Often times parents want to know what services to offer
their child who has ASD or NLD. While there are many factors to
consider ~ such as the child's age, abilities, etc.,. many parents have
considered the following services:
*
Speech and Language Therapy
*
Occupational Therapy or PT
*
Social Skills classes/groups
*
Positive Behavior Strategies (consultant)
*
Psychotherapy
*
AccessibleTechnology (Key-boarding)
*
Tutoring (Linda Moodbell)
*
Continued Autism/Asperger's
Parent Education
*
In-Service to child's school on Autism Education and
Accommodations.
My personal experience has been that an effective program depends on
the type of service a child receives and how often they receive it. The
goal is to have the necessary services incorporated into the child's
school program. I know many of you are laughing, but that is the
goal!
***********************************************************************************
NEWS:
The band, Five for Fighting, is generously
donating
$0.49 to Autism Speaks for *each time* the video is viewed . The funding
goes toward research studies to help find a cure. When you have a
moment,
please visit the link below to watch the video and pass it along to your
friends and family. They are aiming for 10,000 hits, but hopefully we
can
help them to surpass this goal.
http://www.whatkindofworlddoyouwant.com/videos/view/id/408214
****************************************
Important
from the Blue Ribbon California Commission:
Regarding AUTISM:
We are pleased to inform you
that the California Legislative Blue Ribbon
Commission on Autism Report: “An Opportunity to Achieve Real Change for
Californians with Autism Spectrum Disorder” has been submitted to the
Governor and the Legislature. This report has been posted on the
Commission’s web site at www.senweb03.senate.ca.gov
in the “WHAT'S NEW”
section of the home page.
During the coming year, the
Commission will be working with the Governor and Legislature to increase awareness and implement the
report’s recommendations.
Meanwhile, please help “get
the word out” by asking your acquaintances to log on to the
Commission’s web site; review our recommendations; and register their
email contact information in order that we
can work together to improve the lives of countless individuals and
families throughout our state.
Sincerely,
Sue North
Executive
Director
The California Legislative Blue Ribbon
Commission
More News...
From the desk of Betsy Katz
Scheduled to begin in
Fall 2008.
Mt. Diablo Adult Education is developing a new program for adults with
Asperger's Syndrome, Nonverbal Learning Disorder, or High Functioning
Autism.
This program will meet 3-5 afternoons per week with a focus on
independent living and social and community access skills.
Participants do not need to be Regional Center clients nor live within
the Mt. Diablo USD boundaries. The program will be open to young
adults 18 or older who have
a high school diploma or have
exited special education (IEP) services. Other entrance
criteria may be developed.
For more information contact Sarah Winstanley at 925-685-7340, Ext.
2505 or
winstanleys@mdusd.k12.ca.us.
*****************************************************************************************
AUTISM RISK HIGHER IN PEOPLE WITH GENE VARIANT
Difference in Gene Appears to Pose More Risk When Inherited from Mothers
Scientists have found a variation in a gene that may raise the risk of
developing autism, especially when the variant is inherited from
mothers rather than fathers. The research was funded by the National
Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), part of the National Institutes of
Health.
Inheriting the gene variant does not mean that a child will inevitably
develop autism. It means that a child may be more vulnerable to
developing the disease than are children without the variation.
The gene, CNTNAP2, makes a protein that enables brain cells to
communicate with each other through chemical signals and appears to
play a role in brain cell development. Previous studies have implicated
the gene in autism, and in this study researchers were able to link a
specific variation in its structure to the disease.
Results of the study were reported online January 10 in the "American
Journal of Human Genetics", by Aravinda Chakravarti, Ph.D., Dan E.
Arking, Ph.D., and colleagues from the Johns Hopkins University School
of Medicine, with Edwin Cook, M.D., and colleagues from the University
of Illinois at Chicago.
"Autism is highly heritable. Identifying the genes involved is crucial
to our ability to map out the pathology of this isolating and sometimes
terribly disabling disease, which currently has no cure," said NIMH
Director Thomas R. Insel, M.D.
