Students on the spectrum in college

Staff at the Indiana Resource Center for Autism has just published a new article called, Academic Supports for College Students with an Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Overview. Written by their Social Work Specialist, Marci Wheeler, the article discusses several topics of concern when supporting students on the spectrum in college, such as:

• Communication skills
• Social skills
• Sensory differences
• Motor skills

Also included is a chart that acts as a quick reference to important facets of the autism spectrum and how it pertains to college life. To see the chart and read the entire article, go to: http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/index.php?pageId=3417

The first year

The first year: Autism spectrum disorders: An essential guide for the newly diagnosed child is written by Nancy Wiseman, a parent who is also an expert in the field. Wiseman takes the reader through the first year of a autism diagnosis with daily, weekly, and monthly milestones, including:

• Taking the top 10 most essential actions
• Assembling a team of specialists
• Accessing early intervention services
• Building a strong support system
• Advocating for your child

and more! With an emphasis on early intervention, this guide will help you get the medical care, treatment, and services that your child will need.

Send us an email at cedir@indiana.edu to check out this title. Worldcat.org can also help you find the book in a library near you.

App Giveaway

To help celebrate Autism awareness month, the folks at Autism Epicenter have joined forces with several app developers to bring you a generous promotion! During this giveaway Autism Epicenter will be distributing 4 packs of 4 apps. Two of these packs are geared toward the iPod Touch and two of them for the iPad:

iPod Touch pack #1 First Then Visual Schedule Voice4U My Choice Board Speech with Milo: Verbs	iPod Touch pack #2 TASUC Schedule Voice4U My Choice Board Pictello
iPad pack #1 iPrompts XL Pictello AACSpeechBuddy Speech with Milo: Prepositions	iPad pack #2 iPrompts XL AACSpeechBuddy Speech with Milo: Verbs Speech with Milo: Prepositions

To get in on this giveaway, navigate to: http://www.autismepicenter.com/autism-blog/blog5.php?p=191&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1#more191

Autism College

Feel like you need to get schooled on the ins and outs of autism? Want to take courses to find out more about the spectrum of this disorder? Check out Autism College where interactive video webinars will be your classroom. They have classes for professionals who need continuing education credits and classes for parents. Visiting professors such as Temple Grandin and IRCA's own Dr. Cathy Pratt will present lectures. For each course, classes are held once a week for 2 hours over a four week period. Small group coaching is also available.

For more information, go to: autismcollege.com

Week-Long Webinar on Autism

The folks at HANDS in Autism (Helping Answer Needs by Developing Specialists in Autism) are hosting a special week-long online webinar next week. The webinar will offer various presentations throughout the week, some of which will be presented by staff at the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community. Register for one or all of the presentations to receive a link to that particular classroom, or just browse the virtual fair to see what they have to offer.

For more information and to register, go to: http://handsinautism.org/awarenessfair.html

Support

Looking for support for a family with a child with autism? Services and resources can be difficult to find. The Indiana Resource Center for Autism has a webpage devoted to this topic. From support groups around the state to respite services to how and where to obtain a diagnosis or assessment, this page will point you in the right direction.

Get started at: http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/index.php?pageId=275

Autism: Coming of Age

Autism: Coming of Age is a public television documentary about families facing the future as their children with autism become adults. This film focuses on the day-to-day struggles and issues families face not only while raising their children with autism but also continuing to care for them once they become adults. MassMutual Financial Group sponsored this documentary which was produced by public television station WGBY (Springfield, MA) to help raise awareness of the challenges faced by individuals with autism and their families.

For more information on this documentary and to view it, browse over to: http://www.massmutual.com/planningtools/additional-resources/special-needs/special-care/autism-coming-of-age

All aboard!

Whitewater Valley Railroad

Got a kid with a fascination for trains? Would s/he like to take a ride with Thomas the Tank Engine pulling the train? The Whitewater Valley Railroad in Connersville, Indiana, is announcing that Thomas the Tank Engine will be on hand to do his very best June 17-19 and 24-26, 2011. Visitors will get to:

• Take a 25 minute ride with a full size Thomas the Tank Engine™
• Meet Sir Topham Hatt
• Listen to storytelling and live music
• Build with MEGA BLOKS® and much more!

For tickets and information, visit http://www.ticketweb.com/dowt or call 1-866-468-7630. Tickets are $18.00 for ages 2 and up. Group price is $14.00 per ticket for 20 or more. Advance purchase is recommended. All sales are final, events happen rain or shine.

Apps for Autism

Want to know more about all those apps everyone keeps talking about? Want to know how to evaluate apps for your child with autism? Shannon Des Roches Rosa is a mother, writer, and advocate for autism and special needs. She is also a former software producer for Electronic Arts and The Learning Company. Last year, she wrote a guest post on Moms with Apps' blog suggesting tips on evaluating apps.

To see this post, go to: http://momswithapps.com/2010/08/04/characteristics-of-great-apps-for-kids-with-autism/

Wretches & Jabberers

Don't forget this Saturday is Bloomington's screening of the film Wretches & Jabberers. This documentary, directed by Academy Award winner Gerardine Wurzburg, follows two men with autism who decide to travel the world in order to change attitudes about disability. The movie will be shown at noon on the 16th at the AMC Showplace 12 West in Bloomington.

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.

Social Security Benefits

Want to know more about Social Security benefits and employment? A new article has been published by the Indiana Resource Center for Autism on this subject. The article reviews two Social Security programs that supply cash benefits to people with disabilities, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

For a closer look, go to: http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/index.php?pageId=3413

Social skills program

Making friends, preK-3: A social skills program for inclusive settings is the second edition of Ruth Herron Ross and Beth Roberts' Wanna play? (Corwin ©2006). The book features lots of games and activities that can be linked to IEP goals for kids with disabilities. It targets topics such as safety and regulating emotions and can also be used with kids without disabilities.

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

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