Giving that special Valentines gift doesn’t always mean a big box of chocolates, expensive jewelery and heart embroidered ties.  Perhaps this year, give a gift of love through learning;  at a conference offered by Future Horizons, with top experts and CEU credits!  Input this code MHO and receive a 15% discount!
 

February 3 – Des Moines – Temple Grandin, Jennifer McIlwee Myers, and Beth Aune (Autism/Asperger’s Conference)

February 17 – Sacramento – Temple Grandin, Eustacia Cuter, and Beth Aune (Autism/Asperger’s Conference)

February 17 – Jackson, Miss. – Carol Kranowitz and Britt Collins (Sensory Conference)

Register Now!

The following event has been added to The Autism Education Site’s 2012 Autism Conferences list.

Conference Name: Bilinguals Inc and ASAT Autism Conference in NYC
Conference Date: April 3, 2012
Conference Venue: Baruch College in New York City

Conference Speakers:

Bridget Taylor Psy.D., BCBA-D, ASAT Board Member – Dr. Bridget A. Taylor is co-founder and Executive Director of Alpine Learning Group. She has specialized in the education and treatment of children with autism for the past twenty-five years. She holds a Doctorate of Psychology from Rutgers University, and received her Master’s degree in Early Childhood Special Education from Columbia University. She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and a Licensed Psychologist. Dr. Taylor is active in the autism research community and has published numerous articles on effective interventions for autism. She serves on several editorial boards including the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, Behavioral Interventions, and Behavior Analysis in Practice. She is also a member of the Autism Advisory Group for the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies, is a board member of the Association for Science in Autism Treatment, and serves on the professional advisory board for the Association of Professional Behavior Analysts. Dr. Taylor is also Senior Clinical Advisor for Rethink Autism – an innovative web-based curriculum for children with autism. She is a national and international speaker and has been influential in the development of autism treatment centers both locally and in Italy, India, Canada, France, Australia and Kosovo.

Dr. Mary McDonald, BACB-D, ASAT Vice President – Dr. McDonald is an Assistant Professor in the CRSR Department (Counseling, Research, Special Education and Rehabilitation) where she teaches in the Special Education Program and Directs the Advanced Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis (an approved BACB course sequence) and in Educating students with Severe and Multiple Disabilities. In addition to her role at the University, she also Directs The Eden II/Genesis Outreach Autism Center in which she supervises outreach, consultation and research programs. She has nearly 20 years experience directing programs for students with autism from early intervention through adulthood. She completed her Ph.D. in Learning Theory at the CUNY Graduate Center and is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst at the Doctoral level. Dr. McDonald currently serves on the Board of Council on Autism Services (CAS) and as Vice President of the Association for Science in Autism Treatment (ASAT). Dr. McDonald has published articles in the areas such as: self-management, social reciprocity, inclusion and the use of technology in educating students with ASD.

Daniel W. Mruzek, Ph.D., BCBA-D, ASAT Board Member – Daniel W. Mruzek, Ph.D., BCBA-D is an Assistant Professor at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC), Division of Neurodevelopmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. He received his doctoral training in Psychology at the Ohio State University and is a former Program Director at the Groden Center in Providence, RI. Currently, he serves as a clinician and consultant, training school teams and supporting families of children with autism in western New York. Dr. Mruzek is Director of the University of Rochester Human Behavior Assessment Unit, researcher on three NIH-funded autism intervention research projects and coordinator of his division’s Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship Program in Developmental Disabilities. He has authored and co-authored several peer-reviewed articles and book chapters on autism and other developmental disabilities and is on the editorial board for the journal Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities. Dr. Mruzek is on the Board of Directors of the Association for Science in Autism Treatment.

Conference Topics:

Improving Observational Learning Skills in Children with Autism – It is commonly recognized that children with autism present with significant deficits in imitation and observational learning. Most contemporary curricula for children with autism incorporate instruction in a variety of imitative response topographies. Less common in applied research and practice, however, are procedures to ensure that children with autism learn to acquire novel responses through observational learning. This presentation will outline instructional programs that move beyond direct imitation to the skills essential for observational learning. Specific procedures to increase observational learning in children with autism across a variety of responses will be reviewed.

Technology and Learning: Developing Innovative Teaching Methods for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders – The workshop will provide information on a variety of technology-based instructional methods that can be used to teach skills to individuals with autism spectrum disorders. Specific areas as they pertain to skill development will include use of iTouch, iPad, video technology and tactile prompts. A variety of other technology-based tools will be discussed and depicted through video. Specific areas of learning will focus on promoting independence, vocational skills, effective communication and social skills. The future applications of technology for those with ASD will be explored as well.

