Shelly Huhtanen originally wrote this column for Exceptional Parent Magazine as part of its Military section in its April 2011 issue. She is a columnist and advocate for people with autism as well as an active-duty military wife and mother to two sons, Hayden, 6, and Broden, 5. Her husband, Mark, is a major in…
Researcher Patrick Szary, Ph.D. Purpose To develop and distribute a Transportation Skills Assessment Tool (TSAT) for individuals with autism spectrum disorders in New Jersey to understand the skills necessary to ride various paratransit and community transportation services. These services include fixed route, complimentary ADA paratransit, special transportation, community transportation, employment transportation and/or Medicaid transportation.…
Research Sponsor This study is funded entirely by money raised by Team Running for OAR by the Shore, a group of parents, teachers, and the community of Leer North Elementary School, North Ridgeville, OH, as part of OAR’s RUN FOR AUTISM-Cleveland team in 2009 and 2010. Researcher Kara Hume, Ph.D. Purpose The proposed research will…
Study: Expanding the Reach of Toddler Treatment in Autism Spectrum Disorder Amount of OAR Funding: $30,000.00 Researcher: Laurie A. Vismara, PhD, BCBA-D Purpose: The purpose of the proposed study is to demonstrate the efficacy of a telemedicine-delivered parent coaching program for providing innovative, individualized interventions to families of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The…
Ann Ellison is the coordinator of behavior services at the Barber National Institute in Erie, Pa. She was instrumental in the development of Camp Connections, a therapeutic social skill development program for youth with autism and Asperger Syndrome. She presented the program at the National Autism Conference in 2007 and authored an article titled “Creating…
Teaching any child safety skills is essential; but it is especially important for those with disabilities. Unfortunately, people and children with disabilities are more vulnerable to abuse. While studies exist that examine safety skill interventions for individuals with intellectual disabilities, few studies address the use of these interventions with children who have autism. In a…
Researcher Anibal Gutierrez, PhD, BCBA-D Purpose The purpose of this project is to develop and evaluate methods to best identify socially based reinforcers for children with ASD. This project will employ behaviorally based social reinforcer assessments that closely mirror assessments already established for the identification of non-social reinforcement. In addition, Dr. Gutierrez will evaluate the…
Study: Improving Emotion Recognition Skills in Children with ASD: A Test of a New Intervention Amount of OAR Funding: $29,999.00 Researcher: Karen Hobden, Ph.D., Research Associate and Core Program Coordinator, Developmental Disabilities Institute, Wayne State University Timeframe: This study began in January 2011 and will be completed by December 2011. A research summary detailing the…
Julie LaBerge is the mother of 14-year-old identical twins sons with autism and a typically developing 9-year-old daughter and is happily married to her husband, David. She is employed as the director of special education & pupil services as well as a school psychologist in the Bonduel School District in Bonduel, Wisconsin. She also serves…
“Nearly three years ago I did not know a thing about autism,” says Navy Petty Officer First Class Justin Osborne. That was the day the doctor diagnosed his son, Jacob, who will turn 5 in May, with autism. While he left the doctor’s office understanding what autism was, he and his wife, Sarah, had no…
