Message: State of the RUN

by Doug Marocco

Doug Marocco Director, RUN FOR AUTISM

This May marks the start of my fourth year as the director of the RUN FOR AUTISM. As much as things have changed over the past three years, they have also remained much the same. The RUN FOR AUTISM is still OAR’s most successful fundraising effort and the success of the program is due in large part to the efforts of hundreds of runners at numerous events across the country. It is the runner who signs up for the event, trains for the race, reaches out to his or her network and raises money for autism research. And so it goes.

Each January is a new start with goals to build a stronger team and raise more money than the year before. This year’s goal is to have a team of least 1,000 runners and raise $1,000,000. That’s an ambitious 35 percent increase over 2008.

If you think this is impossible, our short history says otherwise. In 2003, many would not have thought that what OAR has done since then was possible. In that first year, 61 runners raised over $110,000 as part of the Marine Corps Marathon, kicking off the RUN FOR AUTISM. Since then, over 1,500 runners have raised more than $1.7 million for autism research. These numbers illustrate that running can make a difference, and not just by improving the health of those who run. In OAR’s case, the RUN is the primary source of funding for new research studies and new resources each year. As the program has grown from a single race to charity partnerships with some of the nation’s most prestigious running events, the RUN FOR AUTISM team has grown with each added event, and with it, the amount of money raised for autism research and OAR.

Today, OAR’s teal shirt with the yellow sun is well-known in the running community, especially at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon and Marine Corps Marathon, where OAR has its largest teams of runners each year. As we have heard from runners who want to support us and run other races, we have expanded our program. Over the past three years, teams have run for OAR at the Chevron Houston Marathon, ING Miami Marathon, Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon, and IMT Des Moines Marathon, and in half marathon races including the New York City Half, Marine Corps Historic Half, Chicago Distance Classic, and Disneyland Half.

Last year, the RUN FOR AUTISM added two of the Rock n Roll (RNR) Series events in Virginia Beach and San Antonio. This year OAR plans to participate in RNR events across the country. As the series continues to develop new locations, anyone who wants to participate is just a drive away from a race.

If running is not challenging enough for you, we have triathlons. The TRI FOR AUTISM program, now in its third year, has attracted athletes who want not only to run but swim and bike their way through a triathlon. In 2009, OAR is the official charity of the Virginia Triathlon Series for the third year in a row, opening triathlons once again as a way to support autism research by raising money for OAR.

OAR’s newly named “i RUN FOR AUTISM” initiative offers even more possibilities for runners to join the team and raise money for the cause. In this program, individuals or teams will participate in local events. These “i RUN FOR AUTISM” ambassadors will select their races and raise money for the cause just like runners who join our teams at our charity partner events. “i RUN” ambassadors will receive the same benefits as team members in our charity partner events, including Runner’s Kits and OAR support for their training and fundraising. The “i RUN FOR AUTISM” piece is the key to expanding the RUN FOR AUTISM team and increasing the amount of money that we raise.

An important factor in reaching our goals and progressing to the next level of fundraising is maintaining a base of prior runners. We make a point to reach out to our alumni runners first each year, encouraging them to come back and bring some friends with them. They always respond in force and the firsthand testimonials they provide to friends and co-workers in their networks are invaluable.

Despite the growth of the RUN FOR AUTISM program, we take great pride in maintaining the personal touch for each runner. From initial contact to finish line greeting at our major events, we get to know our runners, learn the reasons why they have chosen to run for OAR, and support them through the challenges of training. It is this personal connection that makes our RUN events even more fulfilling and transforms a marathon, run, or triathlon from just an athletic event into an opportunity to do something for others.

 As a serious long-time runner with a 2:33:10 marathon personal best, I thought that it would be hard to be around a large race like the Chicago or Marine Corps Marathon and not participate. In fact, people often will ask me if I am running. My standard response is that I used to run, but now I am here to support them. Much to my surprise, I’ve taken to my new role as coach, fan, and cheerleader quite well. I now get to enjoy hundreds of finishes, many of them “first evers” and “personal bests,” without any of the accompanying soreness. What’s not to like about that?

In all seriousness, race days are still my favorite days, but for another very special reason. I get to meet our charity runners. Their passion is our cause, and finishing the race means more to them than their finish time. I know why many of them are running and have shared in their stories along the way. I admire them for their determination, perseverance, and will. What they do for the cause is simply amazing.

While I enjoy a place on the sidelines, I tip my hat to OAR’s team of runners every step of the way. They are the ones that train, raise money, and race. That’s why I’m honored every time I offer congratulations and hang our Finishers Medal around one of our runner’s neck. Just thinking about it, I can’t wait until the next race day!

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The 2009 OAR Conference
The Survey Says, “Great Information, Incredible Value!”

OAR is delighted to announce the speakers and topics for the seventh annual Applied Autism Research and Intervention Conference to be held October 23-24 at the Westin Arlington Gateway Hotel in Arlington, VA. According to OAR President Peter Gerhardt, Ed.D, this year’s lineup is exceptionally strong from top to bottom. Based on the results of a recent survey of past attendees, the quality of last year’s conference has raised the bar and expectations for this year. Dr. Gerhardt is confident that this conference, with its mix of timely topics and array of top-notch speakers, will set a new OAR standard for excellence.