Autism is a developmental brain disorder that impairs basic behaviors
needed for social interactions, such as eye contact and speech, and
includes other symptoms, such as repetitive, obsessive behaviors. The
symptoms sometimes cause profound disability, and they persist
throughout life. Treatments may relieve some symptoms, but no treatment
is fully effective in treating the core social deficits.
Although the cause of autism is not yet clear, studies of twins have
shown that genes play a major role. It is likely that variations in
many genes, influenced by environmental factors, interact during brain
development to cause vulnerability to the disease. These genes have yet
to be identified. Several candidates, including CNTNAP2, have been
suggested.
The assertion that the CNTNAP2 gene appears to be involved is
strengthened by the fact that each of the different analytical
approaches the researchers used in this study led to the same
conclusion. Results were replicated in a second, larger group of
participants, further implicating the gene. Together, the two groups of
participants comprised one of the largest autism studies reported to
date.
The first part of the study included 145 children with autism and their
parents, families that had two or more children with autism. Using a
technique called genome-wide linkage analysis, the researchers found
that a chromosome, 7q35, appeared to be linked to the disease.
Looking deeper into that chromosome, they identified a gene -- CNTNAP2
-- that contained a variant relevant to autism. Where a single segment
of the genetic code could contain either the chemical base adenine or
thymine, children with autism tended to have inherited the thymine
variant.
To validate these findings, the researchers studied a separate group of
participants; 1,295 children with autism and their healthy parents. The
scientists again found that children with autism had higher rates of
the thymine variant in the CNTNAP2 gene than would be expected to occur
by chance.
When the researchers combined the data from the studies, they found
that children with autism were about 20percent more likely to have
inherited the thymine variant from their mothers than from their
fathers.
"This is a common variant. People inherit it all the time. Our finding
that it's associated with autism more often when it's inherited from
mothers is intriguing, but needs to replicated," Chakravarti said.
The role of CNTNAP2 in brain-cell development suggested by earlier
studies has to do with differentiation, the process by which precursor
cells develop into the different kinds of cells of the body. CNTNAP2
carries the genetic code for a protein, part of a family called
neurexins, that appears to enable the precursor cells to develop
myelinated axons. These are projections through which brain cells send
each other electrical impulses essential for normal brain function at
especially high speeds.
"CNTNAP2 is an excellent candidate gene for autism," Chakravarti said.
"It encodes a protein that's known to mediate interactions between
brain cells and that appears to enable a crucial aspect of brain-cell
development. A gene variant that altered either of these activities
could have significant impact."
For more information about autism, visit the NIMH website at
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/autism-spectrum-disorders-pervasive-developmental-disorders/index.shtml
More information about autism also is available from the Department of
Health and Human Services (DHHS) website at
http://www.hhs.gov/autism/.
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) mission is to reduce the
burden of mental and behavioral disorders through research on mind,
brain, and behavior. More information is available at the NIMH website:
<
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/>.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) -- The Nation's Medical
Research Agency -- is comprised of 27 Institutes and Centers and is a
component of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is
the primary Federal agency for conducting and supporting basic,
clinical, and translational medical research, and investigates the
causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For
more information about NIH and its programs, visit <
www.nih.gov>.
---------------------------------------------
REFERENCE:
Arking DE, Cutler DJ, Brune CW, Teslovich TM, West K, Ikeda M, Rea A,
Guy M, Lin S, Cook Jr. EH, Chakravarti A. A common Genetic Variant in
the Neurexin-Superfamily Member CNTNAP2 Increases Familial Risk of
Autism. "American Journal of Human Genetics", online ahead of print,
January 10, 2008.
This NIH News Release is available online at:
http://www.nih.gov/news/health/jan2008/nimh-10.htm
|
Toys
'R' Us Launches In-Store Campaign
|
|
|
|
On March 18, Toys “R” Us
and the Toys “R” Us Children's Fund will kick off a nationwide
fundraising campaign to benefit Autism Speaks. Through May 4, all 586
Toys “R” Us stores across the country will accept cash donations to
support Autism Speaks in its efforts to help solve the puzzle of
autism, and online shoppers will be able to contribute via the web. Read
more.
|
NEW
DVD HELPS SIBLINGS UNDERSTAND ASPERGER SYNDROME
For Immediate Release: Wednesday, September
26, 2007
WINSTON-SALEM, NC – A new DVD shows brothers
and sisters of children who have Asperger Syndrome how to deal with
their siblings’ “different” behaviors and have close relationships.
