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Evaluating the Ability of Learners with Autism to Work in Small Groups
Learners with autism do well with one on one instruction, and this is widely known. However, the provision of one-to-one instruction on a long-term basis is not efficient or realistic. Funding streams, particularly in adulthood, do not support this level of staffing. Furthermore, the ability to...
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Changes in Scores of Genes Contribute to Autism Risk
Small differences in as many as a thousand genes contribute to risk for autism, according to a study led by Mount Sinai researchers and the Autism Sequencing Consortium (ASC), and published today in the journal Nature. The new study examined data on several types of rare, genetic differences in...
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Evidence-Based Reading Intervention Practices for Students with ASD
Reading proficiency is a skill that is necessary to function in society. Yet, low reading scores during the school years continue to be a persistent trend in the U.S. The Annie E. Casey Foundation (2014) reports that 66% of U.S. students are not reading proficiently and are not prepared for future...
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It Takes Brains to Solve Autism
If you have autism or are a family member of someone with autism, you now have a unique opportunity to contribute to important research that can lead to better understanding and treatment of autism. Last year, the Simons Foundation and Autism Speaks announced the establishment and funding of a new...
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The Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation Announces Groundbreaking Initiatives at Yale School of Medicine and University of Miami CARD
The Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation (DJFF), the nation’s first not-for-profit organization to focus exclusively on adults living with autism, has launched two groundbreaking initiatives designed to enrich the lives of autistic individuals throughout their lifespan. With endowment gifts of...
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Paving the Road to Success
There is increasing interest in helping talented individuals on the Autism Spectrum become more fully engaged in the typical world of work, and establish true independence and self-sufficiency. Autism Speaks has promoted a tool kit for employers, adults on the spectrum and their families, to think...
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President Obama Signs ABLE Act
On December 19, 2014, President Barack Obama signed into law the Achieving Better Life Expectancy (ABLE) Act. First introduced in 2006, and subsequent sessions of Congress, the ABLE Act will allow people with disabilities (with an age of onset up to 26 years old) and their families the opportunity...
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The Future of Autism Genetics Should Learn From Its Past
Last month in November of 2014, my colleagues and I published two large studies that sequenced the genes or exomes of thousands of families with a history of autism1,2. These studies identified several dozen “high-confidence” autism genes that show spontaneous, harmful mutations in multiple...
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Understanding Treatment Effect Scores in Behavioral Therapy Research
Current prevalence estimates released by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) suggest that one in 68 children in the United States may have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) (CDC MMWR, 2014). The core impairments that characterize autism - social and communicative functioning and the presence of...
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A Boy and His Dog
Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Wolfie. I am half Bichon and half Shih-Tzu, also known as a Teddy Bear Dog or a Zuchon. I am sixteen and a half pounds and I barely stand a foot off the floor, but do not let my size fool you. I may be small, but I am mighty. I’ve been with my family...
