Save the Date!

Are you interested in learning how to teach communication skills rapidly to those with limited functional speech? If so, then plan to attend the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) Level 1 Training scheduled for September 12-13, 2016 in Carmel, Indiana.

Sponsored by the Institute’s Indiana Resource Center for Autism and Pyramid Educational Consultants, Inc., PECS promotes communication within a social context without lengthy prerequisite training. Training in PECS begins by teaching a spontaneous request and goes on to teach additional communicative functions such as responding to questions and commenting. An added attraction for preschool children with autism and related disabilities is the high proportion of children who acquire independent speech.

Want to learn more about this training? Please visit:
https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/pages/pecs

Library Hours Next Week

Next week, in observance of the Memorial Day holiday, CeDIR will have different hours all week. We will be closed all day on Monday, May 30th, and will be open in the mornings only (8:00 a.m. to noon) from May 31st through June 3rd.

Beginning on June 6th, we will return to our regular hours: 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. to 4:00.

8 Keys to Raising the Quirky Child: How to Help a Kid Who Doesn't (Quite) Fit In

8 Keys to Raising the Quirky Child: How to Help a Kid Who Doesn't (Quite) Fit In "defines quirky markers and offers strategies for parents to understand their children’s brains and behaviors; to know what is developmentally appropriate, and what isn’t; to understand how to reach their kids; and to help facilitate their social functioning in the world.

"It will calm the hearts and minds of parents who worry that their child doesn’t fit in and offer hope to parents who need strategies to support their quirky child’s overall development." -publisher

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

Library Hours Next Week

Next week, in observance of the Memorial Day holiday, CeDIR will have different hours all week. We will be closed all day on Monday, May 30^th, and will be open in the mornings only (8:00 a.m. to noon) from May 31^st through June 3^rd.

Beginning on June 6^th, we will return to our regular hours: 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. to 4:00.

Mobile App Monday - ABC Shakedown

"ABC Shakedown is a Reading Readiness Program using digital flashcards with easy prompts and a cool "shake" feature... This introduction app teaches the sound-symbol correspondence of each letter of the alphabet in a 21st century way... What really sets this app apart from the others, is that all the sounds are enunciated, articulated and properly spoken with guidance from a speech pathologist." -iTunes

Want to learn more about this app? Please visit:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id347966971

Social Narratives: A Story Intervention for Children with Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities

"Drawing on the latest autism theory and findings from research, the author provides step-by- step guidelines for writing and using Social Narratives at home or in the classroom. She describes clearly the key components of the approach, including incorporating the interests of the child, using literal and positive language and including visuals and comprehension questions to support learning. 27 sample Social Narratives are also included, to provide inspiration and useful examples of how Social Narratives can be used in practice." -publisher

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

Sustainable Change through Professional Development

The Indiana Resource Center for Autism has published an article discussing the benefits of professional development for educators working with students on the spectrum.

"The numerous evidence-based strategies that have been developed and identified [for working with students with ASD] are irrelevant if educators do not know how to implement these strategies in their classroom or are not doing so in an appropriate way. Therefore, an essential piece of translating research to practice is the training and coaching of teachers in these particular strategies."

To read the entire article, please visit:
https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/pages/a-model-for-sustainable-change-in-asd-school-programming-through-professional-development-the-indiana-resource-center-for-autism

Walker finds a way: Running into the adult world with autism

Walker finds a way "tells a story of crisis and recovery of a young man with low-functioning autism. Battling miscommunication, misinterpreted behaviour and a lack of appropriate services, Walker and his parents' resilience shines through, providing a much-needed portrayal about what life is like for adults with low-functioning autism, and how we can understand the complex personalities of people with communication difficulties." -publisher

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

The Way I See It: A Personal Look at Autism and Asperger's

"In [The Way I See It: A Personal Look at Autism and Asperger's], Dr. Temple Grandin gets down to the REAL issues of autism, the ones parents, teachers, and individuals on the spectrum face every day. Temple offers helpful do's and don'ts, practical strategies, and try-it-now tips, all based on her "insider" perspective and a great deal of research." -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 - Photo Buttons

"Photo Buttons is a simple, bubble-popping style cause and effect app that parents can customize with personal photographs and sound. While designed for young children to explore with their parents, Photo Buttons can also be used by anyone who would benefit from word-object association, cause and effect, and visual discrimination practice." -iTunes

To learn more about this app, please visit:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id430261125

Growing up guide for girls: What girls on the autism spectrum need to know!

"The Growing Up Guide for Girls" is a one-stop guide for young girls on the autism spectrum explaining all they need to know about puberty and adolescence.

