Training and Workshop Descriptions

Adapting Instructional Materials and Strategies:  The unique cognitive characteristics associated with autism spectrum disorders often affect the learning style of these individuals. This training provides an overview of these cognitive characteristics and their significance in regard to learning style. The importance of assessment and teaching functional academic skills is also discussed.  Examples of ways assistance can be provided in the educational setting are provided.

Asperger Syndrome:  This training provides an overview of the diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome appropriate for any parent, family member, school personnel, or professional interested in the disorder. Clinical features of Asperger Syndrome along with assessment issues are discussed. This training also highlights some of the core components that should be included in the educational and treatment programs of individuals with this diagnosis, especially social and communication training and vocational planning.

Autism Spectrum Disorders:  This training is designed to provide an introduction to autism spectrum disorders to individuals interested in learning the basics, including parents, family members, school personnel, and professionals.  An overview is provided of the history of the diagnosis, core and associated characteristics, the developmental course, and current research and theories on the causes and treatment of autism spectrum disorders.

Best Practices in Educating Students with Autism:  This training covers a wide range of topics concerning effective practices for educating individuals with autism.  The Autism Program Quality Indicators (APQI) is reviewed as a guide for schools and programs serving children with autism.  Also discussed are individual evaluations and individualized education programs (IEPs), curriculum, instructional activities, methods, and environments, progress and outcomes, inclusion, transitions, and challenging behaviors. The family, school personnel, and community’s role in providing educational support to the individual with autism is also emphasized.

College Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Beginning college is a new, exciting, and often unpredictable time of a young adult’s life.  When that young adult has an Autism Spectrum Disorder, going to college can also be overwhelming, anxiety- provoking, and stressful. This training provides an overview of the specific stressors a person with an Autism Spectrum Disorder may face when going to college.  Simple interventions and supports to decrease the stress and promote the successful transition into college life are also discussed.

Empirically- Based Programs for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Information available in the field of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is both massive and complex. With all of the information currently available, the question becomes, how do professionals and parents know what works with children with an ASD? This training outlines current interventions, programs, and program components that address the core deficits of these disorders and have been studied in controlled settings. From educational to medical interventions, both the benefits and limitations of such programs are discussed.

Functional Behavioral Assessment and Positive Behavioral Supports:  Conducting Functional Behavioral Assessments (FBAs) allow teams to develop more effective and efficient behavior intervention plans for children with problem behaviors.  Discussed in this training are the importance and fundamentals of conducting FBAs. The team is also taught how to use this assessment to develop a behavior intervention plan that addresses skill and performance deficits. This goal of this plan is to replace problem behaviors with more appropriate behaviors that serve the same function.

How to Be an Effective Paraprofessional in the School Environment:  The objective of this training is to provide paraprofessionals working with students with autism the tools needed to be successful in the classroom. Characteristic features of autism spectrum disorders are discussed and methods for providing educational support to the student are presented. The role the paraprofessional in the classroom is discussed and common mistakes made by paraprofessionals are reviewed. Realistic student examples are used to demonstrate trouble shooting and action planning for effective problem resolution.  

Living with Autism:  Living with an individual who has an autism spectrum disorder can be challenging and often stressful for all members of the family.  This training addresses this issue by identifying some of the concerns and feelings which are typical of family members in this situation and offering some strategies to reduce some of the stress. Sibling issues are also discussed, including ways to explain the diagnosis to a child, how to help a sibling form a relationship with his/her brother or sister, and some special adult sibling issues.

Mealtime and Children with Autism: Many children with Autism Spectrum Disorders also have difficulties around mealtime and eating. Whether it is a co- occurring medical issue (e.g. Gastritis) or difficulty with food selectivity, problems around eating can be frustrating for both parents and school staff. This training will outline the various eating problems found in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, as well as begin to address effective intervention strategies.

Peer Victimization in Students with Disabilities: Every day in the United States, 160,000 students miss school because they are afraid of being physically, verbally, or socially attacked by their peers. For students with disabilities, this number is much higher. This training discusses the characteristics of students with disabilities that cause them to be at particular risk of becoming targets of peer aggression. Beyond cause and effect, the discussion focuses on what schools can do to begin to address this difficult and complex problem.

The Role of Parents in the Treatment of Autism: Parents serve multiple roles when they have a child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. They are teachers, advocates, as well as loving parents and family members. This training outlines the different roles parents undertake, recognizing that parents who feel competent in these various roles experience less stress and greater happiness within the family.

Supporting Students with Autism in the Classroom: Students with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) take in, process, store, and communicate information in distinct ways. This can pose a unique challenge to teachers, paraprofessionals, and other school staff that work with these students every day. This training outlines the cognitive processes and learning styles of students with an ASD. Using case examples, it then describes simple modifications and accommodations that can be utilized in the classroom to improve learning for these students.

Waking Up to a Better Day:  Sleep refreshes and restores us. Yet, many children with autism and related disabilities have difficulty falling asleep or have their sleep disturbed frequently through the night. The effects of continually not getting a good night’s rest can have serious consequences not only to the child, but to the entire family. Topics covered in this training include the nature of sleep, common sleep problems, and effective interventions to improve even the most difficult sleep behavior.