College Students on the Spectrum

Marci Wheeler, Social Work Specialist at the Indiana Resource Center for Autism, writes:

"Each year more information about the college experiences of those on the autism spectrum is written by their parents, professionals and these students on the autism spectrum. “Temple Grandin” a biopic movie of Temple’s life premiered last year on HBO, and won several Emmy and other awards. Included in the film, of this very accomplished woman with autism, is a significant look at Temple’s experience at college. This film also reminds us that fellow college students need information to better understand their peers on the autism spectrum and how to include and support them. There is much more to college life than academics. Intellectually these students are often very bright but many may face a variety of “hidden challenges” that can undermine their ability to navigate a typical college campus and perform well in class. This article will discuss some of the challenges and possible academic supports for students on the autism spectrum."

Want to read the entire article? Visit: http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/index.php?pageId=3417

Mobile App Monday - RewardTimer

Looking for some help implementing behavior or classroom management practices? RewardTimer will allow you to catch students being good, improve classroom behavior, and utilize principles of behaviorism. It can also help with data collection. Users can record if the student or class earned the reward at the given interval. RewardTimer can send the data as an attachment (.csv format) via email for use in spreadsheet programs.

Want to know more about this app? Visit: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/rewardtimer/id404433287?mt=8#

Mobile App Monday - Teacher Tools-Who's Next?

Do the same one or two hands always pop up when you ask a question in your classroom? The Teacher Tools - Who's Next? app will shake things up for your class by allowing you to call on students randomly and even create randomized work groups!

- Makes all students in the class accountable for the lesson information at all times.
- Eliminates any possible bias; no students will be called on too little or too much.
- Saves time when splitting class into groups for assignments.
- Helps with classroom management by not allowing students to pick their own groups.
- And more!

Want more information? Visit: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id387183927?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

A mother's courage: Talking back to autism

A Mother's Courage: Talking Back to Autism is a frank look at the reality that families endure to get assessments, a diagnosis, and advice. It shows the emotional turmoil parents feel as they watch their happy, verbal child regress into autism. This film can be used as an autism awareness tool for relatives, neighbors, and the community to help them understand what families with kids on the spectrum go through.

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

A Full Life with Autism

Wondering what will happen to your children on the spectrum when they reach adulthood? A Full Life with Autism is a guide for helping them lead meaningful and independent lives as they reach adulthood. In the next five years, hundreds of thousands of children with ASD will reach adulthood, and while diagnosis and treatment for children has improved in recent years, parents still wonder about their ability to live independently.

Autism expert Chantal Sicile-Kira and her son Jeremy offer real solutions to a host of difficult questions, including how young adults of different abilities and their parents can:
    *navigate this new economy where adult service resources are scarce
    *cope with the difficulties of living apart from the nuclear family
    *find, and keep a job that provides meaning, stability and an income
    *create and sustain fulfilling relationships

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

The Horse Boy

The Horse Boy is a film about a journey of discovery. A Texas couple and their autistic son trek on horseback through Outer Mongolia in an attempt to find healing for him. When two-year-old Rowan was diagnosed with autism, Rupert Isaacson, a writer and former horse trainer, and his wife Kristin Neff, a psychology professor, sought the best possible medical care, but traditional therapies had little effect. Then they discovered that Rowan has a profound affinity for animals particularly horses and the family set off on a quest that would change their lives forever.

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

Asperkids

"ASPERKIDS" was named to the TOP 12 BOOKS TO READ IF YOUR LOVED ONE IS DIAGNOSED WITH ASD by Autism Asperger Digest

As a parent, a teacher and an Aspie herself, award-winning author Jennifer Cook O'Toole provides a unique insider's look into Asperger Syndrome. She shows how to help children on the spectrum by understanding how they think and exploiting their special interests to promote learning. Her strategies work because she thinks like the children that she teaches. This book offers the insight and guidance that parents and professionals need to connect with the Asperkids in their life and get them excited about learning.

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

Mobile App Monday - No More Meltdowns

It could happen at home, school, the grocery store or a restaurant. Meltdowns are stressful for both child and adult, but Dr. Baker’s No More Meltdown app can help! His popular book gives the tools to deal with and prevent out-of-control behavior. Now you can have those tools with you in the moment to help you prepare your child for the situations as they arise.

Interested? To learn more about this app, visit: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/no-more-meltdowns/id407341438?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Dad's in Heaven with Nixon

Dad's in Heaven with Nixon is the story of a mother's enduring love and a boy's journey from the darkness of brain damage, coupled with what would eventually be diagnosed as autism to the light that is his life today-as an acclaimed artist. It is also the story of mental illness in one Irish-American family, the devastating damage it caused, from one generation to the next, and ultimately the triumph of the human spirit.

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

Fly Away

Fly Away is a powerful film directed by Emmy Award® winner Janet Grillo (Autism: The Musical). This film narrates the story of Jeanne (Beth Broderick, Bonfire of the Vanities, Sabrina the Teenage Witch) and her autistic teenage daughter, Mandy (Ashley Rickards, One Tree Hill). Jeanne has cared for Mandy since the day she was born, growing closer every day to a child who is charmingly offbeat one moment and nearly impossible to manage the next. As the pressures of work and her child's needs increase, Jeanne must decide whether or not to enroll Mandy in a therapeutic residential facility.

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 - (DTT) Numbers

Autism/DTT Numbers app uses Discrete Trial Training (DTT) to help children learn the numbers 0-99 and to learn to count 0-9.  This app has been tested extensively in a clinical setting with children who have autism, ADHD, and other developmental disorders. It also can be used by any child who has trouble staying on task.

To learn more about it, visit this app's iTunes page at: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/autism-dtt-numbers/id427789091?mt=8#