Webinar on Waivers

Looking for information on the Autism and Developmental Disability Waivers?

The Division of Disability and Rehabilitative Service (DDRS) with the Autism Society of Indiana and Indiana Resource Center for Autism is hosting a webinar on May 30, 2012, at 9 a.m. to discuss combining  the Autism and Developmental Disability Medicaid Waivers.

This event requires registration. However, if you are unable to participate in this event, the presentation will be recorded and posted to the DDRS website within one week.

Go to autismindiana.webex.com to register for the online event.

On the registration form, enter your information and then click "Submit."

Once the host approves your registration, you will receive a confirmation email message with instructions on how to join the event. If you do not have access to the internet, you can call in and listen to the presentation using the following number: 1-650-479-3207 Access code: 668 201 539

There will be an opportunity for you to post questions during and following the presentation.

Autism and the Decision to Drive

Autism and the Decision to Drive describes and illustrates a wide variety of factors to consider when making the decision to drive, including sections on:
     Focus & Good Driving Habits
     Ability to Stay Alert
     Judgement
     Where Do You Live?
     Choosing the Right Instructor
     Independence Skills
     Following the Rules
     Having Autism Can Help!
     Can Autism Get in the Way?
     Patience is a Virtue!
     Flexibility
     Eliminate Distractions
     Social Considerations on the Road
     and many more!

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

Mobile App Monday - iTouchiLearn Feelings for Preschool Kids

iTouchiLearn Feelings gives preschool, kindergarten and children with special needs the social cues needed to identify, interpret and communicate their emotions. By interacting with words and associated visual actions, children step through the process that causes an emotion.

Want to learn more? Visit: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/itouchilearn-feelings-for/id487364947?mt=8

The Parent's Guide to College for Students on the Autism Spectrum

It's always difficult for parents to send their children away to college, but for parents who also have children on the spectrum, it's even more daunting. Even high-functioning students on the spectrum face challenges in higher education and, for many, the same accommodations that supported them in high school may not be available in the university setting. The parent's guide to college for students on the autism spectrum is written for parents by parents who have been there and experienced it. This book takes the unknown out of college and gently guides parents through the process. From selecting the right campus to learning the legalities involved to preparing your child to be their own advocate, this book has it all.

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

Summer Camps

Summer Camps

Looking for a summer camp for your special child? The Indiana Resource Center for Autism has compiled a listing of summer camps available in and around Indiana. Two additional articles are also included: "How to "Lose the Training Wheels:" A New Way to Teach Bicycle Riding" and "Making Camps Accessible for All" by Kim Davis.

To read all three articles, visit: http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/index.php?pageId=3423

Mobile App Monday -- Sosh

Sōsh™ is an app that focuses on five abilities that are essential for social skills development: Relating, Relaxing, Reasoning, Regulating, and Recognizing. These "5R's" serve as a road map for individuals who want to be social, but may have faced obstacles in the past, and also serve as a guide for parents, teachers, and therapists hoping to encourage and assist individuals with their social goals. Exercises, strategies, and practical information help the user work through social situations in a step-by-step manner. And, most importantly, the app encourages work on these skills during everyday interactions, when learning is most likely to occur.

Want to see more about this app? Visit: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id442685559?mt=8

Answers for Autism

Answers in Autism has a new website. All money raised by this organization stays in Indiana and is available through grants to help organizatons and programs statewide. Some of the major projects funded by Answers for Autism have been

• Over $400,000 in grants to community organizations in 32 different counties in the state of Indiana
• Over $200,000 to national autism research
• $18,500 to place 5 autism books in every Indiana public library
• $8,000 for FIRST RESPONDERS training on autism
• $15,000 to PROJECT LIFE SAVER – tracking bracelets for children with autism
• $3000 Printing of 3,000 booklets “When Your Child is Diagnosed with Autism”

To learn more about this organization, visit: http://answersautism.org/

Final Input Sought On DSM Autism Changes

According to an article at disabilityscoop.com, "The panel responsible for crafting new diagnostic criteria for autism, intellectual disability and other disorders is seeking public comment for a third and final time.

"The American Psychiatric Association said Wednesday that it will accept public comments now through June 15 on proposed changes for the fifth edition of its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The first revision in more than a decade to what’s considered the bible of mental health disorders, the new edition of the manual is expected to be published in May 2013."

To read the entire disabilityscoop.com article, visit: http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2012/05/03/final-input-dsm/15527/

To view the APA site, visit: http://www.dsm5.org/Pages/Default.aspx