Special Education Parents Advisory Council (SEPAC)

Another parent on Twitter pointed me in the direction of a new drawing tool on Google:
Children with Autism Architect Their Ideas Using 3D Design Software
Project Spectrum was developed by the SketchUp Team at Google to help people with autism take advantage of their visual and spatial gifts.
The idea for Project Spectrum originated when we began getting phone [...]

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I’ve been asking around about Second Life as a possibility of being a training tool for my son, and have discovered that there is a Second Life for Teens, which may be a possibility.
This morning, I found an article on msnbc.com that shows that other therapist and teachers are already exploring the use of virtual worlds for [...]

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Forwarded from Lisa Meyerson Marshall, SEPACs VP - Strategic Relationships:

The ASA-Greater Phoenix Chapter’s Annual Conference will be May 3-4, 2008 in Phoenix.  This year’s conference will feature Jenny McCarthy, Kathleen Ann Quill and many others…
The conference brochure is available for download from our website (http://www.phxautism.org/conferences.html) and online registration is coming soon!

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Definitely worth reading - Opinion by high school freshman with Aspergers
IN MY OPINION: Knowing autism is knowing me
By: Amanda Phillips

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From the Scottsdale Unified School District’s Special Education web site - April is Autism Awareness Month:
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) include:

Autism
Asperger’s Syndrome
Pervasive Developmental Disorders/Not Otherwise Specified (PDD/NOS).

Did you know that today 1 in 150 children is diagnosed with an ASD?
A new case is diagnosed almost every 20 minutes resulting in 67 children being diagnosed per day.
There [...]

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Here’s an article worth reading… the comments give additional insight into the challenges that children with special needs face as adults.
Sean Beaudoin, 25, has an autism spectrum disorder, but with help he has become fairly independent.
He has his own car. He works 20 hours a week as a kennel assistant. He has a credit card [...]

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Pirotal Response Treatment Training
for Supporting Young Children with ASDs in Home, School and Community Settings
This workshop is designed for parents and professionals working with young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Daniel Openden, Ph.D., BCBA, SARRC’s clinical services director, will describe the development and implementation of Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT), an evidence-based intervention for teaching [...]

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SARRC is expanding its behavior analysis training to include three workshops created specifically for those working with individuals with ASDs, including habilitators, parents and professionals. Participants will learn evidence based strategies for supporting individuals of all ages with varying levels of ability. The training series will include an overview of typical child development, autism, applied [...]

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From the Autism Society of America:
Join us at the Arizona Autism Candlelight Vigil!
The Autism Society of America - Greater Phoenix Chapter has joined with local autism support groups including ROK, S.A.N.E., Asperger Parent Network, HelpASAP, Arizona Autism Support, Northern Arizona ASA, ASA-Pima County Chapter and organizations including the Autism Society of America, Arizona Autism Coalition, [...]

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Two training announcements from Lisa Dee Meyerson Marshall:
Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT) for Supporting Young Children with ASDs in Home, School and Community Settings
This workshop is designed for professionals working with children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) in a preschool or toddler program. Dr. Openden, SARRC’s Clinical Services Director, will describe the development and implementation of [...]

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