Using the Principles of Science in Everyday Educational Practices with Young Children with Autism – In a field filled with countless intervention options, how do we know if any one intervention is helpful for a particular child? This presentation will use “real-life” case examples to describe how educators and parents can use key principles of science to inform decisions regarding intervention in young children with autism. Emphasis will be placed on consideration of interventions typically applied in the school and therapy settings (e.g., instructional supports, responses to behavioral challenges, therapies) and how deliberate use of the scientific method can be used as part of a team approach to promoting best practices in intervention with young children with autism.

Contact Email Address: sacostabilingualsinccom
Contact Phone Number: 212-684-0099 ext.166
Conference Website: http://www.bilingualsinc.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=396&Itemid=232

The Seaver Autism Center Annual “Advances in Autism” Conference will be held on October 14, 2012 at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, New York. Conferences speakers have yet to be announced but the following summary providing more information about the conference was submitted to me:

“Our conference is a one-day event that includes a series of lectures and workshops given by accomplished professionals in the field of autism. The purpose of the conference is to advance knowledge of the practicing psychiatrist, neurologist, psychologist, geneticist, other health care professionals, educators, family members and social workers as to the accurate recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of autism spectrum disorders.”

More information about the Seaver Autism Center 2012 conference is available by calling (212) 241-0349 or visiting the Seaver Autism Center website.

For more information about other conferences this year, visit the 2012 Autism Conferences listing.

I have added the following conference to my list of autism conferences in 2012.

Conference Name: Children’s Autism Services of Edmonton 5th Annual Conference
Conference Date(s): January 19-21, 2012
Conference Location: 300 East Lapotac Blvd. Enoch, Alberta
Conference Venue: Edmonton Marriott at River Cree Resort
Conference Speakers:

Keynote Speaker:
Eustacia Cutler – Eustacia Cutler recieved her Bachelor’s degree in English from Harvard University and is a singer, actress, writer and mother of 4 children. She has written past television productions such as “The Innocents”, “The Disquieted” and “Teachers Guides to Television”. She is the author of “Thorn in My Pocket” and the mother of Temple Grandin. Eustacia lives in New York and will be sharing her personal experiences and life lessons with us. It is a privilage to have Eustacia Cutler as our Keynote Speaker for this year’s conference!

Other Speakers:
Dr. Winnie Dunn – Dr, Winnie Dunn is Professor and Chair of the Department of Occupational Therapy Education at the University of Kansas Medical Center. She is the leading authority and is internationally recognized for her research about how people respond to sensory experiences in their everyday lives, Dr, Dunn has published widely and her work on sensory processing includes development of a set of measures, called the Sensory Profiles, which are used by many disciplines internationally. She lives with her husband Tim in Kansas City, Missouri.

Dr. Pat Mirenda -Dr. Mirenda is a Professor in the Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology and Special Education at the University of British Columbia and has been on faculty since 1996. She was named a Fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), a Fellow of The International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), and the Director of The Centre for Interdisciplinary Research and Collaboration in Autism at UBC. Dr. Mirenda is an engaging and captivating speaker and we are so pleased to have her present once again at our conference.

Sue Mitchell – Sue Mitchell BScOT(C) brings enthusiasm and over 20 years of experience working as a pediatric Occupational Therapist. She has extensive knowledge and skills in working with children who have sensory processing challenges. She provides practical information and strategies to teachers, assistants and caregivers within both home and school settings. Sue has worked in a variety of settings in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, with children with a wide range of ages and developmental needs. Currently, Sue is the OT Program Coordinator at Children’s Autism Services of Edmonton.

Emily Rubin – Emily Rubin, MS, CCC-SLP is the director of Communication Crossroads, a private practice in Carmel, California. She is a speech-language pathologist specializing in Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, and relation social learning disabilities. As an adjunct faculty member and lecturer at Yale University, she has served as a member of their Autism and Developmental Disabilities Clinic. She recently participated as a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s Ad Hoc Committee on Autism Spectrum disorders (ASD), a committee charged with developing guidelines related to the role of speech-language pathologists in the diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of ASD. Emily rubin is co-author of The SCERTS Model.

Dr. David Nicholas – Dr. Nicholas is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary; and is cross-appointed to the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Alberta, the Research Institute, and the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. Dr. Nicholas’ area of research addresses quality of life, family support, and parenting with a focus on Autism. Dr. Nicholas is currently involved in several nationally-funded studies addressing the impact of autism on families both at the point of diagnosis and over the course of child and adult development. He is also involved in a study examining the impact of autism interventions on child and family outcomes. Dr. Nicholas has two children with autism. His session will address: the challenges and dilemmas faced by families in which a young person has autism, ways that some parents have managed the challenges they face, and steps in moving forward.

