Newsletter 1

Autism Links

Funding for this publication is provided by the Oklahoma State Department of Education through the

Teacher Registry Training contract using Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) federal funds.

Resource to assist in Program

Planning:

The Comprehensive Autism Planning System

(CAPS) for Individuals with Asperger

Syndrome, Autism, and Related Disabilities:

Integrating Best Practices Throughout the

Student’s Day by Shawn Henry and Brenda

Smith Myles.

The Comprehensive Autism Planning System (CAPS) is

designed to provide an overview of a student ’s daily

schedule by time and activity as well as the supports that she

needs during each period. Following the development of the

student’s IEP, all educational professionals who work with

the student develop the CAPS. Thus, the CAPS allows

professionals and parents to answer the all-important

question for students with an ASD: What supports does the

student need for each activity?

http://www.texasautism.com/WorkshopFiles/Advo

cateZigguratCAPS.pdf

(The CAPS is similar to the routine matrix

however, it asks for more specifics to meet

your students needs. )

Welcome to Autism Links

Traci Sutton, M.S., CCC-SLP

Program planning is always at the forefront of

what we need to be doing for our students. It

is challenging to make sure we are

incorporating all of the things that they need.

This issue will provide some tools that might

be useful to including key components that

are critical for students with ASD while

meeting all of the academic requirements.

One particular website I would encourage you to

explore is

The Interactive Collaborative Autism

Network (ICAN)

at http://www.autismnetwork.org/ .

The website provides teaching modules that cover

ASD Characteristics, Assessment, Academic,

Behavioral, Communication, Environmental,

Sensory, and Social Interventions. It is a great

resource for providing information to para-

professionals, administrators and regular

education teachers about ASD

DON’TFORGET!

OCTOBER 2009

---

Newsletter 2

The CAPS contains the following components:

1. Time.

This section indicates the clock time of each activity

that the student engages in throughout the day.

2. Activity.

Activities include all tasks and activities throughout the

day in which the student requires support. Academic periods,

nonacademic times and transitions are all considered activities.

3. Targeted Skills to Teach.

This may include IEP goals, state standards

and/or skills that lead to school success for a given student.

4. Structures/Modifications.

Structures/modifications can consist

of a wide variety of supports, including visual supports, peer

networks and instructional strategies.

5. Reinforcement.

Student access to specific reinforcers as well

as reinforcement schedules are listed here.

6. Sensory Strategies.

Sensory supports identified by an occupational

therapist or others are listed in this CAPS area.

7. Communication/Social Skills.

Specific communication goals

or activities as well as supports are delineated in this section.

Supports may encompass language boards or augmentative

communication systems.

BLANK FORMS:

http://www.texasautism.com/WorkshopFiles/CAPS.pdf

(intended for elementary students)

http://www.texasautism.com/WorkshopFiles/M_CAPS.pdf

(intended for secondary students)

---

Newsletter 3

Curriculum Resources:

?

http://www.polyxo.com/programs/

?

http://www.sde.state.ok.us/Curriculum/SpecEd/Assessment_Links.html

?

http://www.positivelyautism.com/archive.html

?

Tinsnips is a special education resource that strives to share a variety

of specialized teaching tools, techniques, worksheets, and activities with

teachers of students who have autistic spectrum disorders and related

developmental disabilities. Many of these activities may be appropriate

for Pre-K and Kindergarten children.

http://tinsnips.org/

Transitioning to Adulthood:

?

ARTICLES THAT TOUCH ON ALL AREAS OF PLANNING FROM EARLY

http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=life_lifespan

?

http://www.ocali.org/transition/trans_guidelines.php

?

The National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center

http://www.nsttac.org/about_us/about_us.aspx

o

http://www.nsttac.org/NSTTACVideos/Overview.aspx

ONLINE ARTICLES/TOOLS

Curriculum and Transition

Planning

---

Newsletter 4

Don't miss the next Sensory Friendly Film!

Planet 51

November 21, 2009

10 a.m. local time

Find a theatre

AMC Entertainment (AMC) and the Autism Society have teamed up to bring families affected by

autism and other disabilities a special opportunity to enjoy their favorite films in a safe and

accepting environment on a monthly basis with the "Sensory Friendly Films" program.

In order to provide a more accepting and comfortable setting for this unique audience, the movie

auditoriums will have their lights brought up and the sound turned down, families will be able to bring

in their own gluten-free, casein-free snacks, and no previews or advertisements will be shown before

the movie. Additionally, audience members are welcome to get up and dance, walk, shout or sing - in

other words, AMC’s “Sil

®

e” npce

oli

icy

s Gwil

oldl

ennot be enforced unless the safety of the audience is

questioned.

Tickets are $4-6 depending on location and can be purchased on the day of the event.

Upcoming Shows

December 12:

The Princess and the Frog.

---

Newsletter 5

PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE

In their own words.

Here is a picture of me typing by myself.

My name is

Carly Fleischmann

and as long as I can remember I’ve been diagnosed with autism.

I am not able to talk out of my mouth, however I have found another way to communicate by

spelling on my computer.

(and yes that is me typing on the computer by myself)

I used to think I was the only kid with autism who communicates by spelling but last year I met a

group of kids that communicate the same way. In fact some are even faster at typing then I am.

Last year a story about my life was shown on ABC news, CNN and CTV here in Canada.

