Fwd: Save the Date for ASA's Day on the Hill 2009; 2nd Annual NATTAP Conferen...

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ASA-Net: the Autism Society of America's e-newsletter

NEWS

Save the Date for ASA's Day on the Hill 2009

Don't miss ASA's Day on the Hill 2009, an advocacy

training session and lobby day on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on

February 25-26, 2009. This event will help ASA chapter leaders,

volunteers and autism supporters gain the skills they need to be

effective autism advocates, and take those skills to Capitol Hill to

build support for legislative priorities. It will also ensure that

legislators know how important these issues are to the voters back

home.

The event will take place at the Key Bridge Marriott, 1401 Lee

Highway, Arlington, Virginia. Save the date, and stay tuned for more

details coming soon!

2nd Annual NATTAP Conference a Success

ASA President and CEO Lee Grossman and Dr. Edwin Trevathan, Director

of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's

National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities,

keynoted the 2008 Network of Autism Training and Technical Assistance

Programs (NATTAP) conference this morning. The conference, held for

the second year in Columbus, Ohio, and sponsored by the Ohio Center for Autism

and Low Incidence (OCALI), brought together hundreds of

educators, state teams and families to discuss best practices in

autism education and training. Read more:

http://www.autism-society.org/site/R?i=_4-4lK6n6VpIJibyl09ZGg..

Next Sensory Friendly Film on December 6!

Don't miss the next ASA/AMC Sensory Friendly on Saturday, December 6,

2008! December's show is " Bolt. " Read more:

http://www.autism-society.org/site/R?i=YzNaBnyKHP-jfHpvNobhGA..

CDC Seeks Contributors to Children's Book

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC)

" Learn the Signs. Act Early. " campaign is seeking authors

and illustrators to develop content, storyline and illustrations for a

children's book to increase parental awareness of childhood

developmental milestones. The deadline for proposals is November 25. Read more:

http://www.autism-society.org/site/R?i=RS_euRk-zXhnaadwsMYGjQ..

ADVOCACY

Upcoming IACC Meeting

A meeting of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) will

take place tomorrow, November 21, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the

Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington,

DC. Read more:

http://www.autism-society.org/site/R?i=1jKdVFV3NMILuV-dOYCUKQ..

Obama-Biden Transition Update

President-elect Barack Obama has tapped two experts to conduct an

audit of current disability policy, both of whom worked on the

campaign. Read more:

http://www.autism-society.org/site/R?i=tMfgsc9JJP0ToEy5JdhrKQ..

RESEARCH

Struggle Between Parents' Genes May Predispose Children to

Certain Mental Disorders

Two scientists have proposed a new theory about brain development.

Bernard Crespi, a biologist at Simon Fraser University in Canada, and

Badcock, a sociologist at the London School of Economics,

recently published a series of journal articles purporting that

" an evolutionary tug of war between genes from the

father's sperm and the mother's egg can, in effect, tip

brain development in one of two ways, " according to an article

in the New York Times. Read more:

http://www.autism-society.org/site/R?i=xPbkA64Rkr05S_Wx2Tru4Q..

Unusual Use of Toys in Infancy a Clue to Later Autism

Researchers at the UC M.I.N.D. Institute have found that infants

later diagnosed with autism exhibited unusual exploration of objects

long before being diagnosed. Studying a group of children at high risk

for developing autism, the researchers found that those eventually

diagnosed with the disorder were more likely to spin, repetitively

rotate, stare at and look out of the corners of their eyes at simple

objects, including a baby bottle and a rattle, as early as 12 months

of age. Read more:

http://www.autism-society.org/site/R?i=7VO-TQfVS3qLJ0uWdIDXXg..

Genetic Study Provides New Insights into Molecular Basis of Language

Development

Scientists have identified the first gene that is associated with a

common childhood language disorder, known as specific language

impairment (SLI). The gene - CNTNAP2 - has also been recently

implicated in autism, and could represent a crucial genetic link

between the two disorders. Read more:

http://www.autism-society.org/site/R?i=qz_UBrDc6m37PThwBOYGXQ..

EDUCATION

Inclusive Schools Week 2008

The Inclusive Schools Network (ISN) will hold the 8th Annual Inclusive

Schools Week December 1-5, 2008. Inclusive Schools Week is an annual

event that highlights the accomplishments of families, schools and

communities that have dedicated time, labor and resources to promoting

inclusive education for all of the world's children. This

year's theme, " Together We Learn Better: Inclusive Schools

Benefit All Children, " provides an opportunity to focus on the

advantages of inclusive schools in promoting quality education and

better educational outcomes for all students. Read more:

http://www.autism-society.org/site/R?i=le9VnRfV6YOUyFJ2gNDCrw..

