ResourcesChapter servicesLearn about the Maryland Autism Waiver. Borrow materials from our multimedia lending library. Print or order copies of brochures and flyers:
For support and networking with chapter members who can answer questions on a variety of topics, check our Resource and Support guide. Local servicesABA Therapy USA in Ellicott City is an authorized TRICARE provider of Applied Behavior Analysis services to children with autism and other disabilities who have TRICARE insurance. Their areas of interest and specialization include conducting functional assessments and functional analyses, and designing behavioral intervention plans. Forty hours per month of respite care may be available for children of sailors. Call (800) 424-2246 to learn about the National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies’ (NACCRRA) Navy Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) respite care. There are no income restrictions; the service is free to eligible Navy families. The Arc of the Central Chesapeake The League for People with Disabilities
North Arundel Church 7610 Baltimore-Annapolis Boulevard, Glen Burnie.
Best Buddies creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.. FundingPfizer Inc. has a new program to help eligible unemployed Americans and their families who have lost their health insurance continue to receive their Pfizer medicines at no cost for up to one year. The program will be open for enrollment through December 31, 2009. To be eligible, individuals and their immediate family must have become unemployed since January 1, 2009; were prescribed and have been taking a Pfizer medicine for at least 3 months prior to becoming unemployed and enrolling in the program; must have no prescription coverage; and must be able to attest to their financial hardship. Lend4Health facilitates community-based, interest-free “micro-loans” as a creative funding option for individuals seeking optimal health. Currently, Lend4Health is facilitating loans for the biomedical treatment of children and adults with autism spectrum disorders. TACA has a Family Scholarship Grants program that was developed to help families who are pursuing treatment for their children with autism, but are struggling to find the funding. Heroes With Handicaps, Inc. is a nonprofit organization founded for the purpose of providing financial assistance for children with autism whose parents are serving or have retired from military service. Diet and NutritionEating for Autism provides information about nutrition plans to help individuals with autism, Asperger’s, and ADHD, provided by Elizabeth Strickland, MS, RD, LD. Pamela Compart and Dana Laake, authors of “The Kid-Friendly ADHD and Autism Cookbook”, a guide to the gluten-free, casein-free diet, have three articles that can be downloaded for free:
Fairfax County (Virginia) Public Schools, in collaboration with the American Celiac Disease Alliance (ACDA), has developed a gluten-free lunch menu. Click here to read more about dietary accommodations in the school setting. Planning and Education“Effective IEP Meetings: Tested Tips,” a document from CADRE offers suggestions for convening successful IEP meetings, including preparation tips for parents and educators. “Chart your own future: How your Individualized Education Program (IEP) can help” from the Pacer Center in Minnesota provides information to help students take ownership in their own IEPs in order to plan for future education, employment and housing decisions. “25 parent tips for more effective IEP meetings” from Matrix Parent Network provides ideas that parents should keep in mind before, during and after an Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting with their child's teachers. The Indiana Resource Center for Autism has collected sample forms, which can be used to facilitate communication between home and school: Home-School Communication Forms for Students with Autism (Version One) and Home-School Communication Forms for Students with Autism (Version Two). “Helping Students Who Struggle to Write: Classroom Accommodations,” available on LD OnLine. Autism Speaks and Snip-its offer a guide and video to improve the haircutting experience. The Autism Safety Project educates and informs emergency personnel about the different challenges faced by individuals on the autism spectrum. The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning at Vanderbilt University offers parent training modules to help families promote children’s social and emotional skills, understand children’s problem behaviors, and use positive approaches to help them learn appropriate behaviors. A comprehensive listing of transition programs in colleges, universities or community-based settings for students with intellectual disabilities in the State of Maryland. NICHCY has developed an “All about the IEP” guide. Proyecto Visión connects Latinos with disabilities to employment opportunities. Its bilingual web site provides information on education, employment, and independent living resources and lists hundreds of job, scholarship, internship, grant, award, and other educational opportunities of interest to Latinos and students with disabilities. The Office of Disability Employment Policy is offering three new, easy-to-read fact sheets with disability employment information for parents, youth, and employers:
