Maine Autism Spectrum Resource Center - Education
The Kessler Foundation/National Organization on Disability 2010 Survey of Americans with Disabilities (PDF) – The Kessler Foundation/National Organization on Disability 2010 Survey of Americans with Disabilities marks the sixth effort over the past 24 years (since 1986) to assess the quality of life of people with disabilities on a wide range of critical dimensions, to measure the differences, or “gaps,” between people with and without disabilities on these indicators, and to track them over time. The National Organization on Disability and Kessler Foundation, working with Harris Interactive, have established a series of 10 measures of significant life activities of Americans with disabilities.
CCIDS Research
A Review of Evidence-Based Practices For Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Guide for Parents (PDF) by Alan Kurtz. – This guide summarizes some of the findings from a Review of Evidence Based Practices for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders prepared by the Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies in 2008. This Review summarizes the research on the effectiveness of various comprehensive programs for students with ASD, as well as research on best practices in the following domains: Social development, Communication, Cognition and academic skills, Problem behavior, and Adaptive behavior.
Early Childhood
Asperger’s Association of New England – Asperger’s Association of New England offers a comprehensive array of programs and services responsive to the needs of the various sectors of the AS community. Their website lists programs for teen and families, support and social groups, family grants, training, and a variety of articles and resources.
Autism Society of Maine – Provides a list of support groups and programs available in the state of Maine, lists of both national and Maine resources, and general autism information. Also offers way to be involved including advocacy information, volunteering, and fundraising.
Child Care Plus ME – This CCIDS program works to ensure that all infants, preschoolers, and young children – including children with autism spectrum disorders and other physical, medical, and developmental disabilities – have an opportunity to be cared for and educated in high quality, inclusive schools and community child care settings.
DIR®/Floortime™ – The Developmental, Individual Difference, Relationship-based (DIR®/Floortime™) Model is a developmental early intervention program for children with ASDs and other developmental challenges. The objectives of the DIR®/Floortime™ Model are to build healthy foundations for social, emotional, and intellectual capacities rather than focusing on skills and isolated behaviors. Links to training and professional development opportunities, research, publications, and DVDs are provided.
P.L.A.Y. Project – The play project is a community based autism training and early intervention program created by Richard Solomon, MD and based on Greenspan and Weider’s Developmental Individual Difference Relationship Based Model (DIR®) model. Training and events calendar, DVD for parents and professionals, and a list of resources are provided as well as links to research on the Play Project, DIR-Floortime, and other related developmental approaches.
Early Childhood Resources – CCIDS – This site links to resources on inclusive early childhood in Maine.
Growing Ideas Tipsheets – CCIDS – The CCIDS early childhood team has created a number of very useful tipsheets on effective and inclusive early childhood practices including developmentally appropriate practice, inclusive early childhood education, universal design, laws that support early childhood education, assessment basics, business skills, social-emotional development, social skill development, behavior as communication, and strategies for addressing swearing, aggression and biting.
Maine Parent Federation, Inc. – Maine Parent Federation is a statewide private non-profit organization that provides information, advocacy, education, and training to parents and professionals to benefit all children. They promote individual aspirations and community inclusion for people with disabilities and provide technical assistance throughout the state.
neurodiversity: early childhood – List of books on the topic of early childhood education and autism.
Southern Maine Parent Awareness – Provides information for parents about special education and disabilities, referrals to community resources, consultation, workshops, and parent-to-parent connections.
State of Maine: Child Development Services – The Child Development Services (CDS) system is an Intermediate Educational Unit that provides both Early Intervention (birth – two years) and Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE for ages three – five years) under the supervision of the Maine Department of Education.
Support for Inclusive Early Childhood Programs – CCIDS – The CCIDS Childcare Plus ME early childhood team can answer questions about how childcare programs in Maine can support all children, including children with autism spectrum disorders and other special needs. They can also provide information about resources, staff development and training activities, telephone and onsite-consultation, email-support, and access to their resource library.
Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Intervention for Young Children – TACSEI takes the research that shows which practices improve the social-emotional outcomes for young children with, or at risk for, delays or disabilities, including autism spectrum disorders and creates free products and resources to help decision-makers, caregivers, and service providers apply these best practices in the work they do every day. Contains a variety of resources and presentations, list of training opportunities, and information on positive behavior supports.
K-12
Advanced Knowledge and Skill Set: Developmental Disabilities/Autism Specialist (PDF) - This document was developed for teachers considered to be specialists in teaching children with developmental disabilities and autism spectrum disorders by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and the Autism Society of America. These will be incorporated into the CEC’s book, What Every Special Educator Needs to Know.
Asperger’s Association of New England – Asperger’s Association of New England offers a comprehensive array of programs and services responsive to the needs of the various sectors of the AS community. Their website lists programs for teen and families, support and social groups, family grants, training, and a variety of articles and resources.
Association for Positive Behavior Supports (APBS) – An international organization dedicated to promoting research-based strategies that combine applied behavior analysis and biomedical science with person-centered values and systems change to increase quality of life and decrease problem behaviors.
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC): Interactive Autism Collaborative Network (ICAN) Tutorial – A tutorial on the use of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) with students with ASD.
Autism Internet Modules (AIM) – A training project developed by national experts in ASD that provides free training modules on evidence based practices for parents, teachers, paraprofessionals and others. Information is presented at a universal reading level with activities providing support to those with introductory or advanced knowledge on ASD. Modules can be accessed on-line or on a digital phone. Eleven of sixty modules are complete at this time.
Autism Society of America – An extensive site with general autism information and links to Autism Society chapters. Also contains information about research, programs, early intervention, treatments, training, education, and family issues.
Autism Society of Maine – Provides a list of support groups and programs available in the state of Maine, lists of both national and Maine resources, and general autism information. Also offers way to be involved including advocacy information, volunteering, and fundraising.
Autism Teaching Tools – A source of information and teaching tips for working with special learners with autism and other pervasive developmental disorders.
Council for Exceptional Children – The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) is an international professional organization dedicated to improving the educational success of individuals with disabilities and/or gifts and talents.
Initial Competencies for Teachers of Students with Developmental Disabilities & Autism Spectrum Disorders (PDF) – This document was developed by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and the Autism Society of America. These will be incorporated into the CEC’s book, What Every Special Educator Needs to Know.
Educating Children with Autism – This comprehensive document was developed by a distinguished committee of experts on ASD, under the auspices of the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences. They conducted an extensive review of the research and made a number of informed recommendations about the use of effective educational practices, diagnosis and screening, the use of various comprehensive programs, and personnel preparation.
Incidental Teaching: Interactive Autism Collaborative Network (ICAN) Tutorial – Tutorial on naturalistic comprehensive program for children with ASD based on applied behavior analysis. Incidental teaching involves structuring and sequencing educational objectives that take advantage of students’ interests and motivation and occur within typical activities.
Joint Action Routines: Interactive Autism Collaborative Network (ICAN) Tutorial – A tutorial on the use of “joint action routines” with children with ASD. The use of routine interactions between two or more people that can be used to encourage communication skills are described.
Learning Disability Association of Maine – Provides information for assisting individuals with specific learning disabilities through support, education, and advocacy in Maine.
Maine Parent Federation, Inc. – Maine Parent Federation is a statewide private non-profit organization that provides information, advocacy, education, and training to parents and professionals to benefit all children. They promote individual aspirations and community inclusion for people with disabilities and provide technical assistance throughout the state.
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) – Information on social and behavioral interventions.
neurodiversity: education – List of books on the topic of education and autism.
O.A.S.I.S.: Online Asperger Syndrome information and Support – Site contains information and resources on Asperger’s Syndrome. Provides lists of online, local, national, and international support groups. Information about education, social skills, adult issues, and research projects are also provided.
Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence – Contains information and links to ASD specific information on the Individual’s with Disabilities Education Act (2004), individualized education programs, and parents’ educational rights. Also provides specific information on a number of evidence based learning approaches for persons with ASD associated learning problems, strategies for creating awareness of and controlling emotions, and social skills strategies.
Peer-Mediated Instruction: Interactive Autism Collaborative Network (ICAN) Tutorial – A tutorial on various types of peer-mediated instruction including cooperative learning. Includes links to research demonstrating the effectiveness of peer instruction in inclusive classrooms.
Picture Exchange System (PECS): Interactive Autism Collaborative Network (ICAN) Tutorial – A tutorial on the use of PECS to help students with ASD acquire and use communication skills.
Pivotal Response Training: Koegel Autism Research & Training Center, University of California Santa Barbara – Describes the Koegel Center’s work developing and researching non-aversive treatments for persons with ASD and pivotal response training (PRT) – a naturalistic evidence-based approach derived from applied behavior analysis. PRT focuses on teaching certain pivotal behaviors that that help children with autism achieve their full potential. Strategies incorporate child choice, task variation, rewarding all attempts at responding, and the use of natural reinforcers.
Polyxo.com Teaching Children with Autism – A resource for parents or professionals interested in teaching children with autism or other related developmental disorders. Provides printable documents for use in home or school programs, teaching discussion list, and a list of resources.
Social Communication, Emotional Regulation, Transactional Support (SCERTS) – Provides information about SCERTS – a comprehensive, family-centered, developmental model for educating students with ASD. The model is research-based and directly addresses the core challenges faced by persons with ASD and related disabilities.
Social Skills Interventions: Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence – Summarizes some of the evidence-based strategies and curricula that have been used to help students with ASD increase their social skills. Strategies include social stories, comic book conversations, and integrated play groups.
Southern Maine Parent Awareness – Provides information for parents about special education and disabilities, referrals to community resources, consultation, workshops, and parent-to-parent connections.
Structured Teaching – Describes structured teaching strategies that were developed at the TEACCH program at the University of North Carolina. The primary components include organization of the physical environment, use of visual schedules, and use of a visually-structured teaching method.
State of Maine: Department of Education, Special Services – Supports students with disabilities kindergarten through graduation in the quest to achieve Maine’s Learning Results.
Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports: US Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs – Provides information and resources about positive behavior supports for students with challenging behavior including students with ASD.
Literacy Instruction
Advice from Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder to Teachers Regarding Literacy Instruction. – This site from Indiana Resource Center on Autism summarizes the results of research in which 12 adults with autism describe successful strategies that let to the development of their own literacy skills.
ASD and Literacy: Characteristic Styles or (Specific) Deficits. (2007) This article by M.J Connor summaries explore the nature of decoding and comprehension abilities among children with ASD as well as the reported benefits of colored overlays for use when reading passages of text.
Autism Disorder and Literacy: What you should know. A video from Dan Marino Childnett.TV on reading instruction for students with ASD, emphasizing the need to provide these students with the same opportunities for participating in literacy activities as other students.
Literacy Instruction For Individuals with Autism, CP, Down Syndrome and Other Disabilities. Information from Penn State on how to teach literacy using a rounded approach to students with ASD and other disabilities.
Maximizing the Literacy Skills of Individuals who Require AAC. Webcast on enhancing literacy for persons using assistive and alternative communication (AAC) by Janice Light.
Supporting the Literacy Learning of Students with Autism. Dr. Paula Kluth’s introduction to supporting literacy learning for students with ASD. The site includes links to other information from Dr. Kluth, books, articles, and other resources.
Books on Literacy and AAC
Carnahan, C., & Williamson, P. (2010). Quality Literacy Instruction for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Overland Park, KS: AAPC Publishing. — For use by educators and other professionals.
Henry, K. (2010). How do I Teach this Kid to Read? Teaching Literacy Skills to Young Children with Autism From Phonics to Fluency. Overland Park, KS: AAPC Publishing. — Kimberly Henry describes a number of strategies designed to help young children with autism develop literacy. Based on the findings of the National Reading Panel and the learning characteristics of children with autism.