Teaching Reading with " Reading Rocks "

The " Reading Rocks " program aims to teach reading using children's

strengths, combining visual, hands-on, active lessons to motivate

children to read. " Reading Rocks " requires no oral responses and was

designed for children whose strengths are visual. Words are taught

with manipulatives, flashcards, and cut-and-paste worksheets. Each

" Reading Rocks " classroom kit features colorful magnets, laminated

magnetic flashcards and three binders filled with activities of

increasing difficulty. Read more:

http://www.autism-society.org/site/R?i=vKx0QBAfmSHPYPYQ3BU8Ew..

CONFERENCES

ASA National Conference, July 22-25, 2009, in St. ,

Illinois

Call for papers extended!

The 2009 Call for Papers has been extended to December 3! We hope you

will consider submitting a paper to present this year. For more

information, please visit www.autism-society.org/conference.

The 2009 ASA National Conference will be held in St. , Illinois,

at the Pheasant Run Resort July 22-25. We anticipate 2,000

attendees this year and more than 150 exhibitors, plus speakers from

around the globe. In 2008, we were able to expand our professional

credit offerings and create a comprehensive program that drew a record

number of attendees.

If you're interested in exhibiting, advertising in the conference

program guide or becoming a sponsor, please contact Meg Ellacott at

ellacott@....

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us at

conference@....

Log on to Autism2008--The World's Biggest Online Autism

Conference

Autism2008--the latest Awares International Online Autism

Conference--opens on November 24, 2008, for one week. Last year's

conference attracted thousands of delegates from around the world.

Read more:

http://www.autism-society.org/site/R?i=YQtYbKvDLsEQ3lfiFkhl8g..

Meeting of Minds 3

Meeting of Minds 3 will bring different mindsets

together - researchers, professionals and people with ASD and

their families--to focus on medical, educational/psychological

and quality-of-life issues for people with autism. Read more:

http://www.autism-society.org/site/R?i=uTSbFGi05-nsDFZM9Kp66w..

RESOURCES

Holiday Letter to Friends and Family

The " Dear Friends and Family " letter was written for

relatives and hosts of holiday gatherings who might need a crash

course in what to expect from their guest with autism. Read more:

http://www.autism-society.org/site/R?i=zIJp_CIwFgSoUhGZpMFRvg..

New Book Offers Guide to Comorbid Conditions

Robbie Woliver's new book, " Alphabet Kids, " explains comorbid

conditions, from ADD to Zellweger Syndrome. Woliver covers 70 childhood

disorders, from common conditions like autism spectrum disorder and

dyslexia to more exotic ones like Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disorder and

Syndrome, providing information on signs, symptoms, causes,

cures, treatments and prognoses. True-life stories of a child with the

particular disorder illustrate each chapter--often heartbreaking,

but always inspirational. Read more:

http://www.autism-society.org/site/R?i=YyVDxlaybvXoSWNrKY7TZA..

" My Next Steps: A Parent's Guide to Understanding Autism "

A first-time diagnosis of autism in a child can be an overwhelming and

stressful time for parents and families. " My Next Steps: A

Parent's Guide to Understanding Autism " DVD serves as a roadmap

for parents dealing with this challenging period and seeks to provide

answers to the many questions that arise during the journey from

autism diagnosis to treatment. Read more:

http://www.autism-society.org/site/R?i=4_jDlArDj--OlecXLOO60g..

Learning Life Lessons with " Loveable Liam "

" Liam Knows What To Do When Kids Act Snitty: Coping When Friends Are Tactless "

is one of six books written by Jane Whelen Banks, which she created for her

youngest son to help teach him some of the social and verbal skills that so

often eluded him. Read more:

http://www.autism-society.org/site/R?i=JAiRNhzSAKRMWugHA9dyog..

Popular Manners DVD Re-released with Spanish Subtitles

A popular English language manners DVD that shows how to act in some of most

common social situations has been re-released with Spanish subtitles. " Manners

for the Real World: Basic Social

Skills, " produced by Coulter Video, has been distributed in the

United States and internationally. The program covers personal

hygiene, conversations, introductions, telephone and Internet use,

table manners, behavior for ladies and gentlemen, manners in public,

serving as a host and being a guest. Read more:

http://www.autism-society.org/site/R?i=S1OriNFMlOgV8on1JRjVxA..

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