“Two things jumped out to me from our survey,” says Dr. Gerhardt. “First, it revealed that we had a balanced mix of parents, teachers, and autism professionals. Next, it was interesting to learn that attendees made their decisions to attend based more on topics than speakers.”

Who Attends?

Unlike some autism conferences, OAR’s conference offers a mix of topics that draws individuals with diverse interests and backgrounds from across the country. According to the survey, 26 percent of past attendees identified themselves as educators, 20 percent were parents of a child or adult on the spectrum, and 22 percent were behavior analysts. Persons with ASD, researchers, speech pathologists, and students comprised the remaining 32 percent with each totaling less than 10 percent of attendees. Many of the respondents highlighted the friendly environment and networking opportunities, such as the “Meet the Speakers” reception on Friday night, as additional incentives to attend.

Not Just Another Autism Conference

One of the little known facts about OAR’s conference is that Dr. Gerhardt personally shapes the conference and identifies, screens, and invites each speaker. He considers the blend of different backgrounds when choosing speakers and topics and strives to include something for everyone, all the while adhering to the standard of evidence-based research and practice. This balance came through in the comments of one attendee, “I was expecting ‘just another autism conference’—geared mostly toward parents, in which I probably wouldn't actually learn much science. I was delighted at the quality of the speakers and the balance of researcher-/scientist-oriented talks and practitioner-/parent-oriented talks. My experience at last year's conference is THE main reason that I will attend again.”

As Dr. Gerhardt mentioned, the survey indicated that the main reason most gave for attending the conference was the conference topics. Only 7 percent reported being drawn mostly by the names of the speakers.

“The fact that attendees are drawn more by relevant topics is more revealing than it seems,” observes Dr. Gerhardt. “It tells me that name recognition is generally not something that comes with being an autism professional. More important, it strongly suggests that the people who come to our conference trust OAR to bring in only the most knowledgeable and enthusiastic presenters.”

Take-home Materials Increase ROI

The survey results highlighted the value attendees placed on OAR’s conference resource materials. Over 60 percent listed these resources as a major influence on their decision to attend the conference. Each attendee receives a conference manual complete with slides from each presenter. Attendees this year will receive a CD-ROM containing the entire Life Journey through Autism guidebook series and The Best of The OARacle, (In previous years, they received one OAR publication of their choice.)  In addition, OAR provides an audio CD to complement the conference manual for attendees’ post-conference reference and use.

One attendee respondent summed up the general feedback on the conference and its materials as follows, “[OAR hosts] extremely well- organized and executed conferences. By far one of the best. The conference manual minimizes the stress in choosing between events. I refer back to that manual and my notes frequently. It is a huge asset to attendees.”

The 2009 Conference Lineup 

The complete schedule is now finalized. Keynote speakers Jed Baker, Ph.D., Paul Wehman, Ph.D., and Daniel Openden, Ph.D., BCBA will be joined by 18 additional leading autism professionals, researchers, and experts on various subjects related to education and intervention across the lifespan for individuals with autism and their families. To view the schedule, please click here.

BCBA and ASHA CEUs

According to the survey, almost half of the persons eligible to receive continuing education credits said that it was a major factor in their decision to attend. As a result, OAR will continue to offer Continuing Education Units from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) and is exploring additional accreditation options for other professionals that work in the autism arena.

Autism Awareness Month Registration Special 

Please see “The OAR Stimulus Package” sidebar for details of OAR’s special Autism Awareness Month Registration Special. On May 1, early-bird registration will open ($75.00 for one day and $125.00 for both days) and will end on September 23, 2009, so sign up now!

For more information, visit www.researchautism.org/news/conference or contact Alyssa Kruszyna by phone (703-243-9717) or e-mail (akruszyna@researchautism.org).

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Introducing the “i RUN FOR AUTISM” Program
Run for Autism Anywhere

The RUN FOR AUTISM started in 2003 with the Marine Corps Marathon and now, entering its seventh year, has established itself as a quality program in the running community through a series of charity partnerships with a number of premier events across the country. Even as thousands of runners joined OAR for races in Chicago, Washington, DC, Houston, and New York City over the years, hundreds more people asked if they could participate in a race close to home and be part of the RUN FOR AUTISM. OAR responded with its RUN FOR AUTISM-America, a broad program that offered the opportunity for anyone to run and raise money for autism research wherever they chose. In 2009, OAR is giving the RUN FOR AUTISM-America program a makeover. It has a new name, i RUN FOR AUTISM, and a new emphasis in OAR’s overall RUN FOR AUTISM program.

“Our message wasn’t clear,” says RUN FOR AUTISM Director Doug Marocco. “And the umbrella-type name was part of the problem. i RUN helps make it more personal. That combined with a clearer message and broader outreach should make a big difference. I’m looking to have at least 250 i Runners this year.”

