Gear up for success

Gear up for success: A three-tiered planning model for supporting learners on the autism spectrum is a 152-page guide that offers evidence-based practices for teachers who have students on the autism spectrum in their classroom. Using the analogy of the gears on a bicycle to explain the three-tiered model, the authors, all professionals working in the field of autism, offer support for educators looking to adjust the intensity of interventions used based on their students' needs.

The aim of the book is to offer a conceptual framework to help education teams plan for interventions through general, class-wide supports, targeted small-group interventions, and specially designed one-on-one support. Detail is given on how to adjust the intensity level of interventions using the Gear Up model depending on the environmental conditions throughout the school day. Each bicycle representation is well-described and thoughtfully interwoven into the discussion.

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

Sexuality education for students with developmental disabilities

Sexuality education for students with developmental disabilities is a curriculum designed for self-advocates and staff to teach a sexuality education series together as a team. Written by sexuality educators with decades of experience teaching individuals with disabilities, the curriculum offers three components: the manual, the curriculum, and the pre/post test packet. The manual comprises the first 22 pages of the book and includes information on setting up a class and discusses challenges that may arise. The curriculum makes up the vast majority of the book covering different types of relationships, communication, decision-making, anatomy, children, and more. Activity suggestions and handouts are the hallmark of these lessons. A 22-question test found at the end of the book can be offered prior to the lessons to gear the class toward the information they lack. The same test is given after the class is over to ensure the class was successful.

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

Save the Date

The Indiana Resource Center for Autism is announcing a November date for the workshop by Ross Greene, Collaborative & Proactive Solutions: Understanding and Helping Students with Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Challenges. Dr. Greene will present this workshop on November 18, 2016, at the Westfield High School Auditorium, 18250 North Union Street, Westfield,  IN 46074. Special and general education teachers, early childhood educators, psychologists, speech language pathologists, administrators, counselors, social workers, family members, and others for whom this topic is relevant are all invited to attend.

For more information about the workshop and to register, please visit:
https://www.iidc.indiana.edu//index.php?pageId=ross-greene-workshop

Local Teams Trained in Autism Spectrum Disorders

The Indiana Resource Center for Autism has been hard at work training school or district teams of folks across the state "to build local capacity to establish and implement proactive and positive programming that reflects evidence-based practices for students across the autism spectrum." If you are interested in connecting with a team in your area, a list has been compiled to help.

Read more about the teams and the list at:
https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/pages/local-teams-trained-in-autism-spectrum-disorders

Camp Yes, And...

Camp Yes, And... is an improv summer camp for teens on the autism spectrum and teachers. This year, the folks at the Center on Education and Lifelong Learning and the Indiana Resource Center for Autism have developed a funding page to help keep the cost of the camp free for all participants. Donors have helped the camp reach 20% of its goal, but it needs your help.

To offer a donation for Camp Yes, And..., please visit: https://iufoundation.fundly.com/improvsummercampforautisticteensandteachers

To learn more about the camp, visit:
http://www.yesand.indiana.edu/home.php

Creativity and the autistic student: Supporting strengths to develop skills and deepen knowledge

Wondering how to support K-12 students on the spectrum in public, private, inclusive as well as specialized schools? Creativity and the autistic student can help. The author explores using creativity as a way to look at meaningful learning experiences of young people on the spectrum. "She then identifies key qualities of education that are commonly cited by autistic people to be significant to the development of fulfilling lives, healthy identities, promising careers and vocations, and creativity in general." -publisher

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 - Pixie

Pixie is the award winning authoring tool students can use to share ideas, imagination, and understanding through a combination of text, original artwork, voice narration, and images. Students can use Pixie’s paint tools, text options, clip art, and voice recording to develop storybooks, curriculum projects, videos, and so much more.

Want to learn more about it? Please visit: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pixie-by-tech4learning/id609012680?mt=8

Technology tools for students with autism

Technology tools for students with autism: Innovations that enhance independence and learning offers a variety of technologies that support students on the spectrum in their classrooms and communities. From apps to video modeling, the book explores the current and the future of interventions for learning to help teachers make the most of new tools and strategies.

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

We said, they said: 50 things parents and teachers of students with autism want each other to know

Looking for a book that gives educators and parents the necessary tools to build the relationships they need to help their children? We Said, They Said: 50 Things Parents and Teachers of Children with Autism Want Each Other to Know voices what parents and educators want to say to each other, but don’t.  It explains why they do what they do.  It helps fill the chasms of misunderstanding that breed assumptions like “They don’t care about my child,” and “They’re just in denial."

