2^nd International Conference on Autism September 15-16, 2016 Phoenix, Arizona,USA

Biography:

Seda Karayazi Ozsayin is a PhD student in Special Education program at the University of South Florida. She is an international student and is originally from Turkey. She attended many conferences in US and Turkey related to special education, autism spectrum disorders and gifted education. She published a paper on improving pro-social behavior of a young adult with ASD. She is currently working on several projects about individuals with ASDs.

Abstract:

Autism influences 1.5 million Americans and their families. In the United States, where more than six percent of children have autism, this rate is increasing 10-17 percent annually. Currently, diverse populations in schools are also increasing day by day. They became majority rather than minority. The biggest goal of educators provides an equal education to everyone in classes even though they come from different culture, background, family, religion, sexuality or socio-economic status. Pre-service teachers and in-service teachers should respond all students` needs. African Americans with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are in the biggest population in diverse groups. This study analyzed literature reviews on behavior, family, health care services and diagnoses of African American children with ASD. Studies show that African American children with ASDs are not able to access health care services more often than white children with ASDs, so they are diagnosed later in life than white children with ASDs. Additionally, verbal communication and aggression behaviors of African American children with ASD differ from White Children with ASD.

Biography:

Nagwa Abdel Meguid is a Professor of Human Genetics, National Research Centre, Egypt. She is a fellow at Uppsala University, Sweden and Yale University, USA. She has authored and co-authored 100 publications. She has used her expertise to identify and describe several novel recessive genes and genetic syndromes. She is working with neuro-developmental disorders where she participated in determining the spectrum of gene mutations causing common genetic disorders in Egypt. She is a member in Regional Bio-Ethics Society of UNESCO. She has been awarded for Africa & Middle East UNESCO/L’Oreal, 2002. 

Abstract:

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) have become more spread wide over recent years. In the present study we attempt to unveil the association between ASD and mediators of oxidative stress pathway at molecular level. We used pathway focused PCR array to analyze gene expression pattern of 84 oxidative stress transcripts in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) pools isolated from a total 28 patients with mild/ moderate or severe autism and 16 non-autistic healthy subjects (each sample is a pool from 4 autistic patients or 4 controls). All the participants were diagnosed using; Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR), Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) and Autism Diagnosis Intervention- Revised (ADI-R). Only 8 genes showed differential regulation over 1.5 fold change accompanied by statistical significance (p<0.05) when compared the autistic group to the non-autistic one. The transcriptional profile revealed down regulation of 7 transcripts: Ferritin heavy polypeptide1, Glutamate-cysteine ligase modifier subunit, Neutrophil cytosolic factor2, Prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2, Prion Protein, Superoxide dismutase2 mitochondrial and Thioredoxin and up regulation of one gene Glutathione peroxidase 7 in the PBMCs of autistic patients (either mild or severe) compared to controls (p<0.05 for all). These results suggested that ASD is accompanied by dysregulation of the molecular signals involved in oxidative stress pathway. The current data form the basis for focused studies using single gene expression or custom arrays on a larger number of cases to get the most statistically regulated factors.

Biography:

Sean Hess is a Speech-Language Pathologist at Heartspring School, a residential facility and school for children with special needs in Wichita, Kansas. His clinical experience and research foci include working with students with autism spectrum disorder, students with complex communication needs, adolescent language development, person-centered assessment and interventions, counseling, interprofessional collaboration, and service provision to families.
 

Abstract:

Many protocols used for assessing social skills of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are based on behavioral observations (Bowers, Huisingh, & LoGiudice, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010; Carrow-Woolfolk, 1999; Constantino & Gruber, 2012; Gresham & Elliott, 2008; Gilliam & Miller, 2006; Kleiman, 2003; Phelps-Terasaki & Phelps-Gunn, 1992). It has been suggested, however, that social cognition encompasses processes underlying observable behaviors (Applegate, 1990; Burleson, Delia, & Applegate; 1995). Such processes include personal constructs, which can be assessed using repertory grids (Kelly, 1955). Personal constructs of five high-functioning teenagers with ASD were explored using repertory grids in this study. With visual structure and verbal scaffolding, all participants successfully engaged in the repertory grid process. It appears that high-functioning adolescents with ASD have well organized, complex construct systems related to social relationships. Data suggest they have a significant understanding of social roles and are interested in social interactions. Repertory grids offer a person-centered view of social cognitive processes, which may provide a starting point for social pragmatic language intervention.

Biography:

Alok Sharma is a Neurosurgeon and presently is the Director of the NeuroGen Brain & Spine Institute,  Professor & Head of Department of Neurosurgery at the LTMG Hospital & LTM Medical College & Consultant Neurosurgeon Fortis Hospital  in Mumbai, India. He completed his MS and MCh  from Seth G.S. Medical College and KEM Hospital of Mumbai University and subsequently trained at the Karolinska Hospital in Stockholm Sweden & the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center Denver USA. He has authored 12  books, edited 2 books, contributed chapters to 8 other books,  has 112 scientific publications  and has made over 150 scientific presentations nationally and internationally. He has published path breaking results of Stem cell therapy in pediatric neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and cerebral palsy. He is currently doing pioneering research on the neurobiology of the brains of children with autism in a bid to better understand the disease and thereby create opportunities for correction of these with newer technologies. He is founding President of the “Stem Cell Society of India” and Vice President of the “International Association of Neurorestoratology.” He is Founder of “The Indian journal of Stem Cell therapy” and on the editorial board of 4 journals. He has been conferred with  numerous awards and honors in his distinguished career. His other areas of special interest are Neuroendoscopy, Psychosurgery, Spinal fixations & Revascularization for cerebral ischemia.

Abstract:

Neuropathology of autism involves poor interaction and connectivity between different brain areas during development leading to functional abnormalities. Hence, functional neuroimaging plays a significant role.  Neuroimaging techniques such as 18F-FDG Positron emission tomography (PET CT) aid in identifying brain pathology. Various neuroimaging studies have suggested hypometabolism in temporal lobes, cerebellum, mesial temporal structures, hippocampus, amygdala and increased blood perfusion in prefrontal lobes. These findings make PET-CT a promising option to understand and monitor the neurobiology of autism after an intervention.

In previous studies correlation of the metabolism with severity of autism was lacking. This study included 94 cases of autism, 50 moderate and 44 mild, between the ages of 2-16 years. Severity was based on Indian scale for assessment of autism (ISAA) score. The areas of abnormal metabolism were calculated using normal distribution curve.The brain metabolism in the 2 groups was compared.Additionally PET-CT scans of 4 cases of autism treated with autologous bone marrow mononuclear cell (BMMNCs) intrathecal transplantation were analyzed.

It was observed that both mild and moderate autism children exhibited hypo metabolism in the brain areas similar to earlier studies. However, hyper metabolism  was observed in the regions in Calcarine fissure, Heschl’sgyrus, inferior parietal, middle frontal gyrus and inferior frontal gyrus. The brain metabolism was significantly lesser in children with moderate autism varying across age groups. All four children treated with BMMNCs intrathecal transplantation showed changes in both hyper and hypo metabolism post transplantation. There was a significant improvement clinically and in the CARS or ISAA scores correlating with PET CT. The balancing effect seen in the PET-CT may be due to the improved connectivity regulating the brain metabolism.

These findings may be useful in identifying the impaired regions and understanding the severity of the damage to differentiate between mild and moderate autism. It may further help in assessing the outcome of a treatment modality like cellular therapy which may alter the disease pathology at a cellular level.

Biography:

Lidija Balaz is a registered psychologist in Sydney, Australia, and is currently completing her Doctorate in Psychology (Clinical) at University of Wollongong. She has experience working in a range of settings and is Director of Psych Perceptions. Associate Professor Mitchell Byrne completed his PhD at University of Wollongong and has 18 year experience as an academic. He is a registered Clinical and Forensic Psychologist with 29-year practitioner experience. He is a Director of Clinical Training in Psychology at the University of Wollongong and has over 50 research publications.

Abstract:

The purpose of this research is to extend on the award winning project “Understanding our Peers”. It aims to break down barriers and assist typically-developing pre-schoolers in understanding and engaging with their autistic peers in mainstream education centres. This research is particularly pertinent in light of the shift in legislation and cultural attitudes toward increasing opportunities of equal education opportunities for children with disabilities. Children diagnosed with ASD often struggle to cope with the social, emotional and communicational demands of inclusive education settings. Peer victimization and rejection are commonplace experiences. The goal of this research is to increase the number and quality of interactions and engagement between typically-developing peers and children diagnosed with autism, and simultaneously to decrease bullying, victimization, isolation and hostility. To achieve this, researchers utilized and expanded on principles from previously successful research with adolescence (Understanding our Peers), to create a series of children's books. The three story picture books follow characters as they learn key principles pertaining to autism, including celebrating differences, social skills, and communication skills. The program, currently being trialled in Australia, is designed to be used in early education centres where children are encouraged to use these principles in the classroom and on the playground. The success of this research, determined by increased engagements, interactions and communication, is being measured by naturalistic behavioural observations. If successful, the intervention has the potential to be broadly replicated across early childhood education centres throughout the country and internationally.