Conference Topics:
Dr. Winnie Dunn – Sensory Processing in School, Home, and Community: How to Make the Best of Every Moment

Dr. Pat Mirenda – Video Modeling; What, Why and How Using AAC for Social Interaction

Sue Mitchell – Promoting Independence: Strategies for Developing Self-Help Skills

Emily Rubin – Addressing Social Communication Skills in Children and Adolescents with High Functioning Autism & Asperger’s Syndrome
Introduction to the SCERTS Model: A Comprehensive, Multidisciplinary Educational Curriculum for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Dr. David Nicholas – Pervasive Parenting Dilemmas in ASD; Families in complex terrain

Contact Phone Number: (780) 495-9235
Contact Email Address: terrichildrensautismca
Website: http://www.childrensautism.ca

The Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD) at Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, Maryland will be hosting a series of monthly informational sessions in the coming months. The STAR (Sharing Treatment and Autism Resources) sessions are free to parents of children on the autism spectrum and autism professionals.

2011 STAR Schedule at Card at Kennedy Krieger

• Wednesday, January 11, 2012 from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM: Sleep and Autism Spectrum Disorders. Presented by: Dr. Jennifer Accardo. Sleep problems are common in typically developing children, and even more common in children with autism. Children with autism often face more challenges with sleep than their peers. Learn more about sleep disorders and how they can affect children with autism in this session.

• Wednesday, February 15, 2012 from 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM: Making Sense of Autism Interventions. Presented by: Paula Danquah-Brobby, MS, BCBA. The presentation will cover and explain commonly used/implemented, evidence-based autism interventions (e.g., Discrete Trial Teaching, Pivotal Response Treatment, Structured Teaching, Floor Time, etc.).

• Wednesday, March 14, 2012 from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM: Social Skills Intervention for High-Functioning School-Aged Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Presented by: Drs. Amy Keefer and Amanda Santanello, with Sean Logie. This presentation will include information on interventions used to improve social interaction skills in high-functioning school-aged children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders.

• Monday, March 19th, 2012 from 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM: Getting an Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis: Where do I go from here? Presented by: Cathy Groschan, LCSW-C, Clinical Social Worker. This is an introductory training for parents.

For more information or to register for one of these free events, visit the CARD at Kennedy Krieger Institute’s Eventbrite page.

Expert to speak on autism and severe behavior problems

Haddonfield, NJ — People with autism and other developmental disabilities can acquire severe behavior problems, due to their lack of communication skills, frustration and other reasons.

Such problems – from self-injury to property destruction to aggression – can tear apart lives and families. But certain techniques can reduce and even prevent these behaviors.

Bancroft will host a workshop featuring a leading authority on this issue, Friday Oct. 7 in Haddonfield, N.J.

Titled “Autism and Severe Behavior Problems: A focus on prevention,” the session will be presented by Gregory Hanley, Ph.D., BCBA-D, director of the behavior analysis doctoral program at Western New England University.

“Many families struggle with these issues, which can be truly devastating for all involved,” says Caroline Eggerding, MD, chief medical officer for Bancroft, a leading nonprofit organization serving people with autism and other neurological disabilities.

“If behavior problems can be prevented, so much pain and heartache can be avoided,” says Eggerding, “and the person with disabilities can learn, grow, and overcome many other challenges.”

The workshop – part of Bancroft’s semi-annual Clarence York Lecture Series – will be held at the Haddonfield United Methodist Church at 29 Warwick Road, Haddonfield, in the large community room from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm.

It will focus on three comprehensive strategies to prevent severe behavior problems:

1. Promoting healthy sleep
2. Minimizing non-functional, repetitive behaviors – such as spinning or hand-flapping – known as stereotypy
3. Teaching social skills that eliminate the causes of problem behaviors

Brief lecture periods will alternate with small group discussions and role-playing, so attendees can practice and discuss the various components of these strategies.

Attendees will learn such techniques as:

• Strategies to address common sleep problems, such as noncompliance with nighttime routines, delayed sleep onset, night awakenings and early awakenings
• How to determine when stereotypy is a problem, and how to address it
• Strategies for teaching leisure skills and social skills that interfere with the development of problem behaviors.

Hanley has 20 years of experience in improving socially important behaviors of children and adults with and without disabilities. He has published more than 60 related articles in peer-reviewed journals, and is the editor of Behavior Analysis in Practice.

He is also an associate professor of psychology at Western New England University, and an adjunct associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

The Clarence York Lecture Series, now in its fourth year, honors Clarence N. York, Ed.D., a renowned pioneer in the disabilities field and a former president of Haddonfield-based Bancroft.

For the lecture brochure or to register, call (856) 348-4010, email scrousebnhorg, or visit bancroft.org.

– The lecture is part of a semi-annual series by Bancroft –

Phoenix metro area parents interested in learning more about biomedical treatments for autism should plan to attend a one-day autism seminar on September 17 at Arizona State University in Tempe.

