The power card strategy 2.0: Using special interests to motivate children and youth with autism spectrum disorder

The power card strategy 2.0: Using special interests to motivate children and youth with autism spectrum disorder is a 94-page guide for parents and teachers to help kids on the autism spectrum make sense of social situations, routines, the meaning of language, and the hidden curriculum that surrounds us.

This guide is a second edition of a popular strategy for using special interests or fascinations for teaching and guiding kids. In addition to an introduction of the second edition, there is also an introduction to the first edition at the beginning of the book. The first chapter defines special interests and their power in learning. The second chapter discusses how to develop and use power cards including their use at home and in the community. Chapter three offers examples of power cards used in different situations, and chapter four covers four case studies.

Want to check it out? Email us at cedir@indiana.edu.

Life, animated: A story of sidekicks, heroes, and autism

Life, animated: A story of sidekicks, heroes, and autism is a 384-page memoir of life with a child who for many years was nonverbal. Deeply entrenched in Disney movies, the author’s son could not communicate with the family. This story is about learning how to connect with him. As with most children, Owen was a happy spirited toddler until about two and a half years old. Something changed at that time, and he regressed.

The book works through Owen’s stages of development from the beginning when he was a typically-developing young child to the “growing backward” stage, the doctors and their tests, to Owen’s fascinations. Disney movies played prominently throughout his life and became the connection the family finally discovered that could reach Owen.

Want to check it out? Email us at cedir@indiana.edu or use worldcat.org to find it in a library near you.

Mobile App Monday - Presidents vs. Aliens™

Know someone who needs help learning about the presidents of the United States? Presidents vs. Aliens™ is a fun app that will teach the user presidential facts, quotes, nicknames and historical events. The app lets you select which types of questions are asked. Younger kids can start by just focusing on identifying the presidents. Older kids and adults can delve deeper into historical events and presidential facts.

Want to learn more? Please visit:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id427418941

Autism and fascinations

An article in the New York Times Magazine offers a glimpse into the world of one family who learned how to use their son's fascination with Disney films in order to reach him. Read the entire article at: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/09/magazine/reaching-my-autistic-son-through-disney.html

Rogue: A Novel

Got a teenager with Asperger's who is trying to make new friends? Rogue might be just what she needs. Follow along as Kiara, who has Asperger’s syndrome, looks for ways to help her make friends. The Internet has been a friend for her but can't always answer her questions. After some trouble in school, Kiara gets kicked out and just wishes she could be more like Rogue, her X-Men hero. Find out how Kiara learns to be a friend and learns about her own special power.

Email us at cedir@indiana.edu to check out this title or use worldcat.org to find it in a library near you.

Raising Cubby: A father and son's adventures with Asperger's, trains, tractors, and high explosives

Looking for a coming-of-age father and son story? John Robison was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome at the age of forty and wonders if his son, Cubby, also has the disorder. Cubby loves the same things his dad did as a child and also gets labeled as dumb and stubborn just like his dad did. When Cubby gets into trouble with the law, however, both dad and son must take a long hard look at and come to terms with their lives. "...tender, hilarious, and suspenseful..."

Want to check it out? Email us at cedir@indiana.edu or use worldcat.org to find it in a library near you.