People with Asperger Syndrome tend to have normal to high intelligence,
but have trouble interacting with others socially.
Producers Dan
and Julie Coulter of Coulter Video
divided the DVD into four separate programs that offer children
information they can understand based on their age and developmental
level. The program for siblings 4 through 7 years old features a
live narrator interacting with puppets. Two programs, for
siblings ages 7 through 12 and ages 12 through adult, include
interviews with siblings describing how they interact with their
brothers and sisters who have Asperger Syndrome. The DVD’s
fourth program includes interviews with parents revealing how they
found ways to help their children accept and support each other.
“Things can be
tough for siblings of kids who have Asperger Syndrome, especially when
moms and dads often have to spend extra time and attention on another
child in the family who has special needs,” noted Dan Coulter. Julie Coulter added,
“Some siblings try to become super achievers or super helpers.
Others tend to withdraw or rebel. This DVD can help siblings
understand their brothers and sisters who have Asperger Syndrome and
see why their parents are doing what they’re doing. It offers the
whole family insights they can use to improve their relationships.”
Combined, the
programs on the DVD have a total running time of 109 minutes.
Earlier this
year, the Coulters released a similar DVD titled, “Understanding
Brothers and Sisters on the Autism Spectrum,” which featured interviews
with family members dealing with a range of autistic behaviors.
The
“Understanding Brothers and Sisters with Asperger Syndrome,” DVD sells
for $39.99 (plus shipping and handling) on the Coulter Video website: www.coultervideo.com.
The company provides previews of all its videos on the website, which
also features an online archive of articles on special needs issues.
Coulter Video is an independent video
production company based in Winston-Salem,
NC.
<>
Coulter Video PRODUCT DESCRIPTIONS
(available online at www.coultervideo.com)
“UNDERSTANDING BROTHERS AND SISTERS with
ASPERGER SYNDROME” (DVD video)
This video is designed to help siblings and
their parents understand children in the family with Asperger
Syndrome. Program One- for younger children ages 4-7; Program
Two- for older children ages 7-12; Program Three- for teenage and young
adults; Program Four- includes interviews with parents. 109
minutes
Copyright 2007 $39.99
“UNDERSTANDING BROTHERS AND SISTERS on
the AUTISM SPECTRUM” (DVD video)
This video is designed to help siblings and
their parents understand children in the family on the Autism
Spectrum. Program One- for younger children ages 4-7; Program
Two- for older children ages 7-12; Program Three- for teenage and young
adults; Program Four- includes interviews with parents. 94
minutes
Copyright 2007 $39.99
"INTRICATE MINDS: Understanding Classmates
With Asperger Syndrome" (DVD or VHS video) Candid interviews with
teenagers designed to promote positive interactions between classmates
and reduce isolation, harassment and bullying. Using the
challenges and strengths of students with Asperger Syndrome as
examples, this video stresses the benefits of getting to know
classmates who appear to be 'different' on the surface. For grades 7
through 12. 12 minutes. Copyright 2005 $29.99
"INTRICATE MINDS II: Understanding
Elementary School Classmates With Asperger Syndrome" (DVD or VHS video)
This video features interviews with elementary school students who have
Asperger Syndrome explaining how it affects them -- and
describing their challenges and strengths. The program also
includes demonstrations that help viewers understand what it's like to
have AS. Designed to promote positive interactions between classmates,
INTRICATE MINDS II can help classmates accept kids who have trouble
fitting in. For grades 3-6 16 minutes.
Copyright 2006 $29.99
"INTRICATE MINDS III: Understanding
Elementary School Classmates Who Think Differently" (DVD or VHS video)
This video features interviews with elementary school students who
describe what it's like to have conditions that make them act
differently from their peers. These interviews, along with
demonstrations, promote positive interactions between classmates.