Iland, E., (2011). Drawing a Blank: Improved Comprehension for Students on the Autism Spectrum. Overland Park, KS: AAPC Publishing. — This practical and well-researched resource provides educational professionals and parents with the tools to improve comprehension for good decoders who have reading comprehension difficulties, as well as readers who struggle with both decoding and comprehension.
Kluth, P. & Chandler-Olcott, K. (2008). A Land we can Share: Teaching Literacy to Students with Autism. Baltimore, MD: Brooks Publishing Co. — Paula Kluth’s classic 2008 book on literacy instruction for students with autism.
Soto, G. & Zangari, C. (2009). Practically Speaking: Language, Literacy, and Academic Development for Students with AAC Needs. Baltimore, MD: Brooks Publishing Co.— Evidence-based practical strategies for improving language, literacy and academic performance among students using AAC.
Post-Secondary Education
Asperger’s Association of New England – Asperger’s Association of New England offers a comprehensive array of programs and services responsive to the needs of the various sectors of the AS community. Their website lists programs for teen and families, support and social groups, family grants, training, and a variety of articles and resources.
Autism One Radio – A worldwide, web-based radio station for the care, treatment, and recovery of children with autism started by a small group of parents of children with autism.
Autism Society of America – An extensive site with general autism information and links to Autism Society chapters. Also contains information about research, programs, early intervention, treatments, training, education, and family issues.
Learning Disability Association of Maine – Provides information for assisting individuals with specific learning disabilities through support, education, and advocacy in Maine.
Making Choices: Exploring Campus Recreational and Social Opportunities [PDF] - a greater number of students on the autism spectrum are pursuing postsecondary options, including attending colleges, community colleges,and universities. While participation in academics is critical, an equally important area relates to social and recreational opportunities. This Indiana Resource Center for Autism article was written to problem-solve ideas for and facilitate participation in campus recreational and social opportunities.
neurodiversity: postsecondary education – List of books and web resources on the topic of autism and secondary education.
Transition to Adulthood
32nd Institute on Rehabilitation Issues (IRI): Rehabilitation of Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (PDF) – For nearly fifty years, the Institute on Rehabilitation Issues (IRI) has been a national forum for discussing important challenges facing the state-federal vocational rehabilitation (VR) programs and the community rehabilitation program partners. IRI is a singular activity where human resource directors, administrators, practitioners, and academicians with expertise in a specific area of VR meet to thoroughly discuss a particular topic. The objectives of this grant funded document include exploration of numerous issues related to employment outcomes for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders, with implications for improved practices.
Asperger’s Association of New England – Asperger’s Association of New England offers a comprehensive array of programs and services responsive to the needs of the various sectors of the AS community. Their website lists programs for teen and families, support and social groups, family grants, training, and a variety of articles and resources.
Autism Society of America – An extensive site with general autism information and links to Autism Society chapters. Also contains information about research, programs, early intervention, treatments, training, education, and family issues.
Maine Developmental Disabilities Council – The Maine Developmental Disabilities Council is coordinating a Systems Change Initiative to address the need for increased capacity and effectiveness in public services and supports for individuals with autism and other PDDs across the age span. Areas of focus are early identification, early intervention, and transition from school to adulthood. Website provides information on PDD, Maine statistics, and reports on Early Identification and Transition.
NECTAC: The National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center – NECTAC serves all 50 states and 10 jurisdictions with an array of services and supports to improve service systems and outcomes for infants, toddlers, and preschool aged children with special needs and their families. Provides information topics related to implementing the early childhood provisions of the IDEA, lists of webinars and conferences, discussion groups, and publications.
Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence – Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence (OCALI) serves families, educators, and professionals working with students with autism and low-incidence disabilities. Website includes Autism Internet Modules, Transition to Adulthood Guidelines and general information on autism and transitioning.