The Runner's Kit, given to each RUN FOR AUTISM teammember, included in the cost of registration.

The RUN FOR AUTISM-America program was created so that individuals or small teams could make any event special by joining the team and raising funds. Although many runners have participated in the RUN America, OAR’s staff continued to receive questions about how someone could join the team if they could not make it to Houston, Miami, New York, Chicago, or Washington DC. As OAR expanded RUN FOR AUTISM events to even more locations, the questions increased.

Since many of OAR’s partner events offer OAR a limited number of reserved entries, OAR has been looking for ways to expand the RUN FOR AUTISM program without taking on more charity partnerships. OAR sees the new i RUN FOR AUTISM program as having the greatest potential to do that and is actively seeking individuals or teams to participate as i RUN FOR AUTISM runners in local events across the United States.

“For many people running and fitness are part of their lifestyle,” continues Marocco. “There are literally thousands of races across the country each weekend, and locally these 5K, 10Ks, and even half-marathons attract different groups of runners. While the distances may vary, what runners enjoy in common are running with others as part of an event and doing something healthy. ”

Here’s how i RUN FOR AUTISM works. Sign up directly with the local race and register as an “i RUN FOR AUTISM” Ambassador with OAR online via www.researchautism.org/news/run or by contacting a member of the Run staff at run@researchautism.org. Registration costs $25.00, which covers the cost of the Runner’s Kit (T-shirt, race shirt, and Runner’s Guide). i Runners will raise money for the cause just like runners who join OAR’s team for its charity partner events. There is no fundraising minimum; runners that raise more than $250.00 will receive OAR’s RUN FOR AUTISM Finisher’s Medal and be eligible for tiered prizes beyond that. Just like they do for runners in major events, OAR’s staff will be available to support i Runners with training and fundraising through phone and e-mail contact.

To sign up today or find out more about “i RUN FOR AUTISM” please go to OAR’s website at: www.runforautism.org or contact OAR at run@researchautism.org or (866) 366-9710, x224.

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News from OAR

Baseball Players Plan on 100 Innings to Raise Money for OAR

Readers of The OARacle have read about a lot of marathons—the 26.2-mile version—and people running for autism over the years. Thanks to the inspiration and hard work of two players in the Greater Philadelphia Men's Adult Baseball League, baseball will become a marathon event as players and teamsfrom the league join forces to play “100 Innings for Autism” the first weekend in April to raise money for OAR. Opening ceremonies will begin at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 4, at the Villanova Field in Plymouth Meeting. The game begins at 8:30 and is expected to last two full days until 100 innings are in the books or time has expired.

The players have set a goal to raise $10,000 and are already closing in on the target with more than $8,000 raised. You can support the event and help them break that mark by donating money on behalf of aplayer who will be participating in the game. If you are in the local area, drop by day or night to take in some high-quality baseball.

For more information about the game go to www.100innings4autism.com or donate directly at: www.firstgiving.com/100inningsforautism.

One CD-ROM Gives You All of OAR’s Life Journey through Autism Guidebooks

OAR is delighted to announce the arrival of a new format for its highly popular Life Journey through Autism guidebook series – CD-ROM!

Earlier this month, OAR finished production of a CD that contains PDF versions of all of OAR’s publications to date. These include both Spanish and English versions of Life Journey through Autism: A Parent’s Guide to Research, An Educator’s Guide to Autism, An Educator’s Guide to Asperger Syndrome, and A Guide for Transition to Adulthood. A Parent’s Guide to Assessment and The Best of the OARacle are also included, but only in their original English.

This compact treasure trove of materials is all you will need to access resources for your family or classroom. Just insert into your computer to view the complete collection. The cost of each CD is $15.00. For a total of ten files, this means an average of $1.50 per guide!

To order, call Alyssa Kruszyna, Research and Programs Associate, at 703-243-9717.

Don’t Forget:

Apply for a Schwallie Family Scholarship
The Schwallie Family Scholarship application deadline is April 24. This program is now in its third year of giving deserving students on the autism spectrum financial aid to support their higher education. For more information on how to apply, go to www.researchautism.org/news/otherevents/Scholarship.asp.

Last Call for Applied Research Pre-Proposals
The Applied Research Grant pre-proposal deadline is April 3. OAR is seeking to fund research studies that will produce practical results that promise some direct benefit for learners with ASDs, their families, and related service providers. For more information, please visit www.researchautism.org/professionals/grants/index.asp.

OAR Supporter and Mother of Three Wins Award for Essay

Jen Wheeler-Morrison, an OAR volunteer and a participant in the RUN FOR AUTISM, has won the gold award in the annual Parenting Publications of America editorial and design contest. This is a national award in the “Personal Essay” category for magazines 55,000 circulation and above. Published in theChicago Parent, Wheeler-Morrison’s essay described her experience as the mother of three boys on the autism spectrum. This is what the judges had to say: “This piece is very personal, but [Wheeler-Morrison] not only writes about her life, but that of her sons and her supporters. This story is inspiring, well-written, and touches your heart.”