Biography:

Christine K Duff is a PhD candidate in the exceptional education track, at the University of Central Florida. Her work has been published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, and she has presented her research on increasing self-awareness in individuals with ASD, and ‘at risk’ students. She has worked in a wide variety of settings including; mental health, social service, education and criminal justice. Holding several professional teaching certifications in the USA and Canada, she has teaching experience at K-12 and college/university levels. She served in numerous committees in addition to peer reviewing and judging peer manuscripts, dissertations, conference proposals and presentations.

Abstract:

Theory of mind (ToM) differences alleges to explain the “impaired ability of people with autism to attribute mental states (beliefs, knowledge) to other people, due to lack of perspective taking, mindreading, mentalizing and mind blindness”. Matching emotionally descriptive words to pictures of another person’s eyes (The Mind’s Eye Test) is typically used to provide evidence of “gaze abnormalities in autism resulting in failure to comprehend eyes convey information about a given mental state, and that individuals with autism spectrum disorder are specifically ‘blind’ to such information”. If one successfully matches an emotionally charged word to the correct representative facial picture - they are deemed to exhibit ToM and empathy for others. This assertion however, presents difficulties in determining whether ‘match-match’ responses are the result of an internalized process of ‘self’ and ‘other’ awareness; or an external, conditioned, and/or memorized response. Moreover, social algorithmic stories and responses learned via repetitive discrete trial teaching can produce anxiety and frustration when rehearsed social situations are not ‘played out’ in real life. In response to shortcomings, this presentation introduces a N­­­­eurodiverse ToM and empathetic paradigm approach towards positioning ToM social skill interventions for individuals with ASD, based upon student awareness of ‘self”. Guided understanding of “what, where and when”; empathetic response appropriate for neurodiverse individuals will be discussed, in addition to delineation of when it may be inappropriate for neurotypical individuals to make response demands

Biography:

Graeme Croton is an Activist, Campaigner, Entrepreneur, Life Coach, Mentor, Public Speaker, Trainer and Founder of Project Aspie. Project Aspie was a simple idea which stemmed from Graeme’s late diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome in July 2010 aged twenty-five. Project Aspie is an award winning organization which is delivering specialised services including Confidence, Mentorship and Motivational Interventions which benefit people with Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome.Project Aspie brings the Autism Community together creating an Autism Community Voice. Graeme has won various National and Regional awards for the work he has done for Project Aspie and he presents various talks on Autism as his talks cover various subjects i.e. ‘Exploring and Understanding Late Autism Diagnosis’ and ‘Growing up with Autism and Having a Dual Heritage’.Graeme strongly believes in the great importance of Entrepreneaurship and how it can benefit people with Autism within the community to live a healthy and independent life. He is launching a Special Enterpreneurship School which will help and support people with Autism to learn about setting up their own businesses.

Abstract:

Transitioning to Adulthood – Adapting to Change will offer an insight into practical interventions, strategies and tools that will help and support people with Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC) to live a healthy and independent life.

The biggest challenge for a person with Autism is adapting to new changes and Transitioning to Adulthood – Adapting to Change is aimed at bringing a better understanding and perspective of living with Autism.

Graeme will be bringing a realism insight and perspective from his own experiences of being late diagnosed with Autism as an adult and how he had to adjust to new changes.

Transitioning to Adulthood – Adapting to Change will be a great benefit for academics, advocates, carers, families, parents, professionals and indviduals with Autism

Biography:

She works as Assistant Professor at Uludag University in Turkey. She has several studies on music education/music therapy approaches in special education especially for children with Autism. She is certified trainer of the trainers in Orff-Schulwerk. She has participated in several projects and carried out doctoral and post-doctoral studies regarding music therapy in Turkey (at Marmara University), Germany (at Technical University of Dortmund) and The U.S (at Arizona State University).

Abstract:

Reading facial expressions is one of the nonverbal communication skills, and considered essential for the children withAutism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in terms of performing effective communication and social interaction with the others. The literature indicates that music therapy interventions can be used for teaching skills to this population, so it can also be used for teaching facial expression reading skill. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the effect of music therapy interventions  on  teaching  facial  expression  of  sadness  to  a  child  with  ASD. The  study  was conducted with a 5 year-old boy with diagnosis of ASD attending a Special Education and Rehabilitation Center in Turkey. Just after baseline data collection, one-to-one music therapy interventions were carried out twice a week for 2 months. Interventions focusing sadness consisted of  activities  such  as  singing,  movement  and  dance,  musical  story,  musical  painting,  musical drawing. Descriptive analysis was used for all videotaped sessions. The data of reliability among observers and of application were collected and analysed as well. The child with ASD participated in interventions eagerly and attentively. After 12 intervention sessions he showed success in recognition sadness in between of other facial expression cards. Generalization of the gained skill in the study environment was verified nevertheless there has been no chance to observe the skill in the real-life  conditions.  Permanence  was  kept  after  interventions  were  completed. These  results suggested that the use music therapy interventions can be considered an acceptable treatment option for teaching the facial expressions to this population.

Biography:

Zoee Bartholomew has dedicated her professional life to affecting the lives of developmentally/mentally disabled children, adults, and their families. Over the past 20 years, her career includes Adjunct Faculty, Behavior Intervention Specialist, Resource Specialist, Severely-Handicapped Teacher, and Recreational Leader throughout California. Bartholomew is a graduate of Howard University (BS, Human Development), the University of Phoenix (MS, MFT), and University of Phoenix (EDD, Educational Leadership). Bartholomew is the owner of ZMB Consulting providing consultation/training services to school districts, adult day programs, non-public schools, and other private organizations.

Abstract:

Integrated Adaptive Skills Program Model (IASP) is designed to offer supportive services to disabled students seeking to integrate into a local after -school program. IASP Model focuses on teaching adaptive skills to disabled students that would prepare them to be fully included into an after-school program with their same age peers. The program offers support, training, and consultation to the students and staff involved in the program. A variety of research-methods and assessment screening tools are used to determine eligibility and program implementation. The IASP Model was piloted during the 2011-2012 school year, in California, but due to limited local and state funds the program could not continue. Students with disabilities deserve to be involved in the community and should not be excluded based on funds. Teaching and educating others on how to integrate students with disabilities into programs will minimize and/or eliminate exclusion of participating in recreation programs within residing communities.

Biography:

Colleen Nagle Tryner is the parent of an 18-year-old son with non-verbal Autism. She began diligently researching communication and how to teach skills of communicating to a non-verbal young child. She began homeschooling her son when he was 12-years-old due to his lack of any communication, causing severe behavioral issues with the school system. Leaving her job and devoting her life to finding a way to communicate with her son became her mission in life. She has documented her journey in numerous articles shared among the community of parents of disabled children, lectured at colleges to courses full of future Doctors, Teachers, Therapists, and Psychologists. She has observed other young adults to compare communication ability using other AAC versus Adapted Autism Sign Language. She records all sessions with her son and shares the video stories on various social media sites and her own personal webpage. Videos are shared in uncountable numbers by fellow parents as well as Doctors, Writers, Teachers and reputable corporations devoted to Autism Research.

Abstract:

Adapted Autism Sign Language is a parent created method of teaching communication in an easy to learn format for those who have rejected all other Augmentative Alternative Communication. Communication makes us individuals, allowing us to express pleasure, pain, gratitude, anger, hunger, thirst, emotion, and brings us closer to another person. Using Adapted Autism Sign Language gives a strong way of communicating, using real life situations specific to the child/young adult. Reading the story together, paired with uniquely using sign language in a word for word format. This method was inspired by my own non-verbal son who rejected all other forms of communication, including PECs, Proloquo2Go and various applications of AAC. Being a concrete learner, like most individuals with autism, this has become a successful way of learning and maintaining what has been taught. It has given my own son an effective way to state needs and preferences upon question. Stories are based on everyday life as a tool for learning particular skills in areas of struggle; such as hygiene, how to let someone know if you’re sick, and even how to congratulate a friend for a success in their life. Without communication, not only is the parent lost and in a constant state of worry and self-doubt, but the child/young adult themselves lives secluded and unvalued by outsiders. This program is a stepping stone to communication, which would lessen the child/young adult everyday life challenges.

Biography:

k New York Institute of Technology, School of Health Professions, Old Westbury, NY 9/2008-8/2015 Associate Professor - 09/2014-8/2015 Assistant Professor of Mental Health Counseling 09/2008-08/2014 Chairperson, Department of interdisciplinary Health Sciences 09/2009-08/2011 Mental Health Counseling Program Director 06/2008-05/2012

Abstract:

Abstract The current investigation expended on research among parents caring for a child who is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). An online web survey was used to collect data from 253 parents caring for a child with a diagnosis of ASD. Both parents reported on elevated levels of parental stress associated with caring for the child on the spectrum. In addition, lower levels of marital satisfaction were found in both parents. About 13% of the parents in the sample met the diagnostic criteria for Major Depressive Disorder and About 15% of the parents met the diagnostic criteria for Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Although the majority of the sample were females (94%) significant differences were found between males and females in relation to meeting the diagnostic criteria for Major Depressive Disorder and for Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Higher levels of stress were associated with higher number of Generalized Anxiety Disorder symptoms and higher number of Major Depressive Disorder symptoms. Findings from this study indicate how vulnerable parents and especially females are in relation to caring to a child diagnosed with ASD.