“What parents of students with disabilities need to know: Guide to NCLB and IDEA,” a guide written by The Advocacy Institute for the National Center on Educational Outcomes, highlights how these two federal education laws work together to improve the academic achievement of students with disabilities. The guide is available in Spanish and in English. PlaneMath is an internet-based curriculum on math and aeronautics for children with disabilities developed in cooperation with NASA. It is designed to provide students in grades 4 and above with mathematics-based activities that don't require manipulative materials and that increase awareness of career opportunities in aeronautics. The site also provides instructional strategies, a forum for teachers, and links to additional resources. Project REACH is a national center, funded by the Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education, to work with students with intensive social, emotional, and behavioral needs, taking the most effective interventions from research and translating them into easy step-by-step directions for implementing in the home setting. Universal Design for Learning: Curriculum adaptations to facilitate teaching students with disabilities. Housing and mortgages for people with disabilities: Audio and written materials from mortgageloan.com. School Community Tool Kit provided by Autism Speaks includes information about inclusion of students with autism and strategies for intervention. “Dining out with autism awareness night tool kit” sponsored by Pathfinders for Autism is a step-by-step guide to working with restaurants to welcome families of individuals with autism. Pathfinders for Autism also offers free training (and will visit Maryland restaurants in advance) to ensure a staff comfort level. State autism profiles: Easter Seals and the Autism Society of America partnered to prepare a state-of-the-state report of autism legislation and services in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. “Guidance and Career Counselors’ tool kit: Advising high school students with disabilities on post-secondary options” from the HEATH Resource Center contains answers to most frequently asked questions about postsecondary opportunities for students with disabilities. The Results for Kids: Resources library, developed by the IDEA Partnership of the National Association of State Directors of Special Education, features materials designed to improve outcomes for all struggling learners. The Institute for Child Health Policy (ICHP) at the University of Florida has developed several health care transition resources, designed to help youth with special needs take an active role their own care. Free reproducible language and early literacy activities are available through Washington Learning Systems. The materials are designed to facilitate language, early literacy, and positive parent-child interactions and include hints about how to modify the activities to meet the specific developmental needs of the child. WebsitesThe National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders (a multi-university center, funded through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs) has a variety of resources on their web site, including:
Disability.gov. offers comprehensive information about programs and services to serve Americans with disabilities, their family members, and anyone interested in disability-related information. The new site integrates content from 22 federal agencies and will be managed by the Labor Department. Visitors can sign up for personalized news and updates, participate in online discussions and suggest resources for the site. Features include a Twitter feed, Really Simple Syndication feeds, a blog, social bookmarking and a user-friendly way to obtain answers to questions on such topics as finding employment and job accommodations. The site is organized into 10 subject areas: benefits, civil rights, community life, education, emergency preparedness, employment, health, housing, technology and transportation. The Family Support Center on Disabilities: Knowledge & Involvement Network collects and organizes information in an easy-to-use website to serve the needs and interests of individuals with disabilities and their families. Also provide the following services: monthly electronic newsletter; Family Forum on-line discussion; and State Action Teams. A new website, www.myautismcommunity.com, is designed for family members, loved ones, and professionals whose lives involve people with autism. The site is a source of support and knowledge. The Autism Spectrum Disorders Knowledge Path, produced by the Maternal and Child Health Library at Georgetown University, contains information on web sites, publications, distance learning resources, databases, and social media. Age of Autism covers biomedical and environmental issues related to autism through stories and commentary. Readers can subscribe in a feed reader or by e-mail. Going to College, a web site for college-bound students with disabilities, provides video clips, activities, and resources that can help students get started in planning for college. Video interviews offer firsthand experiences from students with disabilities who have been successful. The ThinkCollege website provides information and links about the possibilities for students with intellectual disabilities and developmental disabilities. Tools and Strategies for Inclusive Schools, a website from MCIE, the Maryland State Department of Education, and the Center for Technology in Education, is a resource for teachers, administrators, families, and advocates. MediaMagazinesExceptional Parent, the Family and Professional Journal for the Special Needs Community. Spectrum Magazine for Parents and Children with Autism & Developmental Disorders. Autism Spectrum Quarterly combines the readability and interest of a high-level magazine with the substance and depth of a professional journal. Each issue features a line of research and commentary aimed at helping parents, teachers, and clinicians to translate this research into practice. The Autism Asperger’s Digest Magazine features articles and material from sources around the world. Each issue covers