You can read her essay here.

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Research Reviews: Behavioral Analytic Resesarch

Among the myriad interventions that claim some degree of effectiveness with individuals with autism, interventions based upon the principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA) have the most comprehensive and sophisticated research base by far. With that in mind, this month’s article reviews present some of the latest in behavioral analytic research as published in the most recent edition of the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis.

Analysis of Task-Interspersal Procedures for Teaching Object Labels

Research has demonstrated that interspersing mastered (i.e., easy) tasks with new (i.e., hard) tasks facilitates learning under certain conditions. Little, however, is understood as to which factors may influence the effectiveness of this evidence-based intervention. In particular, many questions remain unanswered as to the impact of high-quality reinforcement for mastered tasks on the acquisition of new tasks, the distinction, if any, between improving performance on mastered tasks and enhancing the acquisition of new tasks; and the impact of types of interspersed tasks (similar versus different) presented. To attempt to answer these questions, Volkert and colleagues conducted two separate experiments.

In Experiment 1, the authors sought to examine the impact on the interspersal intervention of: 1) primary (food) reinforcers, 2) similar-versus-dissimilar materials and instructions relative to the new task, and 3) higher-quality reinforcement for correct responding on new tasks than for correct responding on mastered tasks. Subsequently, Experiment 2 evaluated the extent to which the quality of reinforcement (praise v. preferred edibles) influenced the effectiveness of the interspersal technique. In total, five children, ages 4 to 6 years old with a previously established diagnosis of autism, participated in the studies. Two of the children participated in either Experiment 1 or Experiment 2, and one child participated in both.

Experiment 1 consisted of a baseline session followed by three experimental conditions: constant, interspersal (similar), and interspersal (dissimilar). The “constant” condition sessions consisted of 10 unknown object (pictured on a card) label trials with the same object presented each time. Brief verbal praise paired with a highly preferred primary reinforcer were presented contingent on the correct response.

During the “interspersal (similar)” condition, each session consisted of 10 unknown and 10 known object labels from the same category (e.g., animals) with one unknown object and three known objects presented in each session. The interspersal (dissimilar) condition was analogous except that the known responses involved three motor tasks.

The results of Experiment 1 indicated that acquisition in the constant condition was similar to, or better than, that documented for both interspersal conditions across all participants. In addition, no differences in levels or rates of acquisition were obtained under the two interspersal conditions. As it was hypothesized that the high quality reinforcers used in Experiment 1 resulted in a “ceiling effect” for rates of acquisition, the researchers sought to control for this variable in Experiment 2. In this study, acquisition of object labels was compared across conditions when either high-quality (i.e., praise plus primary) or low-quality (brief praise only) reinforcement was provided for correct responses to unknown (new) tasks.

Overall, the results of the two experiments indicated there was no benefit to interspersing mastered tasks with new tasks when high-quality reinforcers were provided for correct unknown labels. Further, the results of Experiment 1 indicated that the type of task interspersed (similar v. dissimilar) had no effect on the interspersal procedure. In Experiment 2, however, one participant’s performance clearly improved under the interspersal condition (as compared to the constant condition) when only brief praise was delivered for correct responses.

These results suggest that the negative outcomes obtained in Experiment 1 were, indeed, due to ceiling effects and that the interspersal technique may not provide significant benefits when high-quality reinforcers are used.

Nonetheless, the authors note, broad conclusions about the effectiveness of the interspersal technique cannot be made on the basis of this study as other variables may be integral to its effectiveness. Although more research is clearly indicated, clinicians should not assume that interspersing new and unknown tasks is superior to teaching acquisition tasks alone.

Volkert, V.M., Lerman, D.C., Trosclair, N., Addison, L., & Kodak, T., (2008). An exploratory analysis of task-interspersal procedures for teaching object labels to children with autism. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 41, 355-350.

Teaching Children with Autism to Respond to and Initiate Bids for Joint Attention

Joint attention involves the coordinated sharing of attention between a social partner and an object or event in the environment, and is recognized as one of the earliest forms of communication in young children. Researchers have identified two forms of joint attention: responses to another’s bid for joint attention and bids for joint attention. From a behavior analytic perspective, three reinforcers for initiations for joint attention may be possible. These include positive reinforcement in the form of participation in the event or engagement with the item; positive reinforcement in the form of helping maximize reinforcement (e.g. providing access to a preferred toy); or negative reinforcement in the form of reduced fear or distress (e.g., assurances that the dog will not hurt you).

The purpose of the current study was to examine the effects of prompting and social (rather than tangible) reinforcement to teach children with autism to engage in three components of joint attention:  1) shift their gaze between an object and adult’s eyes, 2) vocally respond to bids for joint attention, and 3) initiate vocal bids for joint attention. Three young children with autism, ages 3 to 8 years old, participated in this investigation. A multiple baseline across participants design was used to evaluate the effects of the intervention on joint attention responding. A typical training trial (post baseline) consisted of the instructor pointing to an item and making a bid for joint attention (e.g., “look”) followed with exaggerated gestures to prompt the participant to orient toward the item. After the participant looked at the item, the instructor modeled a comment (e.g. “The doll is upside down”) for the participant to imitate and then prompted the participant to look back at the instructor. Social reinforcement (e.g., praise and tickles) was then provided for correct responding.