Biography:

Anita discovered Asperger’s at age fifty, and then was formally diagnosed. After earning her Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia from Columbia University in New York City in 1988, she has been working ever since as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. Anita is an Autism Advocate, author, speaker, and blogger. Abraham Nielsen was diagnosed at age two with autism. He did not receive traditional early intervention. He earned his training in Cyber Security, but works full time as an AutoCAD Draftsman at a land surveying company. Anita and Abraham were married on September 26, 2015 in the first-ever ALL-AUTISTIC wedding.

Abstract:

After getting diagnosed with Asperger’s at age 50, Anita Lesko immediately started an Autism Support Group in her community. One day her future husband, Abraham Nielsen attended one of the meetings. They immediately became friends. A year later, their relationship evolved into a romantic one. Due to unusual circumstances, they had to conduct their blossoming relationship in extreme secrecy. Abraham’s boss enabled them to have secret rendezvous by starting up an Underground Railroad. What often was like scenes in a movie, Anita and Abraham had to overcome extreme obstacles in order to meet, overcoming many characteristics of autistic individuals. Their deep love for each other enabled them to defy all stereotypes of autism. Anita and Abraham were married on September 26, 2015 in the first-ever ALL-AUTISTIC wedding. They decided to open their wedding to the public to help change the world’s view of autism. They wanted people to see that autistic people have the same needs for love, relationships and marriage just like everyone else. This event attracted international media attention including PEOPLE and Good Morning America. Now the newlyweds are enjoying married life, doing all the things that typical couples do, including attending baseball games, grocery shopping, cooking, maintaining their household, always together. They are inseparable.

Biography:

Peter F. Gerhardt, Ed.D. is currently serving as Executive Director of The EPIC School in Paramus, NJ. Dr. Gerhardt has more than 30 years’ experience utilizing the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis in support of adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorders in educational, employment, residential and community-based settings. He has authored and coauthored articles and book chapters on the needs of adolescents and adults with ASD and has presented nationally and internationally on this topic. Dr. Gerhardt serves as Chairman of the Scientific Council for the Organization for Autism Research, is on the Editorial Board of Behavior Analysis in Practice and on numerous professional advisory boards. He received his doctorate from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey’s Graduate School of Education.

Abstract:

Over the past two decades there has been a dramatic increase in the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnoses. The reasons behind this increase remain unclear, though changes in diagnostic criteria and diagnostic substitution appear to play significant roles. Independent of causal factors, the fact remains that there are increasing numbers of adults with ASD leaving, or have already left, school and entering the complex world of adulthood and the system of adult services. Unfortunately, the need for these services far exceeds their availability. Just as troubling, however, is that we know little about the needs of aging adults on the spectrum. This dearth of information on adults has resulted in Shatttuck, et al, (2012) describing the research basis for adult services and supports as a field of inquiry that is underdeveloped and relatively unformed. The result, unfortunately, is a growing cohort of adults with ASD and their families in programmatic, financial, and personal limbo. Adulthood is, almost by definition, a complex state of being. Adult life presents challenges in such diverse areas as employment, relationships and sexuality, transportation, advocacy, social interaction, healthcare management, leisure, and independent living which, collectively, contribute to an individually determined quality-of-life. And despite quality-of-life being a significant focus in the field of adults with intellectual disabilities for over 3 decades, the outcomes have been decidedly mixed. As noted by Brown, Hatton, & Erickson (2013), “Moving from quality of life as an implicit or explicit goal to quality of life as a helpful concept; and set of practical strategies have been a strong theme within the rich panoply of quality of life work in the field of intellectual disabilities”. This work has been considerably more challenging than might be expected.” (p. 316). Since the early 1970s interventions based upon the principles of ABA have grown increasingly sophisticated, naturalistic, socially valid, and used to improve the lives of individuals as diverse as survivors of traumatic brain injury to visitors to Disneyland as they are prompted, via text messaging, to efficiently move around the park. As noted by Gerhardt and Wiess, (2011) ABA-based interventions are the most robustly verified treatment for individuals with ASDs. For adults with autism, unfortunately, beyond intervention for challenging behavior (e.g., Sturmey, Seiverling & Ward-Horner, 2008) and interventions targeting specific social (e.g., Weiss, 2013), vocational (e.g., Lattimore, Parsons, & Reid, 2009), academic, (e.g., Burton, Anderson, Prater, & Dyches, 2013) or functional living skills (Smith, Ayres, Mechling, & Smith, 2013) there is a limited body of behavior analytic research. In some skill domains this may not represent a significant challenge. For example, discrimination training provided a young child with ASD (e.g., boy versus girl) is potentially different for older individuals only in the stimuli presented (e.g., men’s room versus woman’s room) or gradations of difference between stimuli (e.g., health versus unhealthy snacking) than in the parameters of the intervention protocol. However, in areas such as community living, personal safety, sexuality, self-advocacy, travel training, health/mental health management, leisure, and quality of life the research base is limited to, in some cases, non-existent. So while there is a growing body descriptive studies or studies using archival data focusing outcomes of adults with ASD intervention studies are sorely lacking. While the absence of an extensive body of intervention research is troubling, it is not wholly unexpected. Despite an accumulated record of over 35 years of behavior analytic research there continues, at least in some quarters, to be a belief that interventions based upon the principles of ABA are ineffective with, or inapplicable to, individuals with ASD beyond childhood. This is probably due, in part, to the prevalent misconception that “ABA” is synonymous with both early intervention and discrete trail instruction (DTI) and, therefore, of little use with older individuals. Perhaps this lack of research may, in part, be that school age children with ASD can readily be found in school and so provide easy access to researchers while adults with ASD may be without services and, therefore beyond the reach of researchers. Whatever the reasonthis lack of research is troublesome butfar from insurmountable given that there are no “age restrictions” to the application of behavioral analytic principles and related interventions. Given that, the question then becomes: “What do we do with these principles to help improve outcomes for adults with ASD?” The focus of this workshop will be on behavior analytic intervention in three particular areas with direct relevance to quality of life across adulthood. These are the provision, and in some cases, development, of evidence-based practices in adaptive behavior and community living, managing risk and personal safety, and social competence. Obviously, there are a number of other areas that could, and perhaps should, be discussed but for which time will not allow. For example, leisure and recreation could have been included given how little we know about developing age-referenced leisure skills in adults and how important they are to most typical adults across the lifespan. Or issues related to sexuality, sexuality education, and that avoidance of abuse might arguably have taken precedence here. Given our time constraints, however, we will have to settle for the fact that adulthood is a complex, rewarding, challenging, enjoyable and frustrating time of life that for many adults with ASD is, sadly, neither rewarding nor all that enjoyable. “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.” wrote Henry David Thoreau in “Walden”. With a large cohort of young adults with ASD rapidly approaching middle age and soon thereafter, hitting their proverbial golden years, the fear is that Thoreau may be proved right. The adult service system, as it currently stands, is unprepared to meet the needs of this diverse and complex population. According to Nancy Thaler, Executive Director of the National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services, “We are facing a crisis of money and work force. The cohort of people who will need services including aging baby boomers is growing much faster than the cohort of working-age adults that provide care.”

Biography:

Wendy F. Hensel is a Professor of Law and the Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Development at Georgia State University College of Law. She both teaches and writes about disability discrimination in American society and its intersection with education and employment. She has written numerous published articles on the legal treatment of disability, and the presentation proposal is based on a paper that will be published later this year in the Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review. She has considerable experience speaking on related topics both to expert audiences and to members of the public nationally and internationally.

Abstract:

Although nearly half of all individuals diagnosed with ASD possess either average or above average intelligence, only a small percentage are employed, regardless of their level of education or individual qualifications. One study of adults with high functioning autism identified employment “as the single biggest issue or barrier facing them.” In the next eight years alone, experts predict a 230% increase in the number of young adults with ASD. As these numbers grow, there inevitably will be pressure to change the status quo and expand employment opportunities for them. At the same time, as a result of the amendments to the Americans with Disabilities Act, litigants of all disabilities are increasingly successful in establishing class coverage and increased protection against disability discrimination in employment. Taken together, there is little doubt that increasing numbers of individuals with ASD will enter the labor pool over the next decade. This shift presents a tremendous opportunity both for people with autism to integrate the workforce and for employers to tap into the talents and abilities of a sizable population of workers. At the same time, it unquestionably will create new legal challenges relating to accommodation, as many of these workers will have unique needs. This presentation will explore the legal issues that are likely to arise in the context of the employment of people with autism, focusing on those who are sufficiently high-functioning to be capable of holding mainstream, independent employment outside of a workshop setting.

