May 14 begins the âshortâ session of the North Carolina General Assembly. The short session takes place in even years and lasts about 6-7 weeks. Typically, legislators will make adjustments to the budget and take up a few pieces of legislation that either were not completed the previous year or are being introduced based on…
Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month: A Growing Community and Collaboration
This article was contributed by David Laxton, ASNC Director of Communications. Itâs remarkable how much more the public and media understand and talk about autism today. Maybe itâs because more people are being diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Maybe itâs because there are more opportunities to learn about the needs of the community. Whatever…
Supporting Students with ASD in Inclusive Settings
This article was contributed by Louise Southern, Training Specialist with the Autism Society of North Carolina. As a consultant and former special education teacher, I have worked in a number of primary and secondary school settings to support students with autism who spend the majority of their day in inclusive settings. Often, these students are…
The iPad for Communication: Where to Begin?
 This article was contributed by Amy Perry, an Autism Resource Specialist for the Autism Society of North Carolina. The iPad can be used as a powerful tool for communication, but many families are stumped about where to begin. Apps for communication range from simple text-to-speech to full-fledged Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) systems with…
Driving and Autism
Editor’s Note – The following article was written by Linda Griffin, Parent Advocate Director for the Autism Society of North Carolina. I had hoped that my son would learn to drive. And then I hoped that he wouldnât. Either way, there were going to be consequences. Not driving meant learning to use public transportation and…
College Admissions Testing and Autism
This contribution is from Parent Advocate/Trainer Nancy Popkin. Back when my son was diagnosed with autism, I couldnât imagine him going to college, let alone surviving his school years. But here we are, sixteen years post diagnosis, with a high school graduate who is now a college freshman. If college is in your childâs future,…
Seeing is Believing
Editor’s Note – The following article was written by Amy F. Hobbs, Training Coordinator with the Autism Society of North Carolina. Research shows that video modeling is an effective strategy to use with individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder to improve social and communication skills. As a trainer, I frequently emphasize the importance of showing children…
A New Year, A New Approach to Challenging Behaviors
Editor’s Note – The following post was written by Louise Buchholz Southern, M.Ed., BCBA, Training Specialist for the Autism Society of North Carolina (ASNC). As professionals working in the field of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) intervention and as parents of individuals with ASD, itâs likely that we have all experienced challenging and persistent behaviors. These…
Corporal Punishment in NC Schools – Progress Report
The following article was written by Linda Griffin, Parent Advocate Director for the Autism Society of North Carolina. In July 2011 we posted a blog article about the shocking use of corporal punishment in NC public schools. At that time we reported that 38 NC school districts allowed corporal punishment and 16 of those schools…