The program concentrates on behaviors classmates might see that could
be associated with conditions such as Asperger Syndrome, Higher
Functioning Autism, Pervasive Developmental Delay, Semantic-Pragmatic
Disorder and others. Kids who understand the reasons for
"different" students' actions are much more likely to accept them
socially and include them in activities. For grades
3-6 17 minutes. Copyright
2006 $29.99
"MANNERS FOR THE REAL WORLD - Basic Social
Skills" (DVD or VHS video) This video features clear descriptions and
demonstrations that help children and teenagers master appropriate
social skills for some of the most common interactions between
people. For grades 4 through 12. 43 minutes.
Copyright 2004 $29.99
"ASPERGER SYNDROME: Success In The Mainstream
Classroom” (DVD or VHS video) Interviews with parents, regular and
special education teachers, a psychologist, an instructional aide and a
social worker/case manager giving practical advice from their
experience successfully integrating children with AS into
classrooms. For parents, teachers and others who support kids
with AS. 43 minutes. Copyright 2000 $39.99
"ASPERGER SYNDROME DAD: Becoming An Even
Better Father To Your Child With AS" (DVD or VHS video)
This program covers ten secrets parents can
use to help a child with AS reach his full potential - and have fun
along the way. The program features Drew Coulter -- a young man with AS
while he was in college -- and his dad, Dan. Through interviews,
videos and photos, the program uses Drew's experiences from early
childhood through the present to offer practical advice on being the
dad your son or daughter with AS wants and needs. For parents and
grandparents of children who have Asperger Syndrome. 26
minutes. Copyright 2004 $29.99
"ASPERGER SYNDROME: Transition To College And
Work" (DVD or VHS video) This program shows how to search for and apply
to the right college, how to access special needs services in college
and how to prepare in high school for success in college. It also
contains all the information in our "Transition to Work" video to help
students find and hold jobs after college. For high school students
preparing for college or a job. 57 minutes. Copyright 2001
$39.99
"ASPERGER SYNDROME: Transition to Work"
(VHS video) Practical techniques to help students (or anyone with AS)
get a job in the real world. It includes advice from a psychology
professor with experience helping people with AS find jobs -- and from
the director of a successful special needs career development
program. (Note: all the information in this video is also
contained our video: ASPERGER SYNDROME: Transition to College and
Work.) For people with Asperger Syndrome or similar conditions
preparing to enter the workforce. 34 minutes. Copyright
2001 $29.99
*****************************************************************************************************************************
Note:
April 2007
Autism Speaks created a music video of the Five for Fighting
song, "World", which features images of autistic children and their
families . It is a truly moving video and was the work of Bill Shea.
The band is generously donating $0.49 to Autism Speaks for each
time the video is viewed - the funding goes toward research studies to
help find a cure. When you have a moment, ple ase visit the link below
to
watch the video and pass it along to your friends and family. They are
aiming for 10,000 hits, but hopefully we can help them to surpass this
goal.
http://www.whatkindofworlddoyouwant.com/videos/view/id/213154
***Great Autism Spectrum
Magazine***
TAP is a great ASD Magazine!
Articles feature current ASD
research, education and information written by highly regarded
professionals in the field of autism. Subscribe now...
www.theautismperspective.org
The Autism Perspective Magazine
10153½ Riverside Dr., Suite 243
Toluca Lake, CA 91602
Email
Us
Phone: 1+ (310) 709-0941
********************************************************************************************
RADIO News.....A
Worldwide, Web-Based Radio Station for the Care, Treatment, and
Recovery of
Children with Autism
www.autismone.org/radio
News....
See: http://www.ed.gov/policy/speced/reg/edpicks.jhtml?src=ln
___________________________________________________________
Subject: New
Regulations For More Accurately Assessing Students With Disabilities
|
John
H. Hager, assistant secretary of the Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), is pleased to share with you recently
announced regulations for more accurately assessing students with
disabilities.