Biography:

Dr. Francine Baffa is a certified special education teacher and board certified behavior analyst as well as a licensed social worker. She has consulted school districts, organizations, and families as an educational and behavioral consultant to develop effective programming strategies for students in direct instructional settings as well as inclusive environments. She has extensive experience in the areas of selfdetermination and measureable objectives for outcomes; Dr. Baffa has developed programming with emphasis in the areas of self-management and self-advocacy. Dr. Baffa currently teaches undergraduate courses in autism and behavior analysis; additionally she has developed course sequence for both master level and undergraduate programs that meet the BACB 4th edition task list. She supervises international and domestic candidates who are studying to become BCBA and BCaBA’s. Dr. Baffa works closely with colleagues developing multi-cultural approaches to service and support of this disability. She has expanded her practice internationally through her consulting service in India and supervision of BCBA candidates globally.

Abstract:

Currently, only a limited number of colleges across the nation offer specialized supports that address the needs of the increasing number of college students on the autism spectrum pursuing postsecondary degrees. However, the 1 in 125 children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in 1996 are starting to arrive at college campuses, and more recent numbers indicate the diagnosis rate has risen to 1 in 68, over half of whom will have average or above average intellectual ability and be college- bound (CDC, 2014). These dramatically increasing numbers within higher education will change the nature of how we support students, yet there is a lack of information available concerning effective support models. While students with ASD arrive at college with many favorable qualities, certain skill sets are typically underdeveloped and therefore negatively impact the transition into and persistence though college as well as their postcollege placement in the workforce. Self-advocacy, one of these areas, refers to knowing and communicating one’s needs while understanding corresponding rights, responsibilities and resources (Brinckerhoff, L.C., 1994). Paramount to success in this domain are self-awareness, the capacity to anticipate challenges, and the ability to access appropriate resources. Methods on how to create this awareness and enact steps in these areas will be discussed.

Biography:

She works as Assistant Professor at Uludag University in Turkey. She has several studies on music education/music therapy approaches in special education especially for children with Autism. She is certified trainer of the trainers in Orff-Schulwerk. She has participated in several projects and carried out doctoral and post-doctoral studies regarding music therapy in Turkey (at Marmara University), Germany (at Technical University of Dortmund) and The U.S (at Arizona State University).

Abstract:

Reading facial expressions is one of the nonverbal communication skills, and considered essential for the children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in terms of performing effective communication and social interaction with the others. The literature indicates that music therapy interventions can be used for teaching skills to this population, so it can also be used for teaching facial expression reading skill. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the effect of music therapy interventions on teaching facial expression of sadness to a child with ASD. The study was conducted with a 5 year-old boy with diagnosis of ASD attending a Special Education and Rehabilitation Center in Turkey. Just after baseline data collection, one-to-one music therapy interventions were carried out twice a week for 2 months. Interventions focusing sadness consisted of activities such as singing, movement and dance, musical story, musical painting, musical drawing. Descriptive analysis was used for all videotaped sessions. The data of reliability among observers and of application were collected and analysed as well. The child with ASD participated in interventions eagerly and attentively. After 12 intervention sessions he showed success in recognition sadness in between of other facial expression cards. Generalization of the gained skill in the study environment was verified nevertheless there has been no chance to observe the skill in the real-life conditions. Permanence was kept after interventions were completed. These results suggested that the use music therapy interventions can be considered an acceptable treatment option for teaching the facial expressions to this population.

Biography:

Dr.Alok Sharma is a world renowned Neurosurgeon, Neuroscientist and Professor who brings with him extensive surgical expertise and experience in the area of Neurosurgerym Neuroscience and Stem cells. He worked at the Karolinska hospital in Stockholm Sweden where neural transplantation was done for the first time

Abstract:

An alarming rise in the incidence of ASD and the non availability of definitive treatments for the same have made the need for investigating new therapeutic strategies the need of the hour. Pre-clinical and clinical research has shown a promising outcome of cellular therapy such as stem cell therapy in various incurable neurological disorders. Bone marrow stem cells have unique ability of self renewal and differentiation. Their paracrine activities such as immunomodulation, neuroprotection and neurogenesis make them an attractive therapeutic option for ASD. To study the effect of Stem cell therapy in autism a study was conducted on 149 cases of autism. They were administered autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMNCs), intrathecally and were given a personalized multidisciplinary neurorehabilitation program after the cellular therapy. The mean follow up period of the study was 19 months ± 1 month. It was observed that overall 134 (90%) out of 149 cases showed improvement. Symptomatically, 122 (81.87%) showed improvement in eye contact, 114 (77%) in attention, 107 (71.81%) in hyperactivity, 86 (57.71%) in social interaction, 74 (49.66%) in communication, 71 (47.65%) in stereotypical behavior, 69 (46%) in speech and aggressiveness and 51 (34.22%) in self stimulation. No major irreversible adverse events were recorded after the intervention. PET CT scan brain was used to monitor the effect of autologous BMMNCs in autism at a cellular level. On comparing the PET CT scan performed before and 6 months after the intervention, it was observed that FDG uptake was increased in the previously hypometabolic areas (blue; mesial temporal, cerebellar regions) and reduced in the previously hypermetabolic areas (red; frontal, parietal regions) and exhibiting a balancing effect to achieve normalization of brain metabolism. This study opens a new therapeutic avenue for ASD by demonstrating the positive effect of autologous BMMNCs on clinical symptomatology and objective evidence of neuroimaging.

Biography:

Derek Volk is a Maine businessman, supporter of Autism awareness, volunteer, philanthropist, softball coach, and he can now add book author to the list. He is currently the president and co-owner of Volk Packaging Corporation, a third generation, family owned, corrugated box manufacturer in Biddeford, Maine. Derek actively participates on the Maine Business Leadership Network (BLN), a national organization that focuses on connecting employers with potential employees who have disabilities. His own company currently employs those who are deaf, blind and on the autism spectrum. A speech communications major at the University of Maine at Orono, Derek has always been comfortable speaking to an audience. His presentation earned an average score of 4.9 out of 5 at both the National Autism Society annual Conference in Denver (July 2015) and the Milestones Conference in Cleveland (June 2015), and received the highest average score of any keynote speaker to date at the Southern Maine Autism Conference in March 2015. Since 2012, Derek has hosted a Saturday morning radio talk show on WLOB 1310AM in Portland, Maine. His show can be heard online at www.boxtalkradio.com.

Abstract:

Families with a child on the Autism spectrum face unique challenges. In all too many cases, the parents of Autistic children fall prey to these challenges. The result is an extremely high divorce rate and families torn apart as they fail to cope with the obstacles they face on a daily basis. Derek Volk’s oldest child – his only son – was two-years-old when his wife suggested, “Something is not quite right with Dylan.” They struggled for the next several years as they were bounced from one “expert” to another, each offering a unique perspective on Dylan’s challenging behaviors. Finally, at eight-years-old, Dylan was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome and the family was able to start making sense of Dylan's differences. Derek has watched Dylan grow into a young man who has always tried to live a normal life, but struggles to make that happen. When explaining how Dylan has functioned as someone living with Asperger’s in a fast paced and often confusing world, Derek often uses the analogy of greyhound racing. In greyhound racing, dogs are lured to race around a track by chasing an artificial rabbit until they cross the finish line, but the greyhound never actually catch-es the rabbit. Dylan, like the greyhound, can see the rabbit and believes that if he runs fast enough, he can catch it. Unfortunately, he doesn’t, no matter how hard he runs. This colorful presentation is peppered with anecdotes as Derek Volk shares his experiences raising a son on the Autism spectrum. Derek will offer this thoughts on the challenges, triumphs and coping strategies from the early days to the adolescent years to life in the “real world” as a young adult. This session will showcase the unique rela-tionship between a father and his son who has spent his entire life chasing the rabbit. Specifically, attendees will learn: • How couples can fight the tendency to let the challenges of raising an Autistic child derail their marriage. • How important it is for parents to trust their instincts. No one knows a child better than his parents, so if advice or counsel doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. • How parents can maintain a relationship with their Autistic child and avoid becoming angry or resentful about it. • What parents should know if raising a child who is “chasing the rabbit” from a young adult who is living that experience.

Biography:

Liang Dandan has completed her PhD from Shanghai International Studies University and postdoctoral studies from Nanjing Normal University. She is a professor and Ph.D.supervisor of Nanjing Normal University department of Chinese Language and Culture. She has published more than 10 papers in reputed journals and has been serving as an anonymous reviewer of several journals.