Conference Date: September 17, 2011

Conference Location: Tempe, Arizona

Conference Venue: ASU, Coor Hall, Rm 174, 976 S Forest Mall

Conference Speaker:
James B. Adams, Ph.D., is a President’s Professor at Arizo-na State University, where he directs the Autism/Asperger’s Research Program. He has conducted many research stud-ies on the causes of autism and how to treat them, including studies of nutritional status (vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, amino acids), neurotransmitters, glutathione ther-apy, toxic metals and chelation, gastrointestinal abnormali-ties, immune problems, sleep disorders, and seizures. He is the author of over 20 scientific research papers on autism, and the “Summary of Biomedical Treatments for Autism” published by the Autism Research Institute. He is the President of the Autism So-ciety of Greater Phoenix and the Co-Leader of the Science Think Tank for the Autism Research Institute. He is the proud father of a son and two daughters; one is a teen-age daughter with autism.

Conference Topics:

• Proceeds from this workshop will be donated to Zoowalk for Autism Research.
• The research behind 14 biomedical treat-ments for autism, and learn how to test if a treatment is likely to be beneficial or not.
• How to develop a personalized treatment plan, in collaboration with your physician.
• New research suggesting a new cause for 12% of autism cases.
• The maternal risk factors in half of mothers of children with autism that increase their risk 50x of having a child with autism, and learn how to reduce that risk.
• The results of a new major study of a novel vitamin/mineral supplement for children and adults with autism.
• How to safely determine if a child has a high body burden of toxic metals, and how to safe-ly remove them if present.
• Which seizure treatments are most likely to be helpful, with the lowest risk of side-effects and the greatest benefit.

Conference Contact Number: 480-831-2047

Conference Contact Email: autismconferencesgmailcom

Are you planning on attending one of the upcoming Future Horizons Autism Conferences? If so, how does saving 15% off the registration fee sound? Sounds like a good deal to me!

I have a special discount code for all of The Autism Education Site readers; this code will allow you to save 15% off of all Future Horizons products, including conference registration fees.

Future Horizons Conference and Product Discount Code: MHO

It is as simple as placing the discount code, MHO, into the appropriate box during checkout or registration and you will save 15 percent off of your order. If you’re ordering books or other products that need to be mailed, this code (MHO) will also grant you free shipping.

This is really a great deal and if you’ve never been to a Future Horizons Autism Conference I highly recommend that you find one in your area to attend. I’ve been to large national autism conferences and smaller, regional ones and I have to say that the Tony Attwood Future Horizons conference I attended was fantastic. The smaller, more intimate setting made for a better conference experience in my opinion.

So what are you waiting for? Head on over to the Future Horizons website and start shopping.

I’ve added the Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD) at Kennedy Krieger Institute’s Making Learning Sensational event to my list of 2011 autism conferences. Conference information follows:

Conference Date: July 20, 2011
Conference Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Conference Venue: Kennedy Krieger Institute CARD
Conference Speaker: Rondalyn Whitney, PhD, OT/L
Conference Information:

This workshop is for family members, general education teachers, special education teachers, occupational therapists, social workers, speech language pathologists, paraprofessionals, school administrators, early intervention staff and related service personnel. Come and participate in this engaging workshop and leave with a better understanding of our sensory systems and how to create sensory rich supportive environments at home, school and during play.

Contact Phone Number: (443) 923-7632

Recommended Reading:

Sensational Kids: Hope and Help for Children with Sensory Processing Disorder

Raising a Sensory Smart Child: The Definitive Handbook for Helping Your Child with Sensory Processing Issues

The Out-of-Sync Child: Recognizing and Coping with Sensory Processing Disorder, Revised Edition

The Out-of-Sync Child Has Fun, Revised Edition: Activities for Kids with Sensory Processing Disorder

Registration is now open for the Autism Research Institute’s Fall 2011 Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. The conference runs from October 13 – 16, 2011 and special hotel rates of $95/night are available at the newly remodeled Las Vegas Hilton. As is the case with other ARI or DAN! Conferences, there are several different levels of registration fees including parenting and practitioner pricing as well as Angel Discount prices.

Conference Dates: October 13 – 16, 2011
Conference Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
Conference Topics and Speakers:

• Autism is a Treatable Medical Disorder with Kenneth Bock, MD, FAAFP
• Behavioral Support for the Treatment of Autism with Doreen Granpeesheh, PhD, BCBA-D
• Introduction to Immune Issues in Autism with Jane El Dahr, MD
• GI Issues in Autism with Timothy Buie, MD
• Home Programs with Brenda Smith Myles, PhD
• Autism is a Lifestyle with Denise Fulton and Anissa Ryland

Contact Phone Number: 877-644-1184

Photo: CaDeltaFoto/Flickr