Thursday, February 28, 2008

9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Registration Check-in Process (main lobby)

10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Social Skills Interventions for Preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorders Laura G. Klinger, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, The University of Alabama, Director of the University of Alabama Autism Spectrum Disorders Research Clinic. Elizabeth McMahon Griffith, Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Psychologist at Civitan-Sparks Clinics, University of Alabama at Birmingham.

This presentation is being provided in collaboration with the Alabama Council for Developmental Disabilities. As a result, the first 200 people to register for this workshop will be admitted free of charge and a reduced rate of $40 will be charged to additional attendees. This workshop is designed to provide early intervention and school professionals with ideas for improving social skills in preschool children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Both child-directed and adult-directed techniques to increase imitation, turn-taking, joint attention, and pretend play will be discussed.

1:00-2:30 p.m. Preconferences Begin (Choose one)

A. Educational Supports for School-Aged Children that Foster Social Skills and Understanding of the Hidden Curriculum Brenda Smith Myles, Ph.D., Chief of Programs and Development, Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence and Associate Professor in the Department of Special Education at the University of Kansas.

This presentation will address social skills and the hidden curriculum and their applicability to individuals on the autism spectrum (including Asperger Syndrome). The hidden curriculum is comprised of items that are not typically taught to neurotypical children and youth, but are assumed knowledge. Despite not being directly taught, the hidden curriculum is vastly important. Violation of hidden curriculum rules can have an adverse affect on school performance and how well a student/child is able to positively relate to the community and home.

Preconference Objectives:
• explain the hidden curriculum’s applicability to school, community, and home
• identify hidden curriculum areas and items across preschool, middle school, high school, and adulthood.

B. Visual Strategies: Improving Communication, Behavior & Social Skills for All Ages
Linda Hodgdon, M.Ed., CCC-SLP, Speech Pathologist, Director, Cornerstone Communication Center

Most students with autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, and related communication challenges are visual learners! This observation has tremendous implications. Capitalizing on their strengths, the use of visual strategies alters many social, communication, and educational challenges. Expanding the use of visual strategies helps students organize their lives, significantly reduce behavior problems, and increase functional communication. This program defines the need, discusses training and demonstrates practical ideas for improving communication for students and adults with communication and learning challenges.

Preconference Objectives:
• identify significant factors in student learning and functioning style that affect communication
• recognize situations where communication breakdowns can affect the student’s understanding, behavior and participation

2:30-3:00 p.m. Refreshment Break

3:00-4:30 p.m. Preconference Workshops Continue

4:30 p.m. Evaluations, Professional Approval Sign-in Sheets, CEU Certificates and Adjournment

Friday, February 29, 2008

7:15-8:15 a.m. Registration Check-in Process (main lobby)
Continental Breakfast, Exhibits and Poster Sessions

8:15-8:30 a.m. Convene (Sellers Auditorium)
Presiding: Laura G. Klinger, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, The University of Alabama

Welcome
Carolyn Dahl, Ed.D., Dean, College of Continuing Studies, The University of Alabama

8:30-9:30 a.m. Diagnoses that Co-Occur with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Laura G. Klinger, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, The University of Alabama, Director University of Alabama Autism Spectrum Disorders Research Clinic
Russell Kirby, Ph.D., Vice Chair and Professor, Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, The University of Alabama at Birmingham

This presentation will discuss the many associated conditions that effect individuals with ASD including sleep problems, epilepsy, anxiety, depression, and aggressive behavior. A discussion of the epidemiology and prevalence of these difficulties and treatment approaches will be provided.

9:30-10:45 a.m. Family-Focused Cognitive Behavior Group Therapy for Treatment of Anxiety Symptoms in Children with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders
Judy Reaven, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center, Director of the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Clinic – JFK Partners

10:45-11:15 a.m. Networking Break/Exhibits and Poster Sessions

11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Occupational Therapy Interventions
Jane Case-Smith, Ed.D., OTR/L, FAOTA, Professor and Chair, Division of Occupational Therapy, The Ohio State University

The goal of this session is to describe evidence-based occupational therapy interventions for children with autism. The types of interventions described and applied are 1) sensory integration and sensory- based, 2) social skills training including Social Stories, 3) relationship-based, 4) behavior interventions including positive behavioral support, 5) parent-mediated, and 6) developmental, skill-based. Each area is described from the perspective of occupational therapy and the research evidence for each category of intervention is explained. Intervention strategies with demonstrated effectiveness are identified and applied to practice.

12:30-1:30 p.m. Boxed Lunch – Sellers Auditorium
A special presentation by the Alabama Autism Society.

1:30-2:45 p.m. Practical Solutions for Tantrums, Rage, and Meltdowns
Brenda Smith Myles, Ph.D., Chief of Programs and Development, Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence and Associate Professor in the Department of Special Education at the University of Kansas.

This presentation will overview the three-stage cycle of tantrums, rage, and meltdowns: rumbling, rage, and recovery. Within each of these stages, student behaviors, adult behaviors, and strategies that support moving the child back to the daily routine will be discussed as well as interventions that can be used at each stage. A brief overview of prevention strategies will also be presented.

2:45-3:15 p.m. Break

3:15-4:30 p.m. Pretending to be Normal: Living with Asperger Syndrome
Liane Holliday Willey, Ed.D., author, Pretending to be Normal: Living with Aspergers Syndrome; Asperger Syndrome in Adolescence Living with the Ups, the Downs and Things in Between; and Asperger Syndrome in the Family: Redefining Normal

4:30 p.m. Evaluations/CEUs/Professional Approvals/Adjournment