The 10th Annual Autism Conference is Coming- and Why You Should be There!

Morgan Autism Center's 10th Annual Autism Conference is next Saturday, October 1 at Santa Clara University. Why should this matter to you? This is the most eagerly anticipated annual conference about autism in the Bay Area. If autism touches your life in any way, here are several reasons:

1) Stephen Shore - Stephen is autistic, and is able to describe with great clarity his journey from being diagnosed at four years old through graduate school and obtaining his doctorate, as well as getting married. To hear descriptions of our chaotic world seen from the perspective of a person with autism reveals much to those of us who are not autistic, but know that the world is challenging enough to the most 'normal' among us.

2) Peter Gerhart - Peter has been working with people with autism for over 30 years and has focused on adolescents and young adults, a much overlooked population. Much of the focus in the autism world in recent years has been on early intervention, but as we all know, not everyone is mainstreamed after intense early intervention. So, what does happen and what should we do to prepare for all these children who will inevitably grow up? Come hear Peter's eloquent and reasonable suggestions and interventions.

3) Jim Ball - a behaviorist in the field and author of "Early Intervention & Autism: Real Life Questions and Real Life Answers". He is also on the board of the Autism Society, and focuses on behavior, social skills, technology and trauma.

4) Shannon Des Roches Rosa and Danielle Sampson - both experts in the world of iPads and their application to people with autism. Shannon and her son Leo (who has autism) have demonstrated the power of utilizing the iPad with facilitated direction. Danielle has conducted numerous very popular workshops since the iPad came out, focusing on her expertise as a Speech Pathologist.

5) Glen Elliot, M.D. - talks inlay terms about the latest research on medications for people with autism and the when and why they should or should not be used. Glen's expertise is always sought out and he is always very willing to answer questions.

6) Jamie Marshall - Jamie will be speaking about the wonderful Boston Higashi School and their "Daily Life Therapy". The school has a unique way to capitalize on our routine oriented students and through routines and patterns teach them to function as best they can in the classroom, social and community settings.

7) Ellen Cookman, Esq. from Gilfix and LaPoll - this is always an informative presentation on how best to marshall resources for the future of a child with disabilities.

So, reason enough to attend. It is promising to be a beautiful day in Santa Clara, and we will have exhibitors and lunchtime entertainment provided by the "DreamWeavers" - a group of talented young people with autism who will delight all who hear them. See you there!

Autism and iPads

A year and a half after the launching of the first iPad, excitement still exists for this amazing device. As more and more apps become available, it is difficult to keep up. Many people with disabilities are discovering its many uses to facilitate communication. For people with autism, iPads can be dramatic in their application. They are easy to intuit, simple to navigate, and have beautiful graphics. And so compelling that they can be either a very effective reinforcement - or a huge distraction. Precisely because they are so easily accessible, it is critical to create times to use the iPad as a teaching tool and other opportunities to allow the person with autism uninterrupted access to explore. And the difference needs to be clearly delineated.

Shannon Des Roches Rosa and Danielle Samson are among two iPad experts featured at the Morgan Autism Center conference coming up on October 1 at Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, California. Both offer specifics on utilizing the iPad in practical ways to facilitate play and learning. Because it is such a new tool being used in ways it wasn't originally designed to be, it is worthwhile to get some advice from the experts. Shannon is also the co-author of "The Thinking Person's Guide to Autism" and has an ongoing blog with notes about iPads at http://www.squidalicious.com/p/on-ipads.html. Danielle is a long time speech therapist who has been very active in the Augmentative Alternative Communication world. Both are worth checking out.