Articles on Autism
An All-Out Assault on Autism
This article describes families that have children with autism, while also explaining the medical side of what autism is and how it effects those that have it. Early Start, a play-based therapy program for kids that are 12 months old are starting to see strides as studies have shown the effect that this program has years down the road. The article also talks about camps and programs that are available to teens and adults, which gives a variety of information for those of all ages.
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)
Click here for a study on food selectivity and behavior.
This study was conducted in hopes of investigating the techniques used in classrooms to help broaden food choices of children with autism. Whether it is a sensory reason, or a need for habit, it is very common for children with autism to have very selective diets. This study was conducted in a specialized school and done by a teacher. With a combination of positive reinforcement and ABA techniques, new foods were consistently introduced and the student was able to expand their diet to be more varied and nutritious.
This study was conducted in hopes of investigating the techniques used in classrooms to help broaden food choices of children with autism. Whether it is a sensory reason, or a need for habit, it is very common for children with autism to have very selective diets. This study was conducted in a specialized school and done by a teacher. With a combination of positive reinforcement and ABA techniques, new foods were consistently introduced and the student was able to expand their diet to be more varied and nutritious.
Autism, Augmentative Communication, and Assistive Technology
This article is based on a study that was conducted to compare augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and assistive technology. Different types of AT that are related to helping with communication are given descriptions and a brief insight into any studies to let the reader know how effective this might be for their own child or student. For students with autism AND communication problems, this can be a useful resource for teachers and parents that are trying to figure out different options for their children to help with communication.
Resources for Parents of Autistic Children on Assistive Technology
This link sends you to a page full of resources that are great for families with autistic children of all ages. There are links to sites that provide services to make everyday items easy to use, as well as links to resources for families to learn about organizations that advocate for AT and autism.
Using Assistive Instruction to Teach Story Writing to Students with Autism
This study evaluated the effects of simultaneous prompting and computer-assisted instruction on story-writing responses children with autism, 7 to 10 years of age. The data proved that simultaneous prompting and computer-assisted instruction were effective in improving the story-writing skills of all the children. Like used in class, Clicker 5 was used to help these students form story writing skills. There are many opportunities of free assistive technology to help students further there education and motivate them to succeed.
UDL Learning for Teachers
Here you can read real life scenarios of teachers who have different learning styles in their classroom and how they use UDL to adapt to all their students needs. Discussing the change of coming from segregated classrooms to the UDL with the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 is a positive change for Special Education teachers and students. This online article goes through origins of UDL, principles, and putting it into action in the classroom.