After my story was played I kept on getting lots of emails from moms, dads, kids and people

from different countries asking me all sorts of questions about autism. I think people get a lot of

their information from so-called experts but I think what

happens is that experts can’t give an

explanation to certain questions. How can you explain something you have not lived or if you

don’t know what it’s like to have it? If a horse is sick, you don’t ask a fish what’s wrong with the

horse. You go right to

the horse’s mouth.

Click here to see her ABC interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1uPf5O-

on0&feature=player_embedded

http://www.carlysvoice.com

---

Newsletter 6

Complete the

registratio

http://www.ouhsc.edu/thecenter/projects/osetrtp.ht

ml

Oklahoma City Trainings

November 11-12 & 19-20, 2009

March 1-2 & 10-11, 2010

Tulsa Trainings

December 3-4 & 8-9, 2009

February 11-12 & 25-26, 2010

2009‐2010

Oklahoma Transition Institute

Workshops

Transition Assessment, IEP Transition

Pages, and Transition Curriculum

For Students with Severe and

Profound Disabilities

http://www.nsttac.org/capacity_building/SevProf

WorkshopFlyer.pdf

UPCOMING TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES

Understanding and

Teaching Students with

Asperger Syndrome

Megan Moore, M.Ed.

January 12, 2010 - Tulsa

7&oTopID=1541

Para-Professional Training

November 17 -18, 2009

Asbury United Methodist

6767 South Mingo Rd

Registration fee: $100.00

http://www.oumedicine.com/body.cfm?id=

1547&oTopID=1541

---

Newsletter 7

UPCOMING TRAINING

OPPORTUNITIES

Cont.

ASSESSING CHILDREN

WITH AUTISM

This team training is an intensive 30-hour

course which builds upon the foundation

received in the Autism Registry training.

The goal of the training is to provide

school teams with the necessary skills to

identify and design appropriate

interventions for children with Autism

Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Both formal

and informal assessment methods,

designed for identifying children with ASD

will be covered.

Training Series Dates

January 8, 2010

January 22, 2010

February 12, 2010

March 5, 2010

Registration 8:30 am

Session 9:00 am

—

4:00pm

Child Study Center

Attn: Jennifer Winfrey

1100 Northeast 13th Street

Oklahoma City, OK 73117

(405) 271-6824 ext 42129

Fax: (405) 842-9992

http://www.oumedicine.com/body.cfm?id=1547&oTopID=1541

SCHOOL SUPPORT

SERVICES

(WHEN YOU

’RE

JUST NOT SURE WHAT

TO DO NEXT)

School Support Services assists local

school districts in the implementation of

effective programs for children with

disabilities. The primary focus of the

program is support for educating children

with autism, ADHD and challenging

behaviors. School Support Services

provides teachers, related service

providers, administrators and families:

?

Onsite collaborative consultation

?

Training

?

Technical assistance

?

Mentoring and coaching

The program enhances local efforts by

building capacity within school districts

and communities to help children reach

goals of personal independence and social

responsibility.

Explore these links to learn more.

?

Autism Project PEAK

?

Consultation Services

?

Professional Development

?

Resources

?

Contact Us

---

Newsletter 8

70 O.S. § 6-194

Autism Professional Development

Requirements

Seventy O.S. § 6-194, which became effective November 2008, included a new professional development

requirement in, the area of autism. At least one time per year, beginning in the 2009-2010 school year,

training in the area of autism shall be offered. All teachers and education support professionals of students in

early childhood programs through Grade 3 shall be required to complete the autism training at least one time

every three years. Additionally, all resident teachers of students in early childhood programs through Grade

3 shall be required to complete the autism training during the resident year and at least one time every three

years thereafter. The autism training shall include:

* A minimum awareness of the characteristics of autistic children;

* Resources available; and

* An introduction to positive behavior supports to challenging behavior.

Autism support services for school districts are provided through Project Peak, a collaborative effort of the

University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center Child Study Center, and the Oklahoma State Department of

Education. Project Peak has developed a training module to meet these new autism professional

development requirements.

For more information on the autism professional development requirements, please contact: Ms. Jenny

Giles, Preschool Coordinator, (405) 522-4513, or <Jenny_Giles@sde.state.ok.us>. For more information on

Project Peak, please contact Ms. Dianne Mathis, Program Coordinator, (405) 271-6824, Ext. 45143, or

<Dianne_Mathis@ouhsc.edu>.

---

Newsletter 9

General Information Websites:

www.autism-society.org

www.angelfire.com

www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com

http://www.jedbaker.com/news.htm

http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/irca/IRCAarticles/feducationarticles.html

http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=homepage

http://www.autism.org/

http://www.autismtoday.com

http://www.autismnetwork.org/

http://www.autismspeaks.org/

http://www.do2learn.com/

http://www.setbc.org/pictureset/

http://www.setbc.org/curriculumset/default.aspx

http://trainland.tripod.com/pecs.htm

http://okautism.org/homepage/

http://oasis.ouhsc.edu/

http://depts.washington.edu/dataproj/forms.html

http://www.oumedicine.com/body.cfm?id=1547&oTopID=1541

http://www.behaviordoctor.org/

If you have not had an opportunity to complete the online survey, please click on the following link:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=iEWbu3lYXqlf78FBYdjh2Q_3d_3d . The information you provide will

be used to prioritize the kinds of information most needed by network members.

To ensure that you receive the

newsletter, please add autismlinks@gmail.com to the contact list in your address book.