The results indicated that while children with autism may engage in some components of joint attention in the absence of instruction, more complex or socially governed responses (e.g., initiating bids and coordinating gaze shift) may require direct intervention. During baseline, all participants demonstrated some degree of joint attention. However, performance improved for all participants and across all measures during probe sessions once training was introduced. The authors note that the possibility exists that initiations for joint attention were, in fact, tacts (e.g., labeling an upside down umbrella) maintained by reinforcement in the form of social comments from adults and not mands (i.e. requests) for adult attending, which is an area for future research. Still, this study constitutes an important demonstration of the efficacy of interventions based upon the principles of ABA to teach significantly complex, foundational social skills.

Taylor, B.A., & Hoch, H. (2008). Teaching children with autism to respond to and initiate bids for joint attention. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 41, 377-391.

Social Stories for Students with Autism in Inclusive Classroom Settings

Social Stories™ are a popular social skills intervention for students with autism despite having a limited research base. The effectiveness of social stories has been investigated in home settings, self-contained classrooms, and playground areas but, surprisingly, not in the inclusive classroom setting. Therefore, the purpose of this investigation was to examine the impact of Social Stories™ on the social communicative behavior of two young boys with autism who were fully included in kindergarten. Both students had, or had access to, a classroom aide and demonstrated language skills that were deemed appropriate for a Social Stories™ intervention. Social Stories™ training sessions took place before the start of the school day, in private, at each student’s school. Subsequent training sessions occurred the same day during circle time and centers time within their respective classrooms.

Target behaviors for the first student included inappropriate social distancing and vocalizations, and appropriate hand raising. Target behaviors for the second student included appropriate hand raising and social initiations, and inappropriate vocalizations. Baseline consisted of hour-long sessions during which data were collected on the target behaviors.

The Social Stories™ intervention consisted of one to four individualized sessions (lasting for 10-20 minutes) per week for a total of five weeks for the first student and 10 weeks for the second student. During these sessions, each student read only those stories that pertained to the behaviors targeted for intervention on a given day. This was followed by a brief test for comprehension and role play.

The results indicated that for both students, the introduction of Social Stories™ was associated with rapid decreases in targeted inappropriate behaviors and increases in appropriate behaviors. Follow-up data indicated that behavior changes were maintained up to 10 months following the termination of the intervention. The results of this study extend the previous findings on the potential effectiveness of Social Stories™ to the inclusive kindergarten classroom. Further, it was noted that the intervention did not require intensive supervision or time for implementation and, as such, may be suitable for regular education classroom settings.

Chan, J.M., & O’Reilly, M.F., (2008). A social stories intervention package for students with autism in inclusive classroom settings. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 41, 405-409.

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Focus on OAR Research: Building Joint Attention in Children Who Use Communication Devices

Two words sum up the ultimate goal of the OAR-funded research project that Mary Jane Weiss, Ph.D., and Ivy Feldman, Ph.D., are conducting: practical relevance. “I hope that we can identify an effective way to build joint attention in children who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices. More important, I hope that we can transfer those skills across environments and to the significant people in their lives so that they can be used in the classroom, at home, or wherever they are,” explains Dr. Weiss.

While many studies have looked at using augmentative devices to make requests, not many have been done to examine the use of the devices for social uses, such as with family members in the home, says Dr. Feldman.

Dr. Weiss, director of research and training at the Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center and a research associate professor at Rutgers University in New Jersey, and Dr. Feldman, educational director at the McCarton School and a psychologist with the McCarton Center for Developmental Pediatrics, both in New York City, also hope that the study results can be used to recruit social attention and communication skills in vocal learners.

“While AAC devices have been used functionally to build manding skills, their utility in building other communicative and socio-communicative skills has lagged behind. Often, such devices are used for manding only, while other language functions receive far less attention in programming. Comprehensive communication ability, however, includes a wide variety of communicative behaviors, including commenting (tacting), conversational exchange (intraverbals), and social interaction (e.g., joint attention). It is also the case that family members are not always enthusiastic or consistent in their use of the AAC device with their family member with autism, and may not perceive all the opportunities for instruction that occur within the natural environment,” the researchers write in their proposal.

Their study may help shed light on those issues by:

• Providing some evidence of whether tacting and joint attention skills can be built with AAC devices.
• Giving instruction sequentially, in an attempt to link the related behaviors of tacting and recruitment of joint attention. If successful, this may provide some clinical guidance in how to build joint attention skills in learners using these devices.
• Increasing the focus on generalization of the skills that are established by providing instruction in the natural environment and assessing the transfer to interactions with parents.

