Author Archive

April 4th, 2012

What Goes Together? App Giveaway Sweepstakes

by Different Roads to Learning

Win a free copy of our App: What Goes Together?

We’ll be giving away 10 free copies of our App as part of our month of promotions in honor of Autism Awareness Month.

 Enter our Sweepstakes by visiting http://promoshq.wildfireapp.com/website/6/contests/197624

Winners will be chosen at random on April 6, 2012 at 11:59 pm EST. Winners will be notified by email on Monday, April 9.

What Goes Together? is an interactive game develops language, discrimination, and reasoning skills in young learners. Clear,  colorful images of everyday objects promote an understanding of functions and the relationships between items that children encounter on a daily basis. With built-in reinforcement and error correction, this game provides a solid foundation in building critical expressive and receptive language skills.

 

 

 

 

 

April 3rd, 2012

Participate in Our “Design A Ribbon Project” for Autism Awareness Month

by Different Roads to Learning

Join Different Roads to Learning in commemorating Autism Awareness Month by designing your own Autism Awareness Ribbon.  We hope you’ll join us in raising awareness this April and shedding your light on autism through Different Roads to Learning’s Ribbon Project.

Download the blank template and decorate it with pencils, crayons, markers, photos, graphics – whatever strikes your fancy! Print out a bunch and have your students color them in or pass them out to Aunts, Uncles, Grandparents and have them participate as well.

Different Roads will be gathering all of your designs and displaying them in photo galleries on our Blog and Facebook Fan Page.  You can help us raise awareness about autism & our Autism Awareness Ribbon Project by spreading the word via email, Facebook, and Twitter.

When you have your Ribbon decorated, scan a copy and email it to info@difflearn.com or mail it to us at:

Different Roads to Learning
37 East 18th Street, 10th Floor
New York, NY 10003

We hope you’ll join us in raising awareness and shedding a personal light on autism through our Autism Awareness Ribbon Project.

Here’s how to design & submit your own Autism Awareness Ribbon artwork:

1) Click on the ribbon image above or on the outlined ribbon image on the top right sidebar of our Blog’s homepage to access our published Ribbon Template. You can also retrieve our Ribbon Template in the tab called “Design Ribbon Project” at the top of our Facebook Fan Page .

2) Download the Autism Awareness Month Ribbon template on our Blog or Facebook Fan Page and print out as many copies as you need.

3) After decorating your completed Autism Awareness Month Ribbon masterpiece, submit your design by emailing it to info@difflearn.com or mailing it to: Different Roads to Learning / 37 East 18th Street, 10th Floor / New York, NY 10003

And be sure to check out all of your beautiful designs on display in our Ribbon Galleries on our Blog & Facebook Fan Page!

 

 

 

April 2nd, 2012

20% Off Two Day Sale at Different Roads in honor of World Autism Awareness Day

by Different Roads to Learning

Save 20% Storewide*

at Different Roads to Learning

in honor of Autism Awareness Month

 To redeem your savings, enter Promo Code

WAAD12 at www.difflearn.com

or call us at 800-853-1057/ 212-604-9637

Sale valid today and tomorrow only! April 2-April 3, 2012 at 11:59 pm EST

 

 With the prevalence of autism now at an astonishing 1 in 88 children, awareness is more important than ever. Early diagnosis and intervention are proven to have a positive impact on a child’s outcome. All of our products support early intervention and Applied Behavior Analysis programs in the home and at school.

 

*Sale does NOT apply to the following products: VB-MAPP Assessment Kits (DRK 700, DRK 701), ABLLS-R Assessment Kits (DRK 702, DRK 703), 10- and 25-packs of VB-MAPP Protocols (DRB 682, DRB 683).*  

This promotion cannot be applied to previous orders. The coupon code must be entered during checkout to receive offer. Offer only applies to selected products and not those currently on sale. Your order must be placed during the time of the World Autism Awareness Day Sale to qualify for this special offer. This promotional offer may not be combined with any other promotional or discount offers. 

