Group items tagged

A quiet decision by a federal agency this spring has generated a lot of noise this week within the autism community because of its real and potential impact on the ability of families all across America to access Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) for their children. Since the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) made the case for health insurance coverage for ABA for the nation’s eight million federal employees, retirees and their dependents, reactions across the autism community have ranged from celebration to concerns over how the decision could impact existing services.

There tends to be a lot of confusion between terms Discrete Trial Training (DTT) and Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA). Often times when people talk about ABA programs for children with autism, they are actually referring to DTT. DTT is one of several types of teaching strategies that fall under the umbrella of ABA.

Click here to register!What: The 2010 ADA Accessibility Standards and the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) Accessibility Standard apply to many types of schools in the public and private sectors, including primary, secondary, trade schools and colleges and universities . This session will provide an overview of requirements in the ADA and ABA standards for newly constructed and altered school facilities and their related elements and spaces such as student laboratories, assembly seating, assistive listening systems, and much more.When:December 1st, 201112:30 - 2:00 PM MountainWhere:Great Lakes ADA Center1640 W. Roosevelt RoadChicago, Illinois 60608 Contact:Phone: 877-232-1990

for all the belief and investment in ABA, important questions remain about its effectiveness and how best to use it. Researchers have established that the therapy can improve behavior, language and intelligence test scores. But no scientist using the gold standards of medical research has reproduced the success rate of Lovaas, who died last year.

The American Bar Association's Commission on Mental and Physical Disability Law established the national Mentor Program for: law students with disabilities prospective law students with disabilities, and recent law school graduates with disabilities The Program’s purpose is to give members of these groups the opportunity to learn from an experienced attorney. In a recent study conducted for the ABA, those immediately out of law school cited having a mentor as an important driving factor of satisfaction with their career. Career satisfaction, however, is just one benefit of having a mentor-mentee relationship. Practitioners, students, and academics have all praised the benefits of a mentor program for those with disabilities, namely the availability of advice, guidance, and support.  

The American Bar Association's Commission on Mental and Physical Disability Law established the national Mentor Program for: law students with disabilities prospective law students with disabilities, and recent law school graduates with disabilities The Program’s purpose is to give members of these groups the opportunity to learn from an experienced attorney. In a recent study conducted for the ABA, those immediately out of law school cited having a mentor as an important driving factor of satisfaction with their career. Career satisfaction, however, is just one benefit of having a mentor-mentee relationship. Practitioners, students, and academics have all praised the benefits of a mentor program for those with disabilities, namely the availability of advice, guidance, and support.  

The Commission's mission is "to promote the ABA's commitment to justice and the rule of law for persons with mental, physical, and sensory disabilities and to promote their full and equal participation in the legal profession." The Commission consists of 15 members appointed by the ABA President-elect on an annual basis. It meets bi-annually at its headquarters in Washington, D.C. to map out future plans and to direct its current activities.

The Behavior Analyst Certification Board, Inc.® has approved the course sequence at MSU Billings as meeting the coursework requirements for eligibility to take the Board Certified assistant Behavior Analyst Examination® and Board Certified Behavior Analyst Examination®. Applicants will have to meet additional requirements to qualify.

It's Time for School: Building Quality Education Programs for Students with ASD Wed, Mar 20, 2013 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM PDT School Districts across the country are struggling to meet the needs of students with ASD. Budgets are tight making it is hard to think about being proactive when there are not enough dollars to even cover day-to-day operations. However, districts have found that developing quality education programs for students with autism can actually result in substantial savings. During this presentation Dr. Leaf will discuss factors that contribute to the development of classrooms that provide effective educational for students with ASD. Dr. Leaf will share what he has found to be indicators of a "good" school district, teacher and classroom. Dr. Ronald Leaf is a licensed psychologist who has over thirty-five years of experience in the field of autism; he worked with Ivar Lovaas while receiving his undergraduate and doctorate degrees at UCLA. He is co-author of: A Work in Progress; Building Quality ABA Educational Programs for Students with ASD; Sense and Nonsense in the Behavioral Treatment of Autism and Crafting Connections. Dr. Leaf has consulted nationally and internationally with families and school districts; he is Director of Autism Partnership.

Click here to register for this event What: The Center for Autism and Related Disorder will host a CARD Montana Autism Conference on Saturday, November 19, 2011 at the University of Montana. The one-day conference will take place from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm in the University Center Theater, located at 32 Campus Drive in Missoula. The conference is free and designed especially for parents, caregivers, students and practitioners. Attendees will learn about applied behavior analysis (ABA) and how it can be used to effectively to treat individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), as well as strategic and effective treatment programs for children with ASDs. Attendees also have the opportunity to meet Joe Mohs, who has recovered from autism and is living proof that recovery is possible. Where: University Center Theater 32 Campus Drive Missoula, MT When: Saturday, November 19, 2011 8:30 am to 5:00 pm Mountain Contact: For questions, contact Marcia Kmetz at drkmetz@hotmail.com.

Click here to download full brochure (PDF) What: This workshop is designed for parents, educators, tutors, and aides working with children with autism in an ABA and/or Verbal Behavior Program. Participants will be able to identify examples of verbal operants, identify methods for developing and maintaining motivation, identify effective data collection, and how to teachchildren both in the classroom and in the natural environment. This workshop is designed for parents, professionals and paraprofessionals to learn how to implement behavioral teaching strategies. Participants will not only be shown how to implement a variety of teaching procedures, but will also practice those procedures and receive individualized feedback on the implementation of the techniques. The workshop will also cover the behavioral analysis of expressive language (Verbal Behavior), the basic principles of behavior, and an analysis of motivational strategies to keep the learner actively participating in the learning activities. When: November 2-4, 2011 8:00 am – 4:00 pm Where: Hilton Garden Inn 2520 14th Street SW Great Falls, Montana 59404