Last Wednesday,
Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings announced new regulations
under No
Child Left Behind (NCLB) allowing states to test
certain students with disabilities using an alternate assessment that
more appropriately aligns with their needs and yields more meaningful
results for schools and parents. The new regulations provide states and
schools with greater flexibility by allowing them to more accurately
evaluate the students' academic progress and tailor instruction based
on their individual needs.
"Through No Child Left Behind,
we're continuing to raise the bar and improve the way we educate and
assess students with disabilities," Secretary Spellings said. "These
students are capable of achieving high academic standards, and now
states and schools can be better attuned to their needs. No Child Left Behind
has put the needs of students with disabilities front and center, and
this regulation helps continue to drive the field forward in developing
better tests for students with disabilities."
Secretary Spellings
also announced that the U.S. Department of Education will provide $21.1
million in grant funds for technical assistance as states develop new
assessments for students with disabilities. The Department also
released written guidance to states on the implementation of the new
regulations, offering recommendations on issues such as how students
with disabilities can be appropriately identified for this assessment.
Under the new
regulations, states may develop modified academic achievement standards
based on grade-level content—and alternate assessments based on those
standards—for students with disabilities who are capable of achieving
high standards but may not reach grade level in the same timeframe as
their peers. States may count proficient and advanced test scores on
these alternate assessments for up to 2.0 percent (approximately 20
percent of students with disabilities) of all students assessed when
calculating adequate yearly progress (AYP) under NCLB .
These regulations build on the flexibility provided for students with
the most significant cognitive disabilities, which allows states to
count up to 1.0 percent of proficient and advanced assessment scores
based on alternate achievement standards toward AYP calculation.
The fact sheet, Measuring the Achievement of Students
With Disabilities, provides helpful
information about the 2 percent regulations.
The 2 Percent
Regulations are available on the Department's Web site at www.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/nclb/fr040407-web.doc.
|
More News:
Online
Autism Courses FOR TEACHERS!
at NSU NovaSoutheastern University
& the Autism Consortium of MSI are offering online graduate courses
in
autism for educators & speech & language pathologists. Students
can
enroll as part of a master's degree in special ed or as
non-degree
seeking students.
Great Autism Spectrum Books.....
Jessica Kingsley Publishers is a wholly independent company, committed
to publishing books that make a difference. They publish books for
professional and general readers in a range of subjects, and are best
known for their long established lists of books on Autism, Asperger
Syndrome, and other developmental disabilities. To view their
book list, visit: http://www.jkp.com/catalogue/index.php/cat/aspergerautism
********************************************************************************************
New
Program
from the desk of Tammy Brock
CVS/Pharmacy Charitable Trust
Lends Support to Students with Autism
The
CVS/pharmacy Charitable Trust Announces Five-Year CVS All Kids Can
Scholars Program at Autism Society of America's National Conference
(CSRwire)
WOONSOCKET, RHODE ISLAND-
The CVS/pharmacy Charitable Trust announced on Thursday its five-year
sponsorship of the CVS All Kids Can Scholars Program. First made public
at yesterday's opening session of the Autism Society of America
National Conference, each year the program will award $1000
scholarships to five students with autism to enable them to attend the
college or trade school of their choosing. The program will be part of
CVS' signature program, CVS All Kids Can™, a five-year $25 million
commitment by the CVS/pharmacy Charitable Trust and CVS/pharmacy to
support children with disabilities.
Beginning in 2007, the CVS All Kids Can Scholars Program will be open
to any student with autism who has been accepted into an accredited,
post-secondary educational or vocational program of study. The program
will be administered by the Autism Society of America (ASA) and judged
based on the student's transcript, letters of recommendation and
personal statement outlining the student's qualifications and proposed
plan of study. The first scholarships will be awarded in Spring 2007.
In creating the CVS All Kids Can Scholars Program, CVS/pharmacy looks
to support the mission of CVS All Kids Can: to help children with
disabilities learn, play and succeed in life. By encouraging students
with autism to attain a post-secondary education, CVS/pharmacy hopes to
increase their opportunities for success and allow them to achieve
their greatest potential.