Abstract:

An important difference between spoken language and written language is that spoken language carries prosodic information. Previous studies revealed that prosody is an important factor in spoken emotional understanding and expression，especially when the emotion of speech contents is not clear. Autistics tend to speak with flat tone, like parrot and mechine. Recent studies suggest that abnormal prosody is a core disorder in autistic social communication. Therefore, to explore the recognition mechanism of emotional prosody in autistics is needed,while there is little evidence from Mandarin-speaking children with autism. This paper investigated the ability of Mandarin-speaking children with high-functioning autism （HFA） to recognize the four emotions of happiness, anger, sadness and fear under spontaneous emotion conditions and reinforced emotion conditions using an emotion auditory recognizing task. It was found that under spontaneous emotion conditions, the recognition accuracy for the four emotions of children with HFA were significantly lower than that of typically developing (TD） children, indicating overall impairment in autistic children. And under reinforced conditions, significant difference was manifested in the mechanism of emotion recognition between children with HFA and TD children. Similar to TD children, children with HFA exhibited stronger ability to recognize anger with reinforced emotion. But unlike TD children, children with HFA had difficulty recognizing changes in the activation of sadness and fear, and with increase in intensity of emotion, autistic children had difficulty recognizing acoustic cues correlated with the valence of happiness.

Biography:

Dr. Sean Hess is a Speech-Language Pathologist at Heartspring School, a residential facility and school for children with special needs in Wichita, Kansas. His clinical experience and research foci include working with students with autism spectrum disorder, students with complex communication needs, adolescent language development, person-centered assessment and interventions, counseling, interprofessional collaboration, and service provision to families.

Abstract:

Many protocols used for assessing social skills of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are based on behavioral observations (Bowers, Huisingh, & LoGiudice, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010; Carrow-Woolfolk, 1999; Constantino & Gruber, 2012; Gresham & Elliott, 2008; Gilliam & Miller, 2006; Kleiman, 2003; Phelps-Terasaki & Phelps-Gunn, 1992). It has been suggested, however, that social cognition encompasses processes underlying observable behaviors (Applegate, 1990; Burleson, Delia, & Applegate; 1995). Such processes include personal constructs, which can be assessed using repertory grids (Kelly, 1955). Personal constructs of five high-functioning teenagers with ASD were explored using repertory grids in this study. With visual structure and verbal scaffolding, all participants successfully engaged in the repertory grid process. It appears that high-functioning adolescents with ASD have well organized, complex construct systems related to social relationships. Data suggest they have a significant understanding of social roles and are interested in social interactions. Repertory grids offer a person-centered view of social cognitive processes, which may provide a starting point for social pragmatic language intervention.

Biography:

Colleen Nagle Tryner is the parent of an 18-year-old son with non-verbal Autism. She began diligently researching communication and how to teach skills of communicating to a non-verbal young child. She began homeschooling her son when he was 12-years-old due to his lack of any communication, causing severe behavioral issues with the school system. Leaving her job and devoting her life to finding a way to communicate with her son became her mission in life. She has documented her journey in numerous articles shared among the community of parents of disabled children, lectured at colleges to courses full of future Doctors, Teachers, Therapists, and Psychologists. She has observed other young adults to compare communication ability using other AAC versus Adapted Autism Sign Language. She records all sessions with her son and shares the video stories on various social media sites and her own personal webpage. Videos are shared in uncountable numbers by fellow parents as well as Doctors, Writers, Teachers and reputable corporations devoted to Autism Research

Abstract:

Adapted Autism Sign Language is a very unique way of communication taking advantage of a multi-sensory approach. Stories are customized to the child/young adult’s comprehension level, written out on sentence strips, then read aloud to the child/young adult while being paired with sign language. The most important and most overlooked intervention in Sensory Integration is for the caretaker to offer options and a chance for the child to give input. Nonverbal children often react to sensory overload in what seems to be undesirable behavior. The best way to accommodate is to respect and realize that they are in a constant state of hyper/hyposensitivity. Involving the child allows them to not be forced into a world that is causing them pain from sensory input where essentially the child loses himself to accommodate us. Through the use of Adapted Autism Sign Language, I have accomplished explaining upcoming events to my own nonverbal son with Autism and prepare him for what to expect. Follow up consists of asking him questions, allowing input where he can convey to me if the upcoming situation will be too overwhelming. I question until I can find ways to change the event to become tolerated. Using Adapted Autism Sign Language to prepare my son ahead of time has in fact made him more capable of being more involved in school, volunteering, work, family events, and even trips to a restaurant. He is prepared ahead of time using the unique method of Adaptive Autism Sign Language, and he prepares me ahead of time to who, what and how long he can tolerate the event. Offering choices allows the child to give input and insight without being forced to constantly change themselves which could lead to meltdowns. We must protect the child to feel safe. If the child is always on guard, they will always be tense and experience negative behaviors. Use of Adapted Autism Sign Language can help the child communicate sensorial needs.

Biography:

In 1948, somewhere on the plains of India, Omar Bagasra was born in a back of a wooden oxcart. His refugee family was migrating north during the exodus of the twenty-five million souls who were forced to leave their ancestral homelands when the former British colony of India was being partitioned during its struggle to become independent. At least eight million of these refugees—Sikhs, Muslims, and Hindus alike—perished in this partitioning. Being Muslims, Omar’s family settled in the new nation of Pakistan, where his father became a successful grain merchant and where ten more brothers and sisters were born and one was adopted. In this somewhat volatile environment, Omar grew into a young man. At age of 16, Omar decided to study other faiths and adopted an ascetic life style—starting as a Buddhist monk-a creed for where warfare is anathema. He left his parents’ home in Pakistan and journeyed to a monastery in Tibet and lived as a Buddhist disciple, and then moved to Northern provinces and Afghanistan and visited many Faqirs. After two years of a life of a Faqir, Omar reflected that the scientific understanding of nature was just as important a path to truth as the more mystical, consciousness approach of the ascetic monks. He therefore returned to Pakistan and enrolled in the University of Karachi, where he earned a bachelor and a master’ degree in biochemistry. “I wanted to get even higher education,” he says, “but in Pakistan at that time, that was as high as I could get.” So, in 1972, he flew to Chicago’s O’Hare airport—carrying just a suitcase of clothing and an extra hundred dollars in his pocket. Omar didn’t know anyone in the U.S., but he soon found employment in the road construction industry and he learned to speak better English—his seventh language. He then got better job manufacturing brake shoes for the Ford Motor supplier in Albion, Indiana, near Ft. Wayne. Omar saved his wages and enrolled at the University of Louisville; soon he got his first scientific job working as a lab technician at the nearby Clark County Memorial Hospital in Jeffersonville, Indiana. There he met a young nurse, Theresa Mahoney, and the two were married. By 1980, Omar had earned a Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology. He joined a group in Albany, NY to do his post-doctoral fellowship in Infectious Disease and the family moved to Philadelphia, when his post-doc mentor moved to the city, where Omar became a junior faculty member at Hahnemann University and a citizen of the United States of America. Soon thereafter, Dr. Bagasra decided to go to medical school. But admissions policies at that time were very restrictive for individuals born and educated overseas and the tuition was more than he can afford, so the 32-year-old Omar—never one to be confined by national borders—went to study medicine at the Universidad Autónoma in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. After two years of study, he went to Temple University, where he completed his clinical training. Subsequently, he completed residency in anatomic pathology at Hahnemann and Temple Universities., a fellowship in Clinical Laboratory Immunology at the Saint Christopher’s Hospital for Children, while serving as a full time faculty member at Hahnemann University, all in Philadelphia. Before coming to Claflin University, Dr. Bagasra held professorships at Hahnemann University (1980-1987) and Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, where he served as director of the Molecular Retrovirology Laboratories and Section Chief of Molecular Diagnostics of the Center for the Study of Human Viruses, as well a Professor of Medicine from 1991-98. Dr. Bagasra also keeps a hand in clinical work—he is currently board-eligible in anatomic pathology and a diplomat of the American Board of Medical Laboratory Immunology (ABMLI), and the American Board of Forensic Examiners and a Fellow of the American College of Forensic Examiners. Dr. Bagasra’s research interests have long been associated with the study of HIV and AIDS. In fact, he has been on the trail of the virus since 1981—the year of the first scientific report. For the past several years, he has focused on trying to gain insight into the molecular pathogenesis of HIV and role of microRNA in protection against lentiviruses. In 1998, he was the first to clearly discuss the protective role of small RNAs against retrovirus and lentivirus (“HIV and Molecular Immunity,”). His unswerving dedication to his work has resulted in over 200 scientific articles, book chapters, and books. In 1995, he was nominated for the King Faisal Award for Medicine. During the last few years he has received several national and international prestigious awards and recognitions. In 2002 and 2015 he received Faculty Scholar Awards from the American Association for Cancer Research. In 2006 he was the co-recipient of the South Carolina Governor’s Award for Excellence in Science. From 2002-2006 he also served as the Council Member of the American Association of Cancer Research (MICR-AACR). Dr. Bagasra currently serves as professor of Biology and the director of the South Carolina Center for Biotechnology at Claflin University. The Institut Pasteur’s Luc Montagnier – the discoverer of the AIDS virus and 2008 Nobel Laureate-described Dr. Bagasra as “a skilful researcher…(and) a discerning scholar who explores new ideas”, observing he already had a track record for challenging conventional wisdom and being proved correct. “Every scientist now knows that a significant percentage of circulating lymphocytes are infected with HIV….but in 1992 his findings were highly controversial, when he published his paper in NEJM”. Currently, Dr. Bagasra has been working on the cause of Autism Spectrum Disorders. He believes that certain environmental chemicals are mainly responsible for causing genetic mutations and interference in fetal brain development.

