Category Archives: Autism Awareness

Pick of the Week: Bullying & ASD – The Perfect Storm – NEW from Autism Partnership

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Work in Progress v6 Cover.inddBullying & ASD: The Perfect Storm – the brand new booklet and DVD from Autism Partnership – comes at a most important time. Recent school bullying and cyberbullying statistics show that:

  • 1 out of 4 kids are bullied
  • 77% of students are bullied either mentally, verbally or physically
  • Cyberbullying statistics are rapidly approaching similar numbers, with 43% experiencing cyberbullying
  • Of the 77% of students that said they had been bullied, 14% of those who were bullied said they experienced severe (bad) reactions to the abuse

Bullying is a real and pressing issue in our schools and online, and children with autism spectrum disorder are especially at risk. In the most recent volume of the Work in Progress Companion Series, Doctors Leaf, McEachin and Taubman explore not only the reasons that children with ASD are targets for bullying, but more importantly, they offer realistic and attainable strategies for kids on the spectrum.  

Several traditional methods of dealing with bullies are explored in this booklet and DVD, including avoidance, informing an authority figure, and fighting back.  In addition, there are strategies for educating and preparing the victims so that students with ASD can better combat bullying.  The included DVD features over an hour and 40 minutes of footage including advice from experts, one-on-one interviews with students, and real classroom brainstorming sessions where students with autism spectrum disorder are shown:

  • The difference between teasing and bullying
  • How to avoid the behaviors invite bullying, including determining the important difference between “cool” and “uncool”
  • When and when not to listen to peers
  • How to react to a bully

This week only, save 15% on the important new booklet and DVD – Bullying & ASD: The Perfect Storm –  by entering the promo code BLOGBASD2 at checkout.

*Offer expires on April 30, 2013 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.

New Low Price on Our Language App: Tell Me About It!

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tell me about it iconAutism Awareness Month excitement continues…We’re thrilled to announce that for the rest of April, you can purchase our App Tell Me About It! Learning Language by Receptive Function, Feature & Category for the low price of $2.99!

Tell Me About It! teaches the label, category, function, and features of more than 235 language targets over 6 levels of incremental difficulty, with over 1000 unique testable attributes. The presentation of each language target conforms to an Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) discrete trial program, with reinforcement provided by a token economy system. Tell Me About It! provides a self-contained discrete trial program that error corrects and provides direct and immediate reinforcement while collecting and synthesizing data for up to 10 students. There is a Student Report Card that displays data for each student, with an option to email the results.

For students with speech and language delays or for those with Autism Spectrum Disorder, learning to simply label an image doesn’t necessarily translate into comprehensive understanding of that word. By breaking down each language target by its category, the function that it serves and its salient features, we offer students the opportunity to fully comprehend and then engage in language.

Level 1 

Categories

The App covers 15 categories of language targets that include: Animals, Body Parts, Clothing, Food, Household Items, Dishes, Utensils, Tools, Toys, School Supplies, Sports, Vehicles, Accessories, Furniture, and Musical Instruments.

 

 

 


Levels

The App advances from the basic building blocks of language – simple labeling – all the way through shared features across categories. The Levels presented in incremental difficulty are:

Level 1: Labels
                Level 2: Categories
                Level 3: Function
                Level 4: Feature
                Level 5: Randomized Feature, Function, Category
               Level 6: Shared Featured, Function, Category

Teacher Console

 

Teacher’s Console            

Teachers and parents can delve into the Teacher’s Console to control the settings for each student by turning the written labels for each language target ON/OFF, selecting a specific token character, selecting the default Level, and choosing a Reinforcement Schedule.

There is even a motion that administrators can use while a game is in progress to access the Teacher’s Menu to adjust the settings or view reports. To access the Teacher’s Bar, simply swipe 2 fingers in an upward motion from the bottom of the screen up:

 TeacherGesture

Reinforcement Schedule

The Reinforcement Schedule determines how many targets the studentmust answer correctly in order to complete a trial session and obtain a 5-10 second animation reward.  There is an option for 3, 5, or 10 tokens and you can even select the character you want or keep the default setting of Random.

 End of Game

Reporting & Data

Tell Me About It! tracks each student’s progress and provides a Report after every trial as well as a comprehensive Report Card accessible in the teacher’s console. You’ll see a + for every correct response and a – for incorrect ones. If a student hasn’t yet mastered a target, you’ll see the number of presentations in parentheses after the score.