Methodology

The four learners recruited for the study will be between the ages of 5 to 10 years old and enrolled in a full-time ABA program. This age range was chosen to maximize learning opportunities for this skill within the school program as well as to promote generalization to the natural environment with caregivers. Learners will have mastered using a high-tech device with a dynamic display and voice output (Dynavox MiniMo or MT-4 or equivalent) to string together verbs and nouns of at least two words shifting across at least two screens for requesting.

The children will be taken on 20-minute walks in the community surrounding the school with their augmentative communication devices. Researchers will measure spontaneous tacting and joint attention (commenting on stimuli in the environment, looking to the communicative partner, calling the communicative partner’s attention to “look”) and will record what kind of communication is used (i.e., gestures, verbal approximations, or the AAC device).

The training will take place in the school to increase the number of learning opportunities and to reduce extraneous variables. A page in the learners’ AAC devices will display both a look button and buttons containing objects in the environment on which the learner can comment. Initially, communicative partners will model commenting on environmental stimuli and then orient the learners to their devices. For learners who are not able to use the model prompt following five training sessions, however, a second instructor will be utilized to provide physical prompting.

Post-training sessions will be implemented in the exact same format that baseline sessions are conducted. The skills learned will then be generalized 1) to novel environments, 2) with novel people, and 3) with family members.

Outcomes

Little is understood about how augmentative devices can be used to build commenting and joint attention skills, and it is expected that results will shed some light on these broader issues. One of the more intriguing aspects of the instructional plan is to address these issues sequentially: teaching tacting, teaching tacting combined with joint attention, and increasing the sophistication of these responses. “It is our hope that we will learn whether this systematic approach to teaching these component skills and to linking them together will result in efficient and effective learning,” say Drs. Feldman and Weiss.

“Perhaps even more importantly,” they write, “we are interested in whether teaching skills such as tacting and joint attention through contrived educational experiences transfers to the natural environment. This is the essence of educational success—creating changes that are meaningful, socially significant, and occurring in natural environments. This is crucially important in this context, as evidence points to parental non-adherence and misunderstanding regarding the utility of such devices. It is likely that parents would find such skills very reinforcing in their children.”

About the Researchers

Between them, Mary Jane Weiss, Ph.D., and Ivy Feldman, Ph.D., have been working with children with disabilities for almost 50 years. Both clinical psychologists, they have found challenges and great rewards as researchers and educators.

“I was always interested in working with children. I did behavioral interventions as an undergraduate, working with a variety of children,” explains Dr. Weiss. “In graduate school, I was placed at the Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center for training experience and found working with individuals with autism compelling and rewarding.”

As the director of research and training at the Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center at Rutgers University, Dr. Weiss develops best-practice techniques for how to teach learners with autism and how to help families master applied behavior analysis (ABA) techniques, which increases their ability to cope. She is also a research associate professor at Rutgers and a member of OAR’s Scientific Council.

Dr. Feldman has been the educational director at the McCarton School in New York City since 2002 and a psychologist at the McCarton Center for Developmental Pediatrics since 1999. A small school, McCarton has 27 children with autism, ages 3 to 12, enrolled as students. “We use an integrated model of ABA, occupational therapy, and speech and language therapy,” she explains. The McCarton Foundation provides research into those areas.

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RUN FOR AUTISM News

Join Us in the Big Apple
Appear on the Big Screen in Times Square While You Run and Raise Money for OAR!

The New York Road Runners has once again selected OAR to be an official charity partner of the NYC Half Marathon. Join the RUN FOR AUTISM-New York Team at this year’s third edition of the race which will be held on August 30, 2009. The one-of-a-kind route starts with a complete loop of Central Park, exits onto 7th Avenue passing through Times Square, continues down West Highway and eventually finishes in Battery Park with a clear view of the Statue of Liberty.

Maura Hurley enjoyed her RUN FOR AUTISM through New York City's streets during last year's half marathon.

The NYC Half has become an important part of the RUN FOR AUTISM program. Its popularity among those wanting to run New York City’s streets has made it an extremely successful fundraiser for OAR. Last year, the team more than doubled in size from the inaugural year as 64 runners raised more than $77,000. Due to the team’s outstanding performance the first two years, New York Road Runners has allowed OAR to reserve an additional 25 entries so that 2009 promises to be the biggest and most successful RUN FOR AUTISM – New York team to date.

 “Our runners love this race,” said Doug Marocco, OAR’s RUN FOR AUTISM director. “OAR is thankful that runners have come out in such numbers to support the RUN FOR AUTISM – New York. We are proud to be associated with this world-class race and excited at the opportunity to build our presence even more with each passing year.

Our entries are limited so reserve your spot in the race today,” Marocco urges. Per New York Road Runner guidelines for participating charities, charity runners in this race must raise at least $1,000.00. For more information on the RUN FOR AUTISM-New York, please go to www.researchautism.org or email run@researchautism.org.

OAR Takes to Miami’s Sunny Streets

On January 24-25, the RUN FOR AUTISM returned to Miami for the third straight year, thanks again to the leadership of OAR supporters Rod and Susan Lauredo. The ING Miami Marathon and accompanying half marathon offers a winter escape for those living in colder parts of the country while offering local runners cooler conditions than any other time of the year.

