in Current Directions in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, psychologist Lawrence Rosenblum describes research examining how our different senses blend together to help us perceive speech. Read more …
New England Inclusive Education Leadership Summit
The New England Inclusive Education Leadership Summit, sponsored by the Institute on Disability (IOD) at the University of New Hampshire, will take place April 10 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Center of New Hampshire Radisson, 700 Elm Street, Manchester, N.H. It is designed to give participants the opportunity to learn the latest best practices and leadership strategies on inclusive education, meet national leaders of inclusive education, and problem solve and network with peers. Read more …
New Resource Publication for Children with Disabilities, Health Issues or Who are Gifted
Resources for Children with Special Needs, Inc., has added a new publication to its one-of-a-kind directories for families with children with disabilities and other special needs, Schools for Students with Special Needs: Private Day and Residential Schools Serving Children and Youth with Disabilities and Special Needs in the New York City Metro Area. Read more …
2009 Autism Society of America National Conference and Exposition, July 22-25, in St. Charles, Ill.
Registration for the 2009 ASA National Conference and Exposition is now open! This year's conference will be held in St. Charles, Ill., at the Pheasant Run Resort July 22-25. There are early bird registration rates in effect until April 1, so register early for the best discount. You can access all information about the conference and registration at our website: www.autism-society.org/conference.
We anticipate 2,000 attendees this year and more than 150 exhibitors, plus speakers from around the globe. In 2008, we were able to expand our professional credit offerings and create a comprehensive program that drew a record number of attendees. The full schedule of conference offerings will be available online in early March.
Over 80 booths have already sold for next year’s event. To participate as an exhibitor, program guide advertiser or sponsor, please contact Meg Ellacott, Ellacott@autism-society.org or 302.260.9487. Visit www.autism-society.org/conference and click on exhibit information to learn more.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us at conference@autism-society.org.
ASA-Pikes Peak Conference to Feature Brenda Smith-Myles
The Autism Society of America-Pikes Peak region will present “Preventing Behavior Problems while Planning for School Success,” a conference with Dr. Brenda Smith-Myles, on Friday, April 10, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza, 2886 S. Circle Drive, Colorado Springs, Colo. Read more …
Defeat Autism Now! Spring Conference
Defeat Autism Now! will hold its 2009 Spring Conference April 16-19 at the Renaissance Waverly Hotel, 2450 Galleria Parkway, Atlanta, Ga. Defeat Autism Now! is dedicated to the exploration, evaluation and dissemination of scientifically documented biomedical interventions for individuals within the autism spectrum, through the collaborative efforts of clinicians, researchers and parents. Read more …
New Site Uses Comics to Teach
At MakeBeliefsComix.com, parents and children can create their own comic strips online and practice writing, reading and storytelling. Parents and teachers of autistic children are using the site to communicate more effectively with their children by creating comic strips to teach and convey information to them. The comic strips created provide a finite world with images and text that can be easier for youngsters with autism to grasp. Read more …
Emotes Help Children Communicate
Emotes are a race of small cyber beings with human-like emotions that dwell within the World Wide Web - from Abash “the embarrassed” and Jumpi “the scared” to Boom “the angry” and Cant “the frustrated.” The Emotes face the same challenges that our children deal with every day, situations that challenge children, as well as the Emotes, to be aware of their own emotions. When children are able to identify and express their feelings, they learn to better cope with difficult situations, which promotes better social development and improves self-esteem. Read more …
SARRC Opens Academy to Support Teens and Adults with Autism
The Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center (SARRC) has announced the opening of its Opus West Vocational & Life Skills Academy (VLSA), a 10,000-square-foot facility in Central Phoenix (2225 N. 16th St.), Ariz. Read more …
New Book Provides Roadmap for Families Seeking Autism Treatment
Leeann Whiffen, wife and mother of three, shares the journey her family took with their son Clay in her memoir, A Child’s Journey Out of Autism. Read more …
The Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation Announces 2009 Grantees
The Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation, a 501(c)(3) national autism organization, based in Ridgewood, N.J., has announced its 18 2009 grantees from across the United States. The DJF 2009 grantees represent outstanding and innovative role model programs and exemplify the organization’s mission to develop and support residential, recreational, vocational, educational and family programs that provide suitable and sustainable opportunities for adolescents and adults with autism to participate in community life. The 2009 grantees showcase success stories that offer promising practices that can be replicated in communities around the country. Each program provides an avenue for its participants to obtain hands-on experiences that can travel with them throughout adult life while enhancing skills that advance productive futures. Importantly, each program provides a support system that maximizes independence and values the individuality of each person. Read more … 
| 