Report Card

Determining Mastery of Targets

This App strives to mimic an actual one-on-one instructional session with a therapist as much as is possible in an application. For this App, we determine which targets will be defined as mastered by the program in a variety of ways depending on how many times it has been presented.  When answered correctly on the very first presentation, the student receives both a token and verbal praise and that target is considered “known” or mastered and not presented again on that level.  If the answer is not correct on that first presentation, the target will be reintroduced in subsequent trials and must then be answered correctly on two different, consecutive presentations to be considered mastered. When an incorrect response is given, error correction is provided by having the correct image flash while verbal correction is also provided. The App then shuffles the placement of the images, and re-presents the same question. If the student answers correctly on this second attempt, they receive verbal praise only (no token) and then move to another question.  Note that your Data sheets will display, in parentheses, how many times each target has been presented so that you are always aware of your student’s progression and where there might be deficits.

 

World Autism Awareness Day

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In recognition of World Autism Awareness Day, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon noted that early interventions can make a tremendous impact on the lives of children with autism.

With the number of children affected with autism being reported as high as 1 in 50, there is an urgent need to ensure that children are given a proper diagnosis along with early intervention and behavioral therapy that will make a difference in their lives. Our products are geared towards educating and empowering children at every step, from early intervention to school-age programs.

In honor of World Autism Awarness Day and Autism Awareness Month, Different Roads is thrilled to offer 25% off storewide today through April 4.*  To redeem your savings, please enter the Promo Code WAA13D at www.difflearn.com or call us at 800-853-1057 to place your orders.

 

*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).*

WAA13D Sale runs from April 2, 2013 through April 4, 2013 at midnight EST.

**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.

Our new catalog is here!

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And it’s a big one for us – Volume 30! Over 18 years and 30 catalogs, our mission has always stayed the same: to educate and empower children with autism and special needs. We’re so proud of our 30th Catalog and we think you will be quite excited by the 70 new products that we’ve added. We’ll be highlighting and featuring some of our best new products in our Pick of the Week segment so be sure to keep an eye out for special offers by joining our mailing list.

The new catalog contains all of your favorite go-to’s, like the Language Builder and the Time Timer, along with spectacular new products for Early Intervention, teaching social skills, developing conversation and so much more.

You can always request a paper catalog on our site, or you can click here for our fully interactive e-catalog that enables you to dowload, print and link back to the products on our site.

We’re thrilled to share this milestone with you and can’t wait to hear your thoughts on our new products.

Autism-friendly peformance of ‘Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark’ presented by TDF

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Our spidey sense is tingling! The Theater Development Fund is once again sponsoring an autism-friendly, special performance of the NY Broadway show Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark. This show was specifically chosen by families as the show their children wanted to see most. As with their past performances of The Lion King and Mary Poppins, the special performance will cut jarring sounds and strobe lights. Quiet areas with beanbag  chairs and coloring books will be available. In advance of the show, TDF will also post social stories on their site, listing out what attendees can expect at the show.

You can buy tickets for the April 27 show at the TDF site: https://secure2.tdf.org/event/step1.html

 

Join Us for a Wine Party Connecting the Autism Community

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Please join Different Roads for a wine party connecting the autism community.
There will be drinks, toys, free raffles, food and fun!

Location: At the home of Julie Azuma, President Different Roads to Learning
Union Square, Manhattan – NYC
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013
6-8:30 pm

Come for a relaxed night out and connect with your fellow teachers, therapists and parents.

For those of you who only get to see each other during team meetings and for parents who haven’t had a night out since the baby was born,  this is a great chance to connect and relax. It’s our way of thanking you and celebrating the roles you play in the autism community. Whether you work in Early Intervention, are a parent of a child with autism, work in a classroom or residential setting or are an advocate in the autism community, all are welcome.

It’s your turn to play and see the latest and greatest new products available. We’ll have:

  • 50 new, hot off the press products
  • Free Raffle with wonderful prizes to take home
  • Food and drinks
  • Friends and fun!

 

Space is limited so please RSVP as soon as possible to Abigail@difflearn.com.
A formal invitation with address details will be sent upon RSVP.

In order to present you with a great party, we need to know a few details so we can plan accordingly:

Please RSVP with the following:

Name:

Are you a parent, teacher, therapist?

How old are your children or students?

Work Setting (classroom, home, residential, etc.):

Discipline (ABA, SLP, OT, etc.):

A Grandparent Guide for Happy Holidays

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This post was written by our old friend Dr. Erica R. Holding for the Grandparent Autism Network. Dr. Holding has a Ph.D. in Psychology and a Masters degree in Counseling Psychology. She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst-Doctoral level and founder of Avita Nova, which provides early diagnosis and ABA therapy for children and parent training and support. This article is based on her many years of working with families affected by autism.

When you have a grandchild with autism, the holiday season can present some extra challenges for your family. With careful planning your family can make the holiday season warm and happy for everyone.

