As they say in Chicago, vote early and often! Seriously, everyone should be encouraged to exercise their right and responsibility to vote in all elections. I recently took my oldest son to vote in his second election; we studied the issues and the candidates together, then looked up our early polling station online. …
A Shocking Story, A Shocking School
Imagine being being strapped facedown on a four-point restraint board and being shocked repeatedly by an unseen person for swearing…and you’re a child. This is about a book that the Autism Society of NC (ASNC) will never stock or sell. Why talk about it, then? Sometimes we have to address the ugly elephant in the…
New Resource on Sexuality and Youth/Adults with Disabilities
Want to make people uncomfortable? Ask them about their sex education of their child with a disability (regardless of whether their “child” is 4 or 42 years old)! What have you done to educate your child with autism about sex and sexuality? If you need some help getting started, here are some resources. A new…
Promoting Internet Safety for Individuals with Asperger’s Syndrome and Autism
Teaching social networking safety: tips, tools, resources from John Thomas & friends.
Fun, fun, fun at Camp Royall!!
You and your family need to join us at Camp Royall this fall. Our outstanding camp counselors and the fabulous Sara Gage have lots of fun planned. Here are some highlights: Family Fun Days: the next one will be Saturday, October 16 from 12 noon to 5 pm. Camp Royall will be open to all…
Important Information for Students on the Occupational Course of Study in High School
Freda Lee, Consultant for the Mental/Intellectual Disabilities Program for the NC Department of Public Instruction (DPI), recently presented information to the Council on Educational Services for Exceptional Children; her topic was the Occupational Course of Study (OCS), one of only two diploma-tracks for high school students in NC. Because NC’s OCS did not meet federal…
Discontinuing microwaves in classrooms
Did you know that some schools are prohibiting the use of microwaves by students? According to the Dept. of Agriculture, which governs the Child Nutrition Programs (providers of school meals), food preparation and reheating should ONLY occur in inspected food prep areas. That means no microwaves in classrooms, cafeterias, or anywhere that students can use…
Good news in the special education legal arena
A federal appeals court recently ruled that a lawsuit alleging that Hawaii schools “deliberately neglected the needs of two girls with autism during their formative years” could go forward. The parents are seeking damages under the federal Rehabilitation Act due to “lost opportunity”—that the Hawaii Department of Education failed to provide appropriate special education when…
Another possible tool for diagnosing autism even younger
Georgia Tech researchers are leading a team of universities to try to develop computerized tools to help people without specialized training to diagnose autism. With the help of a $10 million grant from the National Science Foundation, the tools include a smart video camera, as well as heart rate and skin monitors to measure responses…