Title/Topic
General / Special Education
Collaborative: Autism, Inclusion, and
Evidence Based Practice
Date of Conference
Friday May 30 – Saturday May 31, 2008
Location
Brea, California (hosted by CSU
Fullerton)
Attendees
Shona Vincent RCP Durham
For more information, Contact me
shona@autismontario.com , karen@autismontario.com
Email
Phone
905-985-9374
A. Summary of key learning’s of the conference attended (bullets).
□ This conference focused on implementing full inclusion in educational
settings using a variety of techniques. These ranged from social skills
applications to visual and hands on strategies.
□ Many speakers from across California spoke about the programs they
have running in their private agencies and in their classrooms.
B. List workshops that you attended.
□ Quality Inclusion for Young Children with Autism – presented by Phil
Strain, PhD (U of Colorado Denver)
□ The Power of Peers: Peer-Mediated Social Skills Intervention for Young
Children with Autism – presented by Phil Strain, PhD (U of Colorado
Denver)
□ Inclusive Education: Lessons Learned – presented by Michael F.
Giangreco PhD
□ Autism: The Tip of the Iceberg – Classroom Strategies and Techniques –
presented by Sharon Floyd, M.Ed.
□ Pivotal Response Treatment: An Evidence Based Practice – presented by
Robert Koegel PhD and Lynne Koegel, PhD.
□ Social Skills Solutions in Natural Settings – presented by Kelly McKinnon,
MA
C. List any additional material that was received (hand-outs, dvd, videos, books,
other resources).
□ Provided with a copy of “Overcoming Autism” the Koegels’ book
□ Provided with many pamphlets about US programs designed to enhance
inclusion in a variety of settings.
D. Key trends identified
□ During Phil Strain’s presentations, he spoke about the research he has
done on the outcomes of children with special needs being placed in social
settings with nerotypical (NT) children. He found in his studies that “88 of
the 88 children with ASD showed improvements on day one when they
were placed in a social environment with NT peers who were engaging
with them”. Phil spoke about his LEAP program (more info about the
LEAP program can be found at
http://prekese.dadeschools.net/docs/leap/LEAP.pdf) and how it may be
valuable not only for children with ASD but who are NT as well.
□ Phil made an excellent point about agencies who claim to be able to do “x”
intervention – he stated that “our question to them should be ‘which
method do you use to weed out the children who do not respond to that
intervention?’ – we need to be working with agencies that are willing to
work on a variety of models – trying to find out what works BEST for each
child”.
□ There are many more ideas and facts that were presented from all the
sessions… I would be happy to type up my notes in full on a particular
session and send them to you if you are interested, just ask!
E. Facts/Opinions/Did you know?
See above.
F. Websites/Books referenced and recommended
- www.ttoolbox.com
- www.education.uscb.edu/autism
- www.differentlearn.com
- www.kellymckinnonassociates.com
G. Important contacts made
- I spoke briefly with Robert Koegel about possibly coming to Durham
Region with Lynne to speak. He gave me his card and I will contact him in
the future.
- I also connected with Kelly McKinnon who told me about her website
(www.kellymckinnonassociates.com) which has lots of interactive
activities on it and break downs of how her social skills programming
works.
H. I would/would not recommend this conference/workshop, for the following
reasons
This conference was AMAZING – I would defiantly recommend attending in the
future if they have a lineup similar to this one. It was not focused specifically on
things happening in the US as so many US conferences are, but instead on
general, practical strategies that anyone can implement in their own community
to increase inclusion and support for children and youth with ASD. What I also
liked about this conference was the number of programs that I learned about that
they have going on throughout California and the US, such as in Wisconsin, they
have a program where grandparents adopt classrooms and provide additional
materials that the class, or special students need i.e. a rocking chair to sit in at
their desk. Truly a worthwhile experience!
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