If you don’t get to see your grandchild regularly, it is important to remember to have realistic expectations for your time together. Before the visit, call your son or daughter to ask if there is anything to do or have on hand to make the visit more enjoyable for your grandchild. You can have favorite toys, food and videos ready and plan to go to places that they like to visit.

Grandparents often express fear and anxiety about how to interact with their grandchildren.  You may feel rejected because you expect welcoming big hugs and kisses and may feel frustrated and unloved if that does not happen. Your grandchild may have sensory issues that make it overwhelming and even painful for them to be touched or hugged. They may not have the skills yet to know what to do or how to respond or they may just be learning these skills, but shut down around new people or in new situations. The most important thing is to not take this personally. They are not rejecting you. A high five or brief gaze may be all that they are currently capable of doing.

If you are planning a party or other special event, ask your son or daughter if they feel your grandchild will be comfortable being present. You may want to change your plan to be more inclusive and focus on creating new holiday traditions together.

Keep demands for social politeness at a low level.  Even if your grandchild has learned new social skills like greeting people by saying hello or shaking hands, don’t anticipate that will happen when there is a lot of stimuli like lights, music and new people in new settings.

Pace yourself and be flexible.  If you have 3 events planned for a day, but there is a midday meltdown after event # 1, maybe it’s best to skip the others. It is better to have one great time together that you can all remember fondly than to watch the rest of the day deteriorate into tantrums or other behavior problems. New situations, new people, and new schedules can be overwhelming for a child with autism. Your grandchild is not being willfully defiant or difficult, and your son or daughter does not have poor parenting skills. Too much input and too many changes can be very hard for children with autism to process. Let your son or daughter know that you understand this may be what is responsible for meltdowns and negative behavior.

Create outlets or escape routes.  Prepare a place in your home that is quieter and provides a comfortable spot where you grandchild can “take a break” from all of the excitement.  Having a place to go for some respite time may prevent you from having to leave or end an event. Just taking a break may be all that your grandchild needs to get on to the next event.

Manage sensory input.  The holiday season is filled with new experiences. Manage these to the best of your ability. If you are taking a trip to the mall, try to go at times when the mall is less busy, or make the trip shorter. The holidays might not be the best time to try new foods. Try to have something your grandchild likes at every meal.

Control Schedules.  Routines and knowing what is happening next is often very important to individuals on the spectrum. Holiday schedules deviate completely from our daily normal routines and this can be especially difficult for a child with autism.  Ask your son or daughter how best to handle daily schedules. Some children with autism can be included in the schedule making and this is very empowering for them. Other children may be more able to understand when given a visual schedule. Find out what works best and if an unexpected change is just about to happen, find out how best to communicate that change.

Be sure to compliment your grandchild and your son or daughter about the new abilities and progress your grandchild has achieved.  Grandparents can be supportive good listeners who consistently give their families loving reinforcement at the holidays – and throughout the year.

Today is World Teachers’ Day – Send an ECard of Appreciation

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This special day aims to mobilize support for teachers around the world and to ensure that the needs of future generations will continue to be met by teachers. It has been held annually on October 5th since 1994, when it was created by UNESCO. This day celebrates the essential role of teachers in providing quality education at all levels.

Let’s honor and celebrate all of the teachers around the world and the need to raise the status of the profession – not only for the benefit of teachers and students, but for society as a whole, to acknowledge the crucial role teachers play in building the future.

To express your own personal gratitude, you can send your teacher an e-card as a token of appreciation!

To send a World Teachers’ Day e-card, click on the envelope icon below.

 

A Walk in the Woods

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When you’re a parent of a child diagnosed with autism, the smallest things become a challenge.  Getting to the car without an incident or going to the store always holds a bit of anxiety for me.  My level of parent alertness was and is always on high.

Miranda loves attention and will approach strangers in her own very unique way. She loves elastic hairbands and is always on a mission to find them on the ground. You would be surprised at how many she can acquire on an outing.  All the while, Miranda uses her own version of words.

The other day, we took a walk, an outing with no anxieties.  It was such a pleasure to walk in the woods with her.  She was cheerful, responsive and appropriate.  I could put my arms around her and just walk along with her.  It was a moment of enjoyment together, a moment to treasure.

 

 

Assessment Kit Giveaway

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We’re ending Autism Awareness month with a HUGE giveaway. Fill out this simple survey and we’ll enter you to win one of our Assessment Kits for students with Autism. Valued at over $1000.00, this highly in-demand kit can be used to both assess & teach criticial skills to students with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other special needs. It contains flashcards, manipulatives, puzzles, and much more. You can keep the kit or have us send it to an organization or school of your choice.

Fill out the survey here and be automatically entered to win: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/TQ9CHGQ

*Unfortunately, this offer is valid only for U.S. Residents.

Survey closes on April 30, 2012.  Good luck!