Research Studies, Education Grant Available

[Guest guest]

Dear Friend of ASO:

Information on two research studies looking for participants. Study details and contact information follow my signature. FYI - please share.

Have you purchased your Ohio Autism Awareness License Plate yet? To purchase yours, visit www.oplates.com and click on "Specialty Plates" or visit our website at www.autismohio.org for more information.Sincerely,Barbara C. YavorcikPresidentAutism Society of Ohio701 S. Main St.Akron, OH 44311(330) 376-0211fax: (330) 376-1226email: askASO@...home: byavorcik@...web: www.autismohio.org Please note: This is provided for information purposes only. The ASO does not endorse or recommend any providers, methodologies or services. Providing this information should not be construed as an endorsement by the ASO, either explicit or impiled.

RESEARCH STUDY at UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO

We work with parents who have a child with language delays (including any disabilities). We test each child before and after the study. We use a expressive vocabulary test, a receptive vocabulary test, and collect a language sample.

We randomly assign the parent two one of the two groups. For the first group we do the following:

- First, we ask the parents to observe a TV program with their child and while reading a book (for 5 minutes) and record the interactions.

- This is followed up with a two week teaching sessions with parents at their home on some strategies they can use while watching child programs (Dora, etc.) with their child.

- We ask the parent to use the strategies at least once a day (20 minutes) for four times a week for five months. They will keep a log of times they watched

- Parents record the strategies at least once while watching a TV and once while reading a book (fro five minutes) during the 8 th, 16th and the 20th weeks. (So a total of six audio recordings)

- Children will be tested at the end of the 5th month. The parent will complete a questionnaire and whether the strategies are useful

- Parents at this time will be paid $200. They parent-child dyads will be followed up for another five months

- Parents are also asked to record once during the 8th and 10th months while watching a TV and when reading a book with their child.

- The child will be tested at the end of the 10th month again and parents will be paid additional $100 at this time.

For parents in the second group …it will be reverse of what the parents do in the first group.

- First, we ask the parents to observe a TV program with their child and while reading a book (five minutes) and record the interactions.

- Parents are also asked to record once during the 5th month while watching a TV and reading a book with their child.

- The child will be tested at the end of the 5th month again and parents will be paid $100 at this time.

- This is followed up with a two week teaching sessions with parents at their home on some strategies they can use while watching child programs (Dora, etc.) with their child.

- We ask the parent to use the strategies at least once a day (20 minutes) for four times a week for the next five months. They will keep a log of times they watched

Parents record the strategies at least once while watching a TV and once while reading a book during the 8 th, 16th and the 20th weeks (i.e., during the 7th, 9th, 10th months).

Children will be tested at the end of the 10 th month.

Parents at this time will be paid $200. The parent will complete a brief questionnaire on whether the strategies are useful.

Dr. Sekhar Pindiprolu, the supervising professor, for the study determines if the child meets the criteria for the study. At this time we are waiting to start the study in mid-May. Once we start, we will do preliminary screenings and then further language testing. After that we will begin with the intervention strategies. I would be happy to talk with you if you need more information. Thanks so much for you interest! Feel free to send this out to anyone you feel would qualify.

Thanks!

Karikas

Graduate Research Assistant

University of Toledo

Dept. of Special Education

ckarika@...

Grant Opportunity for Low-Income Mothers Pursuing EducationThe Patsy Takemoto Mink Education Foundation for Low Income Women and Children is accepting applications for Education Support Awards. Low-income mothers who are pursuing education or training are eligible to apply.The foundation will award five grants of up to $2000 each in 2007. Applications must be postmarked no later than July 1, 2007. For application information, see http://www.ptmfoundation.net.

Hello from the University of North Carolina Autism Research Program, under the direction of ph Piven, MD. We would like to introduce you to some research that we are involved in at the University. We are very excited about this new research and your family may be eligible to be part of our research effort!

Our Autism Research Program is looking at the genetics of autism in a unique new way. We are looking at extended families, not just the mother, father and children. We are looking at families that have individuals with autism in more than one branch of the family. This way we can trace the genes in the family to see if there are any similarities among family members. We are also looking at language and personality styles, two very important parts of how we relate to others, to see if these traits are similar among family members. We are hoping to establish patterns among extended families that will increase our knowledge about the genes that contribute to causing autism.

If you have an extended family with individuals who have a diagnosis of autism, Asperger’s syndrome, or PDD in two or more nuclear families, we would like to talk to you about our study. In other words, if autism or autistic traits seem to “run in the family†or if you and your spouse seem to both have autism or autistic traits in the family; please contact us about our study. We will tell you more about the study and ask you questions about your family to determine whether your family is right for the study.

If you are interested in learning more about this study or would like to contact us, please feel free to visit our website: www.ndrc.unc.edu/familystudy or call us toll-free at 1-800-793-5715 and ask about the “Extended Pedigree Studyâ€. You can also email us at ellen_cohen@....

We hope we will be able to get to know you in the future. We wish you all the best.

Sincerely,

ph Piven MD

and the Autism Research Team

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Campus Box # 3366, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3366Telephone: (919) 843-8641; FAX: (919) 966-7080; www.ndrc.unc.edu

E-MAIL: Joe_Piven@...

See what's free at AOL.com.