Teaching Individuals with Autism and Developmental Disabilities Focus of April 20 Conference Here
Released: 4/13/2007
Human service professionals, teachers, parents, students and
those involved in the education of children and adults with autism or
other developmental disabilities will gather at SUNY Cortland on
Friday, April 20. The 15th annual Conference on Improving
Teaching and Learning in Central New York will run from 8:45 a.m.-4
p.m. in Corey Union. Registration will begin at 8 a.m. The
conference, on the theme this year of behavior, communication and
learning with individuals with autism and developmental disabilities,
will feature nationally recognized presenters in these fields, as
follows: • David P. Wacker, a professor of pediatrics and
special education at the University of Iowa and director of two
outpatient clinic services for children and adults with disabilities
who engage in severe problem behavior, will speak on “Functional
Analysis of Destructive Behavior” in a morning plenary session and
“Implementing Functional Analysis and Functional Communication Training
in Home Settings” in an afternoon, concurrent session. • Joseph
Reichle, a professor in the department of Speech-Language-Hearing
Sciences at the University of Minnesota, will address “Communication
Challenges for Individuals Who Experience Autism Spectrum Disorders”
during a morning plenary presentation and “Teaching a Range of
Beginning Communication Skills to Individuals who Experience Severe
Disabilities Associated with Autism” during the afternoon, concurrent
session. • Dana Battaglia, a speech pathologist and outreach
specialist at Eden II/The Genesis School, and Mary McDonald, the
associate executive director of Long Island services for Eden II
Programs, will discuss “The Use of Video and Computer Technology with
Individuals with Autism“ during an afternoon, concurrent session.
A poster session from 11:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m. will feature a book table
and films. An afternoon panel discussion will wrap up the
mini-conference. Walk-in registration is available, although
lunch cannot be guaranteed for walk-in participants. A preliminary
program may be obtained at www.setrc.org or by contacting Michael Friga
of Tioga-Seneca-Tompkins (TST) Board of Cooperative Educational
Services (BOCES) at (607) 257-1555, ext. 454. Full-day and
half-day conference options are offered. The full-day cost for
professionals and paraprofessionals to attend with continental
breakfast and hot buffet lunch is . The half day without lunch is
. For parents and direct care providers, the full-day cost is
and the half-day is . For students, the full-day is , the
half-day is and the full-day without lunch is . There is not
cost for SUNY Cortland students, but lunch is not included.
Parking for participants is available at the Park Center with a campus
shuttle bus running every 15 minutes to Corey Union. Participants
should allow extra time to ensure that they arrive in time.
“Autism is such an important issue in society these days, posing many
problems for parents and professionals,” said Paul D. Luyben, an
associate professor of psychology at SUNY Cortland and a conference
co-organizer with David Wissink, executive director of Exceptional
Family Resources in Syracuse, N.Y.; Friga; and Karen Fried of the
Franziska Racker Center. “Language and difficult behaviors are
serious problems that we face every day,” Luyben said. “We believe this
conference will give professionals and parents greater understanding of
how to teach language, and how to manage difficult behavior in
constructive ways. The conference this year focuses on understanding
and teaching communication skills to people with autism which,
importantly, includes methods to handle destructive and disruptive
behavior. “Dr. Wacker will be showing parents and professionals
how to figure out why difficult and destructive behavior occurs, and
how to help children and adults learn more appropriate ways to express
themselves. Dr. Reichle will emphasize teaching language and functional
communication skills, while Battaglia and Dr. McDonald will describe
ways to use computers and other technologies in teaching children with
autism.” The conference is sponsored by the College’s Psychology
Department, Exceptional Family Resources, the TST BOCES Special
Education Training Resource Center (SETRC), and the Franziska Racker
Centers. For more information, contact Luyben at (607) 753-2042 or at
luybenp@cortland.edu.