Abstract:

Autism spectrumdisorders(ASDs ) are developmental conditions characterized by deficits in social interaction, impairments inverbal and non  verbal communication, and stereo typed patterns of behavior. Previous studies have implicated environmental factors in the development of ASD. Although no reliable neurophysiological network is associated with ASD, low levels of plasma oxytocin(OXY)and arginine vasopressin(AVP) have been reported. The “twin” non apeptides OXYandAV Paremainlypro- duced in the brainof mammals,and dys regulation of these neuropeptideshasbeenassociatedwith changes inbehavior,especiallysocialinteractions. Methods: Previously,weanalyzed91commonlyusedfragrancesandreportedsignificant mutagenic, neurocytotoxic,and stimulatory effects on fetal neuroblastomacelllines(NBC).Inthisstudy,weanalyzed the neuromodifications of three selected fragrances on maleandfemalehumanfetalbrainneurons, utilizing immunohistochemistry. Results: Weshowthatexposuretofemtomolarconcentrationsoffragrancesresultsinmorphological changes bylightmicroscopyintheNBC.Importantly,thesefragrancessignificantly reducedtheOXY-and AVP-receptorpositive(OXYRþ and AVPRþ) neuronsinmaleNBCbutnotinfemaleNBC,possibly contributing tothedevelopmentofmalebiasinASD. Conclusion: This studyisthe first toshowapotentiallinkbetweenfragranceexposure,depletionof OXYRþ and AVPRþ neurons, and amalebiasinautism.

Biography:

Christine is a PhD candidate in the Exceptional Education track, at the University of Central Florida. Her work has been published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, and she has presented her research on increasing self-awareness in individuals with ASD, and ‘at risk’ students. Christine has worked in a wide variety of settings including; mental health, social service, education, and criminal justice. Holding several professional teaching certifications in the USA and Canada, Christine has teaching experience at K-12 and college/university levels. She served on numerous committees in addition to peer reviewing and judging peer manuscripts, dissertations, and conference proposals and presentations.

Abstract:

Theory of Mind (ToM) differences allege to explain the “impaired ability of people with autism to attribute mental states (beliefs, knowledge) to other people, due to lack of perspective taking (Baron-Cohen, Leslie, and Frith, 1985), mindreading, mentalizing, and mind blindness” (Baron-Cohen, 1985, 1995). Matching emotionally descriptive words to pictures of another person’s eyes (The Mind’s Eye Test) is typically used to provide evidence of “gaze abnormalities in autism resulting in failure to comprehend eyes convey information about a given mental state, and that individuals with autism spectrum disorder are specifically ‘blind’ to such information” (Baron-Cohen, Wheelwright, Hill, Raste, and Plum, 2001, p. 379). If one successfully matches an emotionally charged word to the correct representative facial picture - they are deemed to exhibit ToM and empathy for others. This assertion however, presents difficulties in determining whether ‘match-match’ responses are the result of an internalized process of ‘self’, and ‘other’ awareness; or an external, conditioned, and/or memorized response. Moreover, social algorithmic stories and responses learned via repetitive discrete trial teaching can produce anxiety and frustration when rehearsed social situations are not ‘played out’ in real life. In response to shortcomings, this presentation introduces a N¬¬¬¬eurodiverse ToM and Empathetic Paradigm approach toward positioning ToM social skill interventions for individuals with ASD, based upon student awareness of ‘self”. Guided understanding of “what, where, and when” empathetic response is appropriate for neurodiverse individuals will be discussed, in addition to delineation of when it may be inappropriate for neurotypical individuals to make response demands.

Biography:

Francisco José Montero Bancalero, from Spain, studied psychology at Seville University and obtained his doctorate at Huelva University. He is currently a professor at Osuna University, Spain (www.euosuna.org), where he teaches subjects related to educational intervention in children with psychopathological problems and special educational needs. He educates students studying for the Primary Education Degree and Early Childhood Education Degree, and is keen to transmit to his students the attitudes, skills and knowledge needed for better evidence-based learning on psychopathological disorders.

Abstract:

Educational intervention is a key factor to advance the quality of life of people with autism. A truly inclusive education intervention can only be possible when there is a law that guarantees inclusiveness and provides the necessary resources to carry it out. In addition to the necessary legal framework, the role of teachers is considered important. Often, refusal to deal with children with autism stems from ignorance of the disorder. At the same time, many studies on education and attention to diversity have shown that increasing levels of training in this area can decrease the negative attitudes among teachers when dealing with children who have special educational needs. For an appropriate educational intervention in autism, the following measures are required: • The educational culture of the school should defend values for inclusion. • There should be teamwork among teachers of special education and teachers of regular education. • There should be specialization in autism plans aimed at training teachers that include techniques of effective evidence-based intervention; general principles of behavior modification (reinforcement, shaping, chaining, avoiding self-stimulatory behaviors); and development of functional language. • It is necessary to enhance academic achievement as a source for the development of self-esteem. • There must be a structured and predictable educational environment. • Social skills training is needed by teachers to improve channels of communication with parents of autistic children. • Teachers should understand that despite having a similar diagnosis, each child is unique (as is his family) and how the disorder manifests is different. For this reason, the intervention must be individualized.

Biography:

Ronadora Evardo-Deala has completed his PhD at Ateneo de davao university. She is Licesnsed Teacher, Licensed Counselor and Licensed Psychometrician .She has been a guidance director for 8 years in two local colleges and one international school dealing students academic and special learning needs. Being a mother of a child having risk of autism, she combined approaches which she found effective in dealing with her daugther such as basic music, play and augmentative and applied it to 5 children as subjects of her dissertation study which later found an effective techniques in teaching adaptive skills.

Abstract:

This paper evaluated the effectiveness of music, play and augmentative alternative communication (AAC) with a new found technique called “Ilin-Ilin (creatively use of music, play and AAC along humor and fun), altogether called Multi-Approach Intervention to enhance adaptive skills in domains and subdomains of communication, daily living, socialization, motor and maladaptive behavior of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The study was conducted for 24 hours sessions, three to four times a week involving five children. Among them, there were three legitimate participants of the study, aged 2-5 years. Pre and post data of each participant were gathered through interview with participant’s mother and teacher using VABS-II. Paired t-test was used to examine whether there was a significant change in adaptive skills among the participants after the intervention. The findings demonstrated that Multi-Intervention Approach has positive effects the general adaptive behavior. The helpfulness of the interventions were found statistically evident in enhancing communication (receptive) and , socialization (interpersonal relationship, play and leisure time and coping skills), motor skills (gross and fine) and in impeding maladaptive behavior particularly the internalizing subdomain but less influenced in the daily living skills of the participants (only in personal subdomain). The intervention is found most effective in enhancing the socialization and motor skills including their subdomains.

Biography:

Charmaine Fuller is a Mommy Mentor, Essential Oils Advocate & Autism Mom Supporter, with Fuller Potentials Coaching, LLC. She assists mothers of children with special needs in developing their life beyond the diagnosis of their child. She has been an advocate for parents of children with different abilities by serving on the Michigan Special Education Action Committee, the Wayne County Regional Educational Service Agency parent board and for the Michigan Early on Interagency Coordinating Council in Wayne County, Michigan

Abstract:

Special Parents Special Care is a workshop that guides parents to get closer to self and regain their purpose in life beyond being a parent of a child with autism, beyond the therapy visits and doctors’ appointments and beyond IEP meetings and meltdowns. This workshop is aimed at giving parents practical resources and tools that they can use immediately to begin creating relief in their life, putting them back in the control seat for their life which will bring them more joy and less stress. This workshop will cover: Time management; setting & applying boundaries; communicate & delegate; making your task list work for you and loving on you – self-care resources & tips.

Biography:

Dimitra Grammatikou has an MA from Universidad Anahuac and an MA form Lancaster University. She has given therapy to children with ASD for the last 10 years. The research area she is interested in is in the employment of advanced technology, and more specifically robotics in the treatment of children with ASD.

Abstract:

Technology provides novel alternatives for social intervention for children with ASD. There have been many studies investigating the role of robots in the therapy of children with ASD, however there has not been documented in a clear manner the best way to measure the social progress when robots are implemented in a social therapy. Therefore, this study investigates several methods that can measure the social progress in children with ASD during a social interaction with robots. Experimental results are presented in order to show the advantages and drawbacks of each evaluation method. Thus, a robot with facial expressions is evaluated during the social intervention, recognizing that the ultimate goal of the interaction with the robot is the generalization of the basic social skills such as greeting or the recognition of facial expressions. Potential benefits and limitations of the measured methods are discussed to give correct feedback and to adjust the robot in a social intervention.