"CVS/pharmacy has a long history of giving back to the communities in
which we serve by supporting people of all abilities," said Eileen
Howard Dunn, Vice President of Corporate Communications and Community
Relations at CVS/pharmacy. "With CVS All Kids Can, we will help
children with disabilities to reach their greatest potential because we
believe that all kids can."
In addition to the CVS All Kids Can Scholars Program, CVS/pharmacy will
also serve as a national co-sponsor of the "Evening of Champions" at
the ASA Conference, "Lighting the Way to Hope: Navigating to Success
and Solutions," held this week in Providence, RI.
The Annual Evening of Champions Dinner is the established forum to
celebrate and honor achievements in the autism community. CVS/pharmacy
is proud to sponsor this year's event recognizing remarkable leaders
and their heroic efforts on behalf of individuals with autism.
The larger ASA National Conference will be focusing on success and
solutions for families and individuals living with autism. The
conference attracts organizations, experts, teachers and parents from
around the country whose lives are touched by autism. Keynote
presentations and educational sessions will feature cutting edge
contributors to autism research as well as strategies for success for
teachers and parents. In addition to the Evening of Champions,
CVS/pharmacy will sponsor "Lighting the Way to a New Society: Leading
Others to Inclusive Communities," an educational session exploring
effective ways to create a society to which individuals with and
without autism can belong.
The goals of CVS All Kids Can are to raise awareness in schools and in
local communities about the importance of inclusion; build barrier-free
playgrounds so children of all abilities can play side-by-side; and
provide medical rehabilitation and related services to children with
disabilities. In addition to its work with the ASA, CVS/pharmacy and
its more than 170,000 employees plan to help children with disabilities
learn, play and succeed through partnerships with leading local and
national nonprofit organizations including Easter Seals, The National
Center for Boundless Playgrounds and many others.
About CVS/pharmacy Charitable
Trust
The CVS/pharmacy Charitable Trust, Inc. is a private foundation managed
by CVS Corporation (NYSE: CVS), which operates more than 6,100 retail
and specialty pharmacy stores in 44 states and the District of Columbia
in addition to its online pharmacy, CVS.com, and its pharmacy benefit
management, mail order and specialty pharmacy subsidiary, PharmaCare.
The Trust's mission is to provide funding for health care, education
and community involvement initiatives in communities where CVS/pharmacy
stores are located. General information about CVS is available through
the Investor Relations portion of the Company's Web site at http://investor.cvs.com,
or through the press room portion of the Company's website, at http://www.cvs.com/pressroom.
About the Autism Society of America
The Autism Society of America was founded in 1965 and has grown from a
handful of parents into the leading source of information, research and
reference on autism for more than 40 years. ASA is the oldest and
largest grassroots organization within the autism community with more
than 50,000 members and supporters connected through a network of
nearly 200 chapters nationwide. ASA is dedicated to increasing public
awareness about autism and the day-to-day issues faced by individuals
with autism, their families and the professionals with whom they
interact. The Society and its chapters share a common mission of
providing information and education, supporting research and advocating
for programs and services for the autism community.
Handwriting
High Five ~
Created by Nan Arkwright
OT
Handwriting high five
is an educational tool that provides basics and remediation
strategies. Modules covered in the interactive computer program
include:
- Getting
ready to write: Posture pensil grasp, paper position, etc.
- Improving
legibility: Spacing, letter formation, erasing etc
- Better
quality: Consistancy, modeling, practice,etc
- Organizarion:
Planning space, visula cues, lines, boundaries, simplifying etc.
- Tips
for success: Breaking tasks into steps, anticipating, simplifying
- Using
scissors correctly: Bonus module on handling scissors
Parents,
preschool teachers, elementary teachers, resources specialists,
pediatricians, OT's, SLP's, and educational aides can all benefit from Handwriting High
Five.
To order this fabulous writing program, Contact Nan Arkwright at 614
Ahwahnee Ct.