 

March 30th, 2012

Prevalence of Autism now at 1 in 88 Children

by Different Roads to Learning

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has just issued a new report on the prevalence of autism in the United States.  The estimate now is that 1 in every 88 American children is diagnosed with autism (1 in 54 boys, 1 in 252 girls).  That’s up from the 1 in 110 number just a few years ago.

The CDC’s alarming new statistics reveal that there has been a 78% increase of autism diagnosis cases throughout the US, over a 6 year period (2002-2008), which can be considered a cautionary reminder to all of us how serious and vast this issue has become.

With Autism Awareness Month approaching, Different Roads to Learning is pledging to participate in Autism Speak’s Light It Up Blue campaign on Monday, April 2 to help raise public awareness. We hope you’ll join us.  Now more than ever, we need to be sure that proper attention, research, education, intervention and funding is focused on the children and families living with autism.

During the month of April, Different Roads to Learning will be hosting a wide variety of events including sales, giveaways, an Autism Awareness Ribbon Project, and more. Be sure to stay tuned to our Blog, Facebook and Twitter pages for up to date information on how we’ll be supporting our community and raising awareness this April.

If you would like to learn more about the recent statistics, you can visit:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/30/health/rate-of-autism-diagnoses-has-climbed-study-finds.html?hp

http://www.autismspeaks.org/science/science-news/autism-prevalence-rises-1-88

Autism Speaks’ 2012 Press Release on CDC Numbers.

 

March 28th, 2012

Pick of the Week: Know the Code at School – Social Skills Card Games

by Different Roads to Learning

Know the Code at School is a behavioral and social skill card game that illustrate 50 social skills in typical school scenarios. Each card shows a skill with a relevant photo, lists five sequential steps to accomplish the skill and suggests a talking point. The cards are great for games and role plays at an elementary or middle school level.

This week only, save 15% on the Know the Code at School cards by entering the Promo Code BLOGKC9 at checkout.

*Offer expires on April 3, 2012 at 11:59 pm EST. Not compatible with any other offer. Be sure there are no spaces after the Promo Code when you enter it at checkout.

March 20th, 2012

Pick of the Week: Parachute Play

by Different Roads to Learning

On this first day of Spring, what can be better than getting kids outside into the spring sun and fresh air? Our Parachute provides an ideal way to spend some time outdoors, getting bodies in motion after a long, cold winter. The bright and colorful parachute has something for everyone: you can teach colors, turntaking, prepositions…Most of all, it’s plain old fun for all.

This week, save 15% on Parachute Play by entering the Promo Code BLOGPPS12 at checkout.

*Offer expires on March 27, 2012 at 11:59 pm EST. Not compatible with any other offer. Be sure there are no spaces after the Promo Code when you enter it at checkout.

March 13th, 2012

Pick of the Week: The Language of Perspective Taking

by Different Roads to Learning

Work on social language and help your students feel more comfortable in social situations as they learn to see things from someone else’s point of view with The Language of Perspective Taking. An important milestone in a child’s development is seeing things from the perspective of someone else. The ability to understand another’s point of view contributes to the development of pragmatic language and communication and is a cornerstone of literacy as well.  
This interactive workbook has pages for both students to work on and guides for teachers that explore emotions, empathy, and how feelings are affected by various factors and experiences.

This week only, save 15% on The Language of Perspective Taking by entering the promo code BLOGLPA at checkout.

*Offer expires on March 20, 2012 at 11:59 pm EST. Not compatible with any other offer. Be sure there are no spaces after the Promo Code when you enter it at checkout.

March 8th, 2012

Sensory-Friendly Showings of The Lorax, Mirror, Mirror and more at AMC

by Different Roads to Learning

AMC and Autism Society of America have teamed up once again to bring sensory-friendly special screenings of current, hit movies to families. The auditoriums dedicated to the program have their lights up, the sound turned down and audience members are invited to get up and dance, walk, shout or sing.

March 10 – Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax

April 7 – Mirror Mirror

May 5 – Pirates! Band of Misfits

June 2 – Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted

All shows are at 10:00 am local time.

Click here for a complete list of participating theatres.