Biography:

Natalia Neophytou has completed her MSc in the field of exercise science at the age of 26 years from the University of the Witwatersrand. She is a lecturer and course coordinater at the Centre for Exercise Science and Sports Medicine at the University of the Witwaterstand, and is actively involved with research for the Centre. She is a qualified Biokineticist (clinical exercise specialist) and has been running her own practice since 2014. Her field of interests include Autism Spectrum Disorer, isokinetic exercise testing and neurological rehabilitation.

Abstract:

Autism Spectrum Disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder, which often results in an array of motor impairments. These motor impairments often lead to reduced performance in activities of daily living as well as in societal tasks which require specific motor abilities and skills. A randomised control trial was conducted to determine the efficacy of a 12 week exercise intervention by assessing the change in posture, physical fitness, body composition, gait and agility, pre- and post-exercise intervention in adolescents with autism (mental age 5.6 ± 1.8 years). All participants were tested pre- and post-intervention. The intervention group (n=16) participated in the exercise intervention bi-weekly for 12 weeks (45minute sessions), while the control group (n=11) received standard care. Posture was assessed using a posture grid and body composition and physical fitness were assessed using the Brockport Physical Fitness Test. Gait was assessed using Dartfish two-dimensional video analysis, and agility was assessed using a standard agility T-test. Overall compliance to the intervention was 88.78%. The intervention group showed a significant increase in the overall posture scores (p=0.0004) and a significant reduction in BMI (p=0.0130) post intervention. They also demonstrated a significant decrease in resting systolic blood pressure (p=0.0069), and systolic blood pressure taken one minute following exercise (p=0.0007). Handgrip strength significantly increased in the non-dominant hand only (p=0.0289) while overall curl-up performance and agility times significantly improved: p=0.0094 and p=0.0061 respectively. In contrast, no significant differences were seen following the intervention for all gait parameters. Overall exercise interventions may be a viable means of therapy for individuals with ASD.

Biography:

Mr. Smith is recognized as an international expert on psychiatric care and services specializing in nonviolent approaches to supporting people in crisis. He has published many studies on this topic and has presented at most national and international conferences on this subject. He has more than 35-years of experience in Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services as an advocate for people with special needs having worked in executive leadership positions at Embreeville Center, Pennhurst Center, Philadelphia State Hospital (Byberry), White Haven Center, Mayview State Hospital, Harrisburg State Hospital and Allentown State Hospital. In 1998, Allentown was one of the first hospitals in the nation to eliminate the use of seclusion and dramatically reduce its use of restraint. Allentown was also the first facility in the state hospital system to discontinue the use of PRN orders for psychiatric indications. He was also lead investigator of a study that was published in the October 2005 edition of the Psychiatric Services Journal titled “Pennsylvania State Hospital System’s Seclusion and Restraint Reduction Program”. This study has become a seminal work for hospital-based S/R reduction programs having been referenced more that 150 times. In 2008 he was lead investigator of a study titled “Psychiatric Use of Unscheduled Medication in the Pennsylvania State Hospital System: Effects of Discontinuing the Use of PRN Orders” which was published in the (August 2008) Community Mental Health Journal. This work led to the elimination of PRN orders for psychiatric indications in all Pennsylvania state hospitals, civil and forensic, on March 1, 2005. On January 15, 2010, he was contributing author of a text titled “Rights, Risks and Restraint-Free Care of Older People: Person Centered Approaches to Health and Social Care” was published by Kingsley Publishers in London, UK in conjunction with Kings College, London, UK. In October 2013 Mr. Smith received the Netherlands Johannes van Durren Award in recognition of his leadership and assistance with their work at decreasing the use of seclusion and restraint in its behavioral health systems of care. Recently, Mr. Smith was the lead investigator/corresponding author of two longitudinal studies spanning 10 years. The first examined the “Correlation between Reduction of Seclusion and Restraint on Assaults by Patients in the Pennsylvania State Hospitals”. This paper was published in the March 2015 edition of the Psychiatric Services Journal. A companion study titled, “Relationship between Seclusion and Restraint Reduction on Patient Assaults in the Pennsylvania Forensic Service, 2001-2010” appeared in the December 2015 edition of the journal. Mr. Smith has provided consultative assistance to the Pennsylvania correctional system on seclusion and restraint reduction strategies and incident management and is a past faculty member of the National Technical Assistance Center (NTAC) for State Mental Health Planning. He has spoken internationally on Pennsylvania’s seclusion and restraint reduction program and currently serves as a consultant to the World Health Organization (WHO) on seclusion and restraint reduction and Mental Health Recovery. Mr. Smith has a degree in Special Education from Edinboro State University and a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from University Misericordia, Dallas, Pennsylvania. He has taught graduate and under graduate classes in Healthcare Administration. He is currently a consultant on Psychiatric Care and Services and resides in Mountaintop, Pennsylvania.

Abstract:

This prospective study assessed the use of seclusion and restraint in the Pennsylvania State hospital system from 2001 through 2010. It also examined the corelation between declining use of containment procedures and assaults by patients on other patients and staff

Biography:

I received a Master’s Degree in Biochemistry from Princeton University in 1982 and a Ph.D. Degree from the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1987. I have been affiliated with Southern Connecticut State University for over 20 years, currently Full Professor in the Department of Biology where I teach Genetics and Medical Genetics, and direct a research laboratory in cancer biology. In 2013 I was awarded a patent by the US Patent Office for a novel cancer treatment for the brain cancer, glioblastoma

Abstract:

The Quantitative Threshold Exposure (QTE) hypothesis is a multifactorial threshold model that accounts for the cumulative effects of risk factor exposure in both the causation of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and its dramatic increase over the past 30 years. The QTE hypothesis proposes that ASD is triggered by the cumulative effects of high-level exposure to endogenous and environmental factors that act as antigens to impair normal immune system (IS) and associated central nervous system (CNS) functions during critical developmental stages. The quantitative threshold parameters that comprise a cumulative risk for the development of ASD are identified by the assessment of documented epidemiological factors that, in sum, determine the likelihood that ASD will occur as a result of their effects on critically integrated IS and CNS pathways active during prenatal, neo-natal and early childhood brain maturation. The model proposes an explanation for the relationship between critical developmental stages of brain/immune system development in conjunction with the quantitative effects of genetic and environmental risk factors that may interface with these critical developmental windows. This model may be useful even when the individual contributions of specific risk factors cannot be quantified, as it proposes that the combined quantitative level of exposure to risk factors for ASD rather than exposure to any one risk factor per se defines threshold occurrence rates.

Biography:

Clare in the second year of a PhD in Applied Psychology at the Tizard Centre, University of Kent. Clare is investigating the effectiveness of adapted sex offender treatment programmes for individuals with autism spectrum conditions and is supervised by Professor Glynis Murphy and Dr Peter Langdon. Clare is a member of the Tizard Centre consultancy team, providing services in autism diagnostic assessments and has also worked with the Challenging Behaviour Foundation.

Abstract:

Theoretical suppositions suggest a potential vulnerability in individuals with autism spectrum conditions (ASC) to offending. Additionally, possible barriers to treatment from the features of ASC have also been proposed, including social naivety, difficulties with empathy and special interests/obsessions. A systematic review was conducted to identify empirical evidence and examine the effectiveness of available treatment programmes for offenders with ASC.

Biography:

Anita Lesko graduated from Columbia University in 1988 with her Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia. She’s been working full time ever since as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. After getting diagnosed with Asperger’s at age 50, she’s become an Autism Advocate, Author, Speaker, and blogger. Anita is an internationally published military aviation photojournalist and has flown in an F-15 Fighter jet. She is also a member of the International Society for Autism Research. Anita recently married her autistic husband in the history-making ALL-AUTISTIC wedding, seen in PEOPLE and Good Morning America.

Abstract:

Autistic individuals often have several metabolic dysfunctions as compared to those of the general population. Anesthesia providers need to view autistic patients the same way they do hepatic and renal impaired patients. They may have deficiency in methylation pathways and glutathione production which can decrease the liver’s ability to detoxify the body. Autistic individuals might have Mitochondrial Dysfunction, leading to increased sensitivity to many drugs used in anesthesia. Mitochondrial Dysfunction is also associated to cardiomyopathy and increased chance of arrhythmias. Surgical stress can lead to worsening of metabolic abnormalities, leading to electrolyte imbalances. Mitochondrial Dysfunction can also lead to ketosis from surgical stress. Autistic children have been found to have compromised methylation. Autistic children might also be on antipsychotic drugs or stimulants. Given these significant potential dysfunctions in autistic children, it is recommended to re-think the plan for anesthesia in this population. There are many ways to approach the choices for anesthesia. There are also additional techniques that can enhance the surgical experience of a child with autism.

Biography:

Ruthy is currently a fourth-year graduate student pursuing her doctorate in Psychology, specializing in Cognitive Psychology and Psychoneuroimmunology. She is interested in how infection during pregnancy can effect the neurobiological and behavioral development of the offspring. She has a special interest in studying these effects in autism and schizophrenia.