the latest people, products, research, news, and viewpoints emerging in the autism field. The Autism Perspective publishes inspirational stories, reports on new therapies and treatments, personal accounts and advocacy advice. NewslettersThe National Center on Secondary Education and Transition E-News. Ellen Notbohm, author of the book “Ten things every child with autism wishes you knew,” has a free monthly e-newsletter for anyone who shares an interest in kids with autism. The OARacle, the e-newsletter of the Organization for Autism Research. The Shafer Autism Report is a daily e-newsletter that monitors the latest developments in the autism field. A one-year subscription costs $35. Booklets and pamphletsAn InfoBrief from the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth) website, “Graduation requirements and diploma options for students with disabilities: What families and advocates need to know,” explores the importance of making informed decisions about diploma options. “Autism Spectrum Disorders: Primer for parents and educators” is a publication prepared by the National Association of School Psychologists that provides basic facts about autism spectrum disorders and effective intervention strategies. “Going to work: A guide to Social Security benefits and employment for young people with disabilities,” published by the Institute for Community Inclusion at the University of Massachusetts. Career-Focused Services for Students With Disabilities at Community Colleges, Toys’R’Us publishes the Toys’R’Us Toy Guide for Differently-Abled Kids. The complimentary publication is available in both English and Spanish. Bridges 4 Kids announces their newly updated “Growing up together: A booklet about friends with Autism.” Children learn about kids they may meet who have autism and how they can be their friend. “The 411 on disability disclosure” explores the role that families and advocates play in helping youth understand the importance of appropriate disability disclosure. BooksThe Southwest regional Disability and Business Technical Assistance Center (DBTAC)’s 50-page “Disability Law Handbook” covers questions about the Americans with Disabilities Act, the ADA Amendments Act, the Rehabilitation Act, Social Security, the Air Carrier Access Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act, and the Fair Housing Act Amendments. Excerpts from several of Ellen Notbohm’s books are available online:
D.J. Svoboda, an artist with autism, has created The Imagifriends based on difficult situations he has faced growing up with autism. His first book, about acceptance for those with autism, has just been published. The “Special needs planning guide: How to prepare for every stage of your child’s life” is written by authors who have family members with special needs (John Nadworny and Cynthia Haddadis). It includes a CD-ROM that contains a helpful financial planning timeline and a printable Letter of Intent that lets parents communicate key information, concerns, and desires to future caretakers. TV and Radio“Remarkably Able,” a radio talk show on autism, promotes quality of life and creating tangible outcomes for teens and young adults with autism and related disabilities. The show, hosted by Jackie Marquette Ph.D, features a new topic and expert guest each week. Listeners can call or e-mail comments or questions for Marquette and program guests during the broadcast. General questions about the show, concerns or requests for discussion topics can be directed to Jackie@drjackiemarquette.com. “Remarkably Able” is broadcast Mondays 9:00 – 10:00 p.m. (PST) on the web by KFNX News in Phoenix. ProductsPrince’s Sensory Delights provides sensory clothing for children, including weighted vests, built-in fidgets, soft fabrics, elasticized waists, and weighted blankets. Stress Free Kids has developed a line of children’s books, CDs, and curriculums designed to help children manage anxiety, stress, and anger while promoting self-esteem and peaceful sleep. They use research-based, stress management techniques in a storytelling format. Toys’R’Us has released their 2009 Toy Guide for Differently-Abled Kids, an easy-to-use toy selection guide that matches specific skill sets with a wide range of everyday playthings. View it here. iCommunicate is an iPhone application that makes customized storyboards and visual schedules for children and contains a motivational chart/positive reinforcement chart. Video modeling player: The Activity Trainer allows users to create their own activities, and a Skills Library is being developed that includes skills in the categories of academic, daily living, communicating non-verbal initiation, recreation, social skills, and speech. The goal is to provide an easy-to-use and affordable tool that makes video modeling practical for school and home. Click here to view a short video about the Activity Trainer or here to read more about a free 30-day trial. Model Me Kids: Social skills training via video modeling DVDs. Designed as a teaching tool for children and teenagers with Autism and Asperger Syndrome, Model Me Kids videos are used by parents, teachers, and therapists. Teachers may use the materials as the foundation for building a social skills curriculum. Parents can use the materials to help structure home-based social skills instruction. Cartoon series and computer game: The Space Place, made by Catalyst Video Ltd, features 12 computer-animated stories focusing on the link between emotions and facial expression. The animation series is narrated by Rob Rackstraw, the voice behind Bob the Builder’s Spud. The DVD includes four interactive games and comes with a CD-ROM game and a pack of color-coded playing cards, illustrated with characters and emotions.
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