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

Social skills deficits in students with disabilities

Written for parents, teachers, counselors, psychologists, and others working in the disability field, Social skills deficits in students with disabilities is a book of strategies from a varied group of professionals (special educators, school counselors, licensed professional counselors, an occupational therapist, and a psychologist). It will help you learn more about the social deficits and challenges associated with disabilities as well as strategies to support social skill development.

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

Students on the Spectrum Club

The S.O.S. Club meetings begin this Fall with the initial Call Out meeting on Tuesday September 10th from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. in the Distinguished Alumni Room at the Indiana Memorial Union.

All Indiana University students who live with an autism spectrum disorder are welcome.Ivy Tech students and other adults 18 years and older, on the autism spectrum, who plan to attend IU are also encouraged to check out the S.O.S. Club. This group provides students the opportunity to engage with each other and others in the University community around topics and activities of interest.In previous years, topics and activities, decided by the student members, have included becoming an effective self-advocate, dealing with anxiety, communication and social skills, employment related issues, playing billiards and other games as well as finding supports and activities on campus and in the community. For further information please contact the S.O.S. Club Adviser Marci Wheeler at the Indiana Resource Center for Autism at (812) 855-6508.

Webinar: Post-Secondary Options for Students with ASD

The Association of University Centers on Disabilities will be hosting a webinar on April 15th at 2:30 p.m. EDT that will include an overview of three programs and a parent perspective. Information will be shared on the programs Think College!, The College Program for Students with Asperger’s Syndrome at Marshall University, and the group Students on the Spectrum at Indiana University. Additionally, Scott Badesch, M.A., will discuss what a parent needs to know and do to help their child succeed when they are living with autism.

For more information about this webinar and to register, please visit: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/666533521

Successful Problem-Solving for High-Functioning Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Got problems? Who doesn't? For those on the spectrum, though, problems can truly seem insurmountable whether it's a jammed locker or a misplaced library book. Successful problem-solving for high-functioning students with autism spectrum disorder can help. The authors offer a formula to work through in the form of a problem solving chart that will take the reader step-by-step into solving the issue at hand.

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

Adalyn's Clare

With the release of Adalyn's Clare, author Kari Dunn Buron, hopes to draw attention to the realities of social anxiety, the importance of teaching relaxation and other coping strategies and the need for teachers and loved ones to help create valuing relationships for children who have difficulty making friends, like Adalyn. Recommended for young readers in grades 3-6. (Book description)

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

Bullying and Students on the Autism Spectrum

The Network of Autism Training and Technical Assistance Programs has put together an article on the prevalence of bullying among students on the spectrum. The article starts with:

"It is not unusual to hear stories about students – with and without disabilities – being bullied. Stories about bullying have captured media attention as children cope with being bullied and as families attempt to adjust to losing a loved one to suicide motivated by bullying. The reality is that students on the autism spectrum are bullied more often than students without disabilities. In fact, of the students who are bullied, 63% are on the autism spectrum. Regardless of the outcome associated with bullying and whether the student has a disability or not, bullying is a serious and pervasive problem that must be addressed in schools."

To read the entire article, visit IRCA's website at: http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/irca

Lock It Up!

For the beginning of the school year, the folks at the Indiana Resource Center for Autism has compiled some training videos for kids who are new to combination locks/lockers. See the article and the accompanying resources at: http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/index.php?pageId=3579

Student Autism and Asperger Syndrome

Student Autism and Asperger Syndrome is a 24-minute DVD that shows characteristics and frequency of autism and Asperger’s; how autism affects students’ abilities to communicate and interact; communication strategies that work; diffusing potentially tense situations; and basic guidelines to help school staff and safety officers understand this “hidden” disability.

Email us to check out this title at cedir@indiana.edu.

Thinking Maps

Got a student who needs help with organization or visualization? Students of all types and abilities can benefit from using Thinking Maps^® according to the author of Student successes with Thinking Maps^®: School-based research, results, and models for achievement using visual tools. This book presents eight visual models that can boost all learners’ metacognitive and critical thinking skills.

Want to check it out? Send us an email at cedir@indiana.edu.

April is Autism Awareness Month

Just in time for Autism Awareness Month, the staff at the Indiana Resource Center for Autism have put together a new article on working with students on the spectrum. Titled Autism Awareness Month: Facts and Tips for Working with Students on the Autism Spectrum, this article offers interesting facts and features tips and suggestions from Indiana's Autism Leadership Network to help students on the spectrum succeed.

The entire article can be found at: http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/index.php?pageId=359

Ziggurat and CAPS explained

Interested in the Ziggurat and the CAPS model of creating plans in schools for children on the spectrum? The staff at the Indiana Resource Center for Autism have put together an article explaining the two models. Each of these tools can help provide comprehensive and consistent plans for your students.

Read the entire article at: http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/index.php?pageId=3358