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Encyclopedia of Bioanalytical Methods for Bioavailability and Bioequivalence Studies of Pharmaceuticals (E-BABE): It is a unique encyclopedia involving bioanalytical methods for bioavailability and bioequivalence (BA/BE) studies of pharmaceuticals for suitable method selection with thousands of combinations and searches against these methods. Most scrutinized literature was collected from different sources including PubMed. This database has been curetted using published methods for all most all pharmaceuticals. Required information for regular method development/validation such as IUPAC name, structure, solubility, chromatographic conditions, instrumentation information like HPLC, LCMS detection parameters, sample preparations, recovery details, limit of detection and limit of quantification, Tmax, Cmax etc., for routine application in BA/BE studies of pharmaceuticals was incorporated including official pharmacopeias information such as European Pharmacopeia, Japan Pharmacopeia and US Pharmacopeia. Database includes drug based bioanalytical methods covering most required fields and external database links of important drug portals such as drug bank, Rxlist, MEDLINE plus, KEGG Drug ID, KEGG Compound ID, Merck manual, PubChem compound ID, PubChem substance ID and USFDA. Searching/querying the database is through drug name, chemical formula or structural search by smiles format. Keen selections of bioanalytical methods for pharmaceutical analysis or regular quality control are also possible with E-BABE. E-BABE was built understanding the needs of pharmaceutical industry and laboratories including CROs working on BA/BE studies. Presently it has nearly of 5,000 methods and it will be updated regularly

Biography:

Taesung Park has completed his PhD from University of Michigan and visiting fellow/scholar from National Institutes of Health. He is a full Professor of the department of statistics and the Director of National Creative Research Lab for Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, Seoul National University, Korea. Based on the experience of statistical researches, he founded this lab to extend his research area to bioinformatics and biostatistics. He has published more than 160 papers in SCIE journals and served as Associate Editor and Editorial Board Member of international journals such as CSDA, Biometrical Journal, Genetic Epi., and Book Editor of Biometrics.

Abstract:

Most approaches for rare variants focus mainly on individual gene analysis. However, it has also been recognized that a majority of biological behaviors manifest from a complex interaction of biological pathway. Although several statistical methods for pathway-based analyses using rare variants have been proposed to analyze pathways individually, those methods generally assume that the pathways are independent and do not consider substantial overlapping genes between pathways. In this paper, we propose a novel statistical approach: a robust pathway-based approach using hierarchical components. The proposed method uses generalized structural components and analyzes all pathways from the public databases such as Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway database. To consider the relationship between genes within-pathway, we use both reflective and formative models. Furthermore, our approach uses ridge-regularized method to reduce the effects of the overlapping genes between pathways. Evaluation of the method was performed with the simulation data sets as well as the sequencing data for the phenotype of autism.

Biography:

Megan Lawson is a 28-year-old, doctoral candidate at Pepperdine University. She is currently doing an advanced neuropsychology externship at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. She is experienced in psychodiagnostic and neuropsychological testing of children, in addition to child therapy. Her dissertation, under Louis Cozolino, PhD, is an online manual that bridges the gap between ASD testing and treatment recommendation and will be used as a pilot at STAR of CA behavioral services.

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With increases in knowledge and changes in perspective, what we know as Autism has been redefined again and again. It is currently understood as a spectrum of neurodevelopmental disorders that presents in early childhood, predominantly affecting social and emotional functioning along with repetitive or stereotyped behaviors. Although the ideas that Autism is a heterogeneous disorder that manifest on a spectrum of severity have been accepted, it is too often conceptualized as a single illness, this results in suboptimal evaluations and overly general treatment recommendations. However, there is considerable research to guide us in performing comprehensive evaluations and selecting targeted treatments for children with ASD. The goal of the present study is to create a manual that combines the best of the available research to guide the practitioner in the evaluation and treatment selection for children with ASD. The goals of the manual are threefold: 1) To clarify what a comprehensive ASD evaluation looks like; 2) to link assessment results to severity level on the ASD spectrum as laid out by DSM-5, and 3) to provide treatment options best suited for different placements upon the spectrum.

Biography:

Clare in the second year of a PhD in Applied Psychology at the Tizard Centre, University of Kent. Clare is investigating the effectiveness of adapted sex offender treatment programmes for individuals with autism spectrum conditions and is supervised by Professor Glynis Murphy and Dr Peter Langdon. Clare is a member of the Tizard Centre consultancy team, providing services in autism diagnostic assessments and has also worked with the Challenging Behaviour Foundation.

Abstract:

Difficulties with social interaction, social communication and empathy may create barriers to treatment for those few individuals with autism spectrum conditions (ASC) who commit sexual offences. This research explored offender and clinician views of the effectiveness of adapted sex offender treatment programmes (ASOTP) for men with ASC.

Biography:

Sarah Crawford received a Master’s Degree in Biochemistry from Princeton University in 1982 and a PhD Degree from the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1987. She has been affiliated with Southern Connecticut State University for over 20 years and is currently the Full Professor in the Department of Biology where she teaches Genetics and Medical Genetics and directs a research laboratory in cancer biology. In 2013, she was awarded a patent by the US Patent Office for a novel cancer treatment for the brain cancer, glioblastoma.

Abstract:

The Quantitative Threshold Exposure (QTE) hypothesis is a multi-factorial threshold model that accounts for the cumulative effects of risk factor exposure in both the causation of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and its dramatic increase over the past 30 years. The QTE hypothesis proposes that ASD is triggered by the cumulative effects of high-level exposure to endogenous and environmental factors that act as antigens to impair normal immune system (IS) and associated central nervous system (CNS) functions during critical developmental stages. The quantitative threshold parameters that comprise a cumulative risk for the development of ASD are identified by the assessment of documented epidemiological factors that, in sum, determine the likelihood that ASD will occur as a result of their effects on critically integrated IS and CNS pathways active during prenatal, neo-natal and early childhood brain maturation. The model proposes an explanation for the relationship between critical developmental stages of brain/immune system development in conjunction with the quantitative effects of genetic and environmental risk factors that may interface with these critical developmental windows. This model may be useful even when the individual contributions of specific risk factors cannot be quantified, as it proposes that the combined quantitative level of exposure to risk factors for ASD rather than exposure to any one risk factor per se defines threshold occurrence rates.

Biography:

Deeba completed her masters in animal sciences, from Department of Zoology, University of Punjab and proceeded for PhD in the area of cell and molecular biology from School of biological sciences in the same university. She graduated in August 2008 continued as research associate in the same department. In 2010, Deeba Noreen Baig joined National institute of Physiological Sciences (NIPS), Okazaki, Japan, as post-doctoral fellow. In NIPS, she was working under direct supervision of Prof. Dr. Ryuichi Shigemoto, who is a renowned scientist in the field of freeze fracture replica plating and electron microscopy. She acquired immuno-histochemistry and confocal microscopy skills there. Keeping in view my interest in the areas of neurosciences and molecular biology, he directed Deeba to Prof. Tanaka Shinji, in University of Tokyo, to whom Deeba learned embryonic in vivo microinjection and electroporation system, which is break through now a days in the field of neuro-molecular biology. On returning to NIPS, Deeba Noreen Baig started working in my previous lab with Prof. Katsuhiko Tabuchi and established in vivo microinjection and electroporation system to generate autism candidate gene transgenic model mice.

In 2012, she was awarded prestigious post-doctoral fellowship from Higher Education commission Pakistan and she joined University of Nebraska Medical Center as foreign post doctoral fellow. In UNMC she has been engaged in Prof. Woo-Yang Kim lab on autism project.

In 2013, she appointed as Assistant Professor in Department of Biological Sciences, Forman Christian College University, Lahore. Here, based on my specialization and expertise she is pursuing research in continuation of autism project in Pakistani population.

Abstract:

Neuroligins (NL) and their genetic variants were found to be strongly implicated in the pathophysiology of autistic disorders. Neuroligin-2 (NL2) is a postsynaptic cell adhesion molecule, which is predominantly expressed at inhibitory synapses and required for synapse specification and stabilization. NL2 knockout mice lacking functional NL2 were shown to result in alterations of social behaviors as well as altered inhibitory synaptic transmission, hence modifying the excitation to inhibition balance. Here, we focused on the role of NL2 in the cerebral cortex in the regulation of social behaviors. To this purpose, we designed shRNA system based sh-NL2 construct and injected in lateral ventricles of embryonic brain of mice by in utero electroporation (IUE) to knock down the expression of NL2 at transcriptional level. The effects of NL2 gene silencing were explored by analyzing the expression of NL1 to check impairment in synaptic balance. Our results suggest the synchronization of IUE and shRNA silencing technology proved to be highly successful to determine the effect of local suppression of NL2 in defined compartment cortex of brain. Despite of their confined knockdown of NL2 in the cortex, in vitro studies indicated that it is strongly disturbed normal excitation to inhibition balance. The induced synaptic imbalance in cortex critically appeared in hyperactive stereotypies and impaired social interaction of mice, which are key features of autistic like behavior.

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