"The pre-teen and teenage years are a bumpy time when bodies change, emotions are high and peers are developing at different paces. Using simple, literal language and delightful colour illustrations, this book explains the facts about body changes such as growing hair in new places, periods, wearing a bra and keeping spots away! It gives cool tips on what makes a real friend, what it means to have a crush on somebody, and how to stay safe online." -publisher

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

Growing up book for boys: What boys on the autism spectrum need to know!

"The Growing Up Book for Boys explains the facts behind the growth spurts, body changes and mood swings of adolescence for boys aged 9-14 on the autism spectrum... Using direct literal language and cool colour illustrations, this book tells boys all they need to know about growing hair in new places, shaving, wet dreams and [more]. It's full of great advice on what makes a real friend, how to keep spots away, and how to stay safe online. Most importantly, it explains that every body is amazing and unique and encourages young boys with autism to celebrate difference!" -publisher

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

ADOS-2 Workshop

Did you miss the ADOS-2 workshop last week? Don't fret--there's another opportunity to attend later this year. Save the date for October 5th and 6th in Westfield, IN.

Read all about the workshop and register at:
https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/pages/ados-2

Transforming behaviour in the classroom: A solution-focused guide for new teachers

"Being able to effectively manage the behaviour in your classroom is one of the basic foundations of good teaching. However creating a positive productive learning environment is challenging as the causes of behavioural issues can be complex and difficult to identify.

"[Transforming behaviour in the classroom] presents a solution-focused approach to behaviour management in primary and secondary schools, starting with the child and offering a flexible methodology and practical strategies for facilitating long-term positive behaviour." -publisher

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

Mobile App Monday - Mystery Word Town - Sight Word Spelling

"Build spelling confidence with a mystery...

News Bulletin: The Huevos Rancheros Gang stole the gold and they are hiding out amongst the good citizens of Word Town.

Your Mission: Help the sheriff, a friendly and curious little ghost, recover the missing gold and catch the outlaws.

Find the letters you need to solve the word puzzles...

- Spelling practice integrated with a rich, immersive game experience
- Unlimited user accounts; create your own avatar and save your game progress
- Play with the teacher-developed word lists, or record your own words.
- 3 skill levels and 2 game modes provide a highly customizable and flexible learning experience for a range of ages
- Optional audio hints speak the words" -iTunes

For more information about this app, please visit:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id983733111

Upcoming Training and Events 2016-2017 School Year

Want to know what workshops are upcoming from the Indiana Resource Center for Autism? IRCA has put together a listing with a quick overview of each one. Check it out at:

https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/styles/iidc/defiles/IRCA/UpcomingWorkshops-SaveTheDate.pdf

Building social relationships 2

"Building Social Relationships-2 (BSR-2) provides readers with a conceptualized framework that will improve their understanding of social functioning in youth on the autism spectrum. The book will teach readers how to assess and teach social skills and activate social cognitive processing in both children and adolescents. BSR-2 contains over 40 instructional strategies and includes a revised version of the Autism Social Skills Profile (ASSP-2), an instrument designed to measure social competence in youth on the spectrum." -publisher

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

Save the Date!

Effective Interventions for 

Behavioral and Social Challenges Workshop

Begin to plan for the fall now and register for All Kids Can Succeed: Effective Interventions for Behavioral and Social Challenges workshop presented by Jed Baker, September 22, 2016, in Newburgh, Indiana.

Sponsored by the Institute’s Indiana Resource Center for Autism in collaboration with Warrick and the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation, this workshop focuses on strategies to handle meltdowns and design effective behavior plans to prevent these moments and reduce frustration and anxiety. The second part of the presentation details strategies to motivate students to learn, ways to teach social skills, how to generalize skills into the natural setting and increase acceptance and tolerance from peers. Information will be imparted though lecture, interactive exercises, and video clips.

Registration fee is $100.00 per person. For more information and to register, please visit:
https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/pages/jed-baker

On May 18, ComedySportz Indianapolis will put on a special improv show to support Camp Yes, And... 100% of ticket sales and silent auction bids will be donated to the online fundraising campaign. At a ComedySportz match, two teams compete head-to-head, improvising scenes, songs, and games for audience laughs and votes. It is an all-ages show, so kids are very welcome.

For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit:
http://indycomedysportz.com/camp-yes-fundraiser/

Mobile App Monday - Alexicom AAC

"Alexicom AAC for iPhone/iPad lets you use your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch as an augmentative communication device... You can easily import these pages into your own online library, customize them, and/or create your own pages. AT&T Natural Voices and eSpeak TTS offer text-to-speech output in 68 voices and 30 languages." -iTunes

For more information about this app, please visit:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id395122088