Walnut Creek, CA 94596. Payment can be made to Nan for
$59.00. Please include your name, address and phone number with
your payment. For more information about theprogram, visit:
http://www.www.handwritinghighfive.com
More News.....MAKING MATH
REAL:
AN OVERVIEW -
DVD IS HERE!
--
Making Math Real's 1st 90 minute DVD
is NOW available!
--DVD Description: This overview DVD provides simplified, comprehensive
foundations for a practical, systematic, multisensory, structured
program in
basic mathematics aligned with the California state standards. It is
designed for educational therapists, special educators, elementary and
secondary classroom teachers, and especially parents. Viewers will
learn to
break math down to its concrete, core elements using hands-on,
manipulatives-based activities demonstrated by the founder and director
of
Making Math Real, David Berg.
The emphasis of this overview DVD is on concept-procedure integration
and
sensory-cognitive development, the two principal strands essential for
understanding and implementing the Making Math Real methodologies.
Viewers
will learn multisensory, structured techniques that guide students from
the
concrete to the abstract, thus helping them build essential development
as
they link their concrete experience to the symbolic notation of math
rather
than rely on rote memorization or tricks. Additional focus is on
developing
symbol imaging, the principle sensory-cognitive tool for learning and
retaining math facts. To order DVD visit.....
http://www.makingmathreal.org
**********************************************************************************************
Linda
MoodBell Tutor:
(Specialized in instruction for learning disabilities)
New Address:
Shannon Jenkins
33 Quail Court Suite 105 South Main Street
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
925-944-9932
New web site: http://www.shannonjenkins.net
shannonjenkins@mail.com
***********************************************************************************************************
In response, Dr. Julie Gerberding, Director of the CDC,
directed staff to develop and implement a process to better understand
the public’s concern about autism and to obtain input into the research
activities the public felt CDC should be conducting to address this
urgent health problem. CDC participates in the Interagency Autism
Coordinating Committee (IACC), a congressionally-mandated committee
that serves to enhance coordination and effectiveness of autism
research and service activities across the federal government and with
public stakeholders. The IACC has recently developed a ten-year autism
research agenda, which includes input from multiple federal agencies
and stakeholders and includes CDC’s current and future research plans.
The framework of the IACC research agenda can be accessed online at: www.nimh.nih.gov/autismiacc.
Tid Bits...
New
DVD-
Surviving Due Process: Stephen Jeffers v. School Board
When Parents and the School
Board Disagree
For more information onm this DVD, Contact Harbor House Law Press, Inc.
at http://www.harborhouselaw.com
or call 877-LAW-IDEA
********************************************************************************
YAY! The Combating Autism Act of 2006 was PASSED
as of December 2006. This legislation promises over $900 million
dollars, over the next five years, will be spent on ASD research,
education and service programs for children/adults diagnosed with
autism. I'll keep you posted!
KB.
******************************************************************************************************
IMPORTANT
Web Site for
parents to know when preparing for an IEP regarding services. A
MUST SEE SITE!!
California Education
Code web site VERY IMPORTANT SITE--a must see!! http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/calawquery?codesection=edc&codebody=&hits=20
*******************************************************************************************************
***New Journal
Article***:
UCSF, December 2004 put out a FABULOUS Research piece on Autism
entitled, Grasping Autism. Based on research from UCSF
neuroscientist,
Mike Merzenich and UCSF neurogeneticist, John Rubenstein. For
more
information visit
http://pub.ucsf.edu/magazine/200412/autism.html
Book
NEWS:
The Walnut Creek Barnes &
Noble Book Store located at 1149 South Main Street
in Broadway Plaza ~ has the
largest selection of
Special Needs Books/References in Contra Costa County. In addition, they offer many events
including Story Time Reading
for children of all ages, as well as interesting Discussion Groups and Book Club Groups. Contact the
Walnut Creek Barnes & Noble for their calendar of monthly events
925-947-0373.
New Asperger's Book
http://www.specialneeds.com/books.asp?id=23113
How
can you raise money for Autism Research?
Sign up for a new MBNA'S
Cure Autism Now Visa Card.
They
offer an initial 2.9% interest rate :). For more info visit http://www.cureautismnow.org