The starting gun goes off at 6:15 a.m., sending the crowd of 12,000 runners to the streets before the sun comes up. Once it does, runners enjoy a scenic course along South Beach, down the historic Venetian Causeway, and through the Art Deco architecture district before sending the half marathon runners to finish and the marathon runners out for 13 more miles in the Coconut Grove District.

Although the RUN FOR AUTISM team was smaller than in past years, it still raised $5,000, led by first-time runners, Mike and Allie Estevez, Orlando Cabrera, and Mickey Keenan, who all look forward to being part of a bigger team next year.

OAR is especially grateful to the Lauredos for representing OAR at the pre-race Health and Fitness Expo. They met this year’s team members and provided information about OAR to the local community to expand OAR’s presence in Miami.

As the top fundraiser in Miami each of the past three years, Rod once again completed the Miami Marathon making it six for six for him since the marathon began. He will join the RUN FOR AUTISM-Cleveland team on May 17 to continue his fundraising efforts and build on his already impressive Miami success.

For more information on how to be part of the 2010 Miami team or anything else concerning the RUN FOR AUTISM, contact OAR by email: run@researchautism.org or by phone at: 1-866-366-9710. Find us on the web at: www.runforautism.org.

Sign Up Early for the Chicago and Marine Corps Marathons!

If you want to run for OAR in the Bank of America Chicago Marathon or the Marine Corps Marathon, sign up early. Chicago is already half full and on pace to close even earlier than last year (April 23). The Marine Corps Marathon (MCM) is expected to close within a week after it opens for public registration, which is on April 1.

In either case, if you sign up today, you can be sure of a guaranteed entry.

The October races in Chicago and Washington, D.C. (the MCM) offer the most complete RUN FOR AUTISM experience. Consider joining the team at the Chicago or Marine Corps Marathon/10k in October. Each race features a world-class event with a special Runner’s Recognition Dinner and a pre/post race charity village tent to celebrate your finish. Join the team today!

For more information go to www.runforautism.org

Come What May, Rev. Grace Will Run for OAR and His Son

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Rev. Jimmy Grace has found a way to combine his love for his son with his love of running through OAR's RUN FOR AUTISM.

“Autism has touched my life, and the life of my family. My oldest son, James, was diagnosed with a form of autism, and together my wife and I are doing all that is in our power to help him,” says the Reverend Jimmy Grace, a Houston, TX, resident. For Rev. Grace, doing everything he can includes running as part of the RUN FOR AUTISM. His first marathon was the Chevron Houston Marathon in 2008. “Participating in the RUN gives me a way to combine my passion for running with something more personal,” he explains.

After that first year in Houston, Rev. Grace was hooked on the cause, the team, and the city of Houston. “I love the Houston Marathon. It’s a wonderful way to see the city, and I always enjoy seeing friends and family along the course,” he says. Rev. Grace is so dedicated to OAR that he served as a representative for the organization at the Houston Run for a Reason Awards Ceremony in 2008.

Though he ran cross-country in high school, Rev. Grace didn’t run as an adult until 2002. That was the year he ran his first marathon with a large charity marathon training program. After his son was diagnosed with autism, he found out about OAR and has run for OAR ever since, training between 30 and 35 miles per week to prepare for the challenge of a marathon.

The Chevron Houston Marathon is an increasingly popular winter event. The 2009 event featured a record 18,000 participants and sold out six months in advance of the January 18 start date. While part of the attraction is certainly the warm weather and flat course, the exceptional support the organizing committee provides to each individual participant is a reason why people like Rev. Grace keep returning year after year. OAR’s presence at the event continues to grow, and the 2009 RUN FOR AUTISM – Houston team consisted of 17 runners raising over $22,000.

Rev. Grace has enjoyed his charity running experience and has raised nearly $18,000 for OAR, thanks to the generosity of his network. “This is one way that I hope to help not only James,” he says “but all those who share this in common with him, their loved ones, and their friends and families.”

To join Rev. Grace for Houston 2010, you can search for his fundraising Web site after July 17 at www.firstgiving.com/oar

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PROFILE: Healthy, Safe, Productive: What Broward County Wants for All of Its Children

“If Broward County was a city, it would be the sixth largest city in the United States,” notes Herm Fishbein, Ed.D, special needs project manager at the Children’s Services Council (CSC) of Broward County, Florida. “We have close to 300,000 kids in the public school system, and about 35,000 of those kids have special needs.”

The CSC serves all of those children, from birth through 18, or, in the case of children with disabilities, through age 22. Created by voters in September of 2000, the CSC is financed by property taxes, which costs the average taxpayer about $40 a year, the cost of a family movie. Those tax dollars are solely dedicated to providing money for a wide variety of programs designed to help every child lead a healthy, safe, and productive life and delivered by over 250 “provider” agencies throughout the county.