March 7th, 2012

Pick of the Week: Teaching Language to Children with Autism

by Different Roads to Learning

Teaching Language to Children with Autism or Other Developmental Disabilities is the foundation for anyone looking to implement a Verbal Behavior program. Based on B.F. Skinners behavioral analysis of language, this manual presents a concrete language assessment and intervention program. Relying on the notion of errorless teaching, the authors explain the theory and methodology behind the Verbal Behavior approach to teaching children language.

The book provides information on preparation for language intervention, including a brief language assessment with interpretive guide in order to determine the best place to start intervention according to an individual child’s needs. There is also information on augmentative communication and how to assess it’s importance and necessity, as well as the form it should take. It also addresses the development of initial communication skills for nonverbal children and teaching more advanced language and social skills.

This week only, save 15% on Teaching Language to Children with Autism and Other Developmental Delays by entering the Promo Code BLOGTLA at checkout.

*Offer expires on March 13, 2012 at 11:59 pm EST. Not compatible with any other offer. Be sure there are no spaces after the Promo Code when you enter it at checkout.

March 5th, 2012

New App for Teaching Language to Children with Autism is Now Available!

by Different Roads to Learning

 New York, NY, March 5, 2012 – Different Roads to Learning, Inc., a global retailer of educational products for children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other developmental disabilities, today announced the launch of Tell Me About It! Learning Language by Receptive Function, Feature & Category, an iPhone/iPad app for developing early language skills.

This app uses Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), a systematic teaching approach that involves breaking down skills into small, easy-to-learn steps. ABA is the only evidence-based effective intervention treatment for Autism endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the United States Surgeon General.  The Tell Me About It! App is now available for $9.99 at itunes.

“A new wave of educational apps has been on the rise since the iPad first launched; now, they are more efficient and visually stimulating than ever. These apps are especially pertinent in the early education of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. We are pleased to develop the Tell Me About It! App, which covers the basic foundations of language for children diagnosed with Autism. Our Tell Me About It! App for the iPhone and iPad allows parents and professionals to apply ABA in any setting,” said Julie Azuma, CEO of Different Roads to Learning, Inc., which she founded in 1995 after her daughter was diagnosed with Autism.

“Mimicking an actual one-on-one instructional session with a therapist, the app utilizes Discrete Trial Teaching, a method of teaching students with Autism and other language or developmental delays by breaking skills into the smallest possible steps, teaching each step intensively until its mastered, providing repetition, prompting incorrect responses, and using positive reinforcement. It’s like having a personal tutor at your fingertips,” said Abigail Schlaifer, VP Sales & Marketing.  She added, “Teachers, parents, and psychologists can delve into the Teacher’s Console to control the difficulty settings for each student, and will appreciate the Student Report Card, which displays data for each student with an option to email results.”

About the Development of the Tell Me About It! App

The concept for this app was developed by Stacy Asay, LMSW, and Abigail Schlaifer for Different Roads to Learning and created by Infusion, which combines expert software engineering with appealing user experiences.

Different Roads to Learning was one of ten small businesses selected for the CEO-UBS Small Business Advisory Program, a philanthropic partnership between UBS Wealth Management Americas and the William J. Clinton Foundation. As a participant in the Program’s New York Metro Area pilot, Different Roads to Learning received six months of pro-bono strategic financial and business advice from a UBS Financial Advisor and a dedicated client. The app is a product of this mentorship program. For more information, visit itunes.

Here are the reviews on the app:

 

About Different Roads to Learning

Founded 17 years ago by the mother of a child diagnosed with Autism, Different Roads to Learning understands and embraces the unique needs of every child on the spectrum and strives to enable parents and professionals to help children grow to their full potential by offering over 500 of the most progressive and carefully researched quality products in support of the Autism Community. Visit www.difflearn.com. Read our blog.  Like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter.

For more information, please contact:

Product: Abigail Schlaifer, (212) 604-9637 or abigail@difflearn.com

Media: Julie Huang, Kaimen Company for Different Roads to Learning, (888) 989-8808 x703 or (917) 807-0718 or julie@kaimenco.com


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