Interns Peter Alvarez, Evelyn Yousuf, and Jennifer Imerbsin worked with job coach Tonya Lee Jenkins during their summer jobs at Memorial Hospital West (Photo by Jon Kent)

In 2005, to meet the needs of families with children with disabilities, the CSC created a Special Needs Advisory Committee (SNAC). The SNAC oversees services for children and youth with developmental, physical, and multiple disabilities. Youth with disabilities who are in foster care, are targeted for services, as well. “Often, parents perceived that the needs of their child with, say, Downs Syndrome were at odds or in competition with the needs of a child on the autism spectrum,” explains Dr. Fishbein. “But we tried to find commonalties and to provide services that would be available and useful to everyone. And those commonalities were many in the area of transition services.”

Committee members include representatives from the school system, the superintendent among them; county government; nonprofit organizations; hospital systems; the foster child network; and parents of children with disabilities and young people with disabilities. Including parents and people with disabilities on the SNAC brought everyone together to work on common needs, Dr. Fishbein says. Rather than breaking up the committee by disability, subcommittees were created according to age groups: birth through age 5, 6 to 12, 13 to 15, and 16 to 22.

Stepping Up

Today, families and their children with disabilities benefit from a number of services provided by the CSC. Those services include a 2-1-1 hotline number that offers an entry point into services offered by Broward County as well as information. Two experts deal with inquiries and keep a database of programs, services, practitioners, schools, and other resources updated.

Another program offered by the CSC is the MOST ( Maximizing Out of School Time) program, which provides after-school services and supports to hundreds of elementary school students with disabilities, many in inclusionary settings.

After a CSC-sponsored assessment of needs indicated the greatest need was for transitional services, the CSC created three programs to stem the tide of young people leaving the school system without anything to go on to. “Approximately 900 kids with special needs were leaving school each year and very few of those were going on to successful employment,” Dr. Fishbein says.

The Learning Independence thru Focused Transition (LIFT) program provides after-school and summer programs to increase the ability of adolescents (ages 16 to 22) to master social skills, daily living, and employment skills. Using hands-on transitional learning experiences, which range from paid internships to cultural activities (going to musical performances, museums, etc.), LIFT gives young people with special needs the education and experiences they need to move into jobs and independence.

STEPS is a community-based program that offers supported employment opportunities during the school year on days and times that do not conflict with LIFT programming. Participating students work three hours a week with the support of a full-time job coach.

Summer STEPS offers paid internships (five days a week, six hours per day) with full-time job coach support for eight weeks. “The kids work at all kinds of places, from private companies to nonprofit organizations.” Sites included the CSC itself as well as hotels, animal shelters, retail stores, hospitals, day camps, and technical schools. Participants benefit not only from learning job skills but also building their independence, Dr. Fishbein says. “For example, part of the program enabled youth to take public transportation to work.”

Erik Aguirre worked at the SPCA Wildlife Care Center during his summer internship. (Photo by Jon Kent)

“Participants are not doing menial labor,” Dr. Fishbein explains. “For example, four of the young people in the program worked at the CSC this past summer. One worked for the IT department, updating computers, assisting with installations and installing and monitoring software; another worked for the Early Learning Coalition and did filing, labeling, and general clerical tasks; a third worked for the Public Relations/Organizational Development Department and prepared brochures, wrote copy, prepared information packets and assisted on PR projects; the fourth intern worked for the Special Needs department, reviewing program monitoring reports and doing filing, collating, shredding, and data entry. About 40 percent of the young people in the STEPS program are on the autism spectrum, according to Dr. Fishbein. “At the end of the year, there’s an annual event to recognize the employers. Last year, one of the kids with autism gave a speech and told the audience that when he got his paycheck, the first thing he did with the money was to take his parents out to dinner.”

Stephanie Rector enjoyed her summer internship at the SPCA Wildlife Care Center (Photo by Jon Kent)

The paychecks are an important facet of the program beyond what they can offer the participants financially. “Getting paid means they also learn banking and budgeting skills, Dr. Fishbein notes. “They see the value of a dollar and learn how to manage the money they make.”

Project SEARCH, a new program, helps young people who need more support to find employment. Designed to provide hospital jobs, it's a partnership between CSC, Broward Schools, Memorial Healthcare (Miramar Hospital), and the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation. “We opened the first site this year at a local hospital with 10 students, ages 18 to 22. Of those 10, four were offered full-time employment when they graduate from school,” he explains. SNAC plans to expand the program to three more sites in the next school year.

Since the creation of the STEPS program, close to 250 youth with disabilities have been placed in full-time paid summer employment.  Enrollment in LIFT has been around 125 per year.

Through a county-wide training collaborative, CSC also offers professional trainings in the community.  Last year, 1,265 individuals received special education-related training, including inclusion training, compared to 65 trained prior to the SNAC ‘s creation. 

Those numbers are shining examples of what can happen when everyone, from local government to parents and children, works together to get needed services to the people who need them.

You can learn more about the Children’s Services Council Special Needs Advisory Committee at http://www.cscbroward.org/NewsStory.aspx?id=42429.

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