NEWSLETTER    Vol. 4, No. 1   Spring/Summer 2001 Families Helping Children Reach Their Full Potential

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BOOK REVIEW:  When Everybody Cares: Case Studies Of ABA With People With Autism

The popular stereotype of the behavior analyst is that of the cold intellectual who is interested only in controlling others ...Everyone...would prefer that the behavior analyst would just stay in his or her coffin until a student is throwing furniture through the window. When all else has failed, reluctantly, someone knocks on the coffin and the behavior analyst rises up like Dracula to supply a behavior treatment plan. Having served his or her purpose, the behavior analyst returns to his or her coffin until called on again. (pp. 97-98)

            With humor, honesty and a good deal of caring, Dr. Bobby Newman, Director of Training at the Association in Manhattan for Autistic Children, Inc., takes the reader through a score of "case studies" - illustrative vignettes about the children and adults he has worked with over the years. Case studies, of course, do not constitute experimental or controlled research, and the field of autism intervention has suffered because both the providers and the recipients of many such intervention services have often muddled the two classes of information. (How many "case studies" abound about the effectiveness of bogus treatments?) But Dr. Newman's work does not fall into this trap. He clearly presents these real-life stories as examples, each exploring how a principle of behavior analysis (a field that has produced over five hundred controlled studies), or an aspect of autism happened to play out in the case of particular individuals, in particular times, places and families.

He encourages readers to draw what they can from these case histories, while emphasizing a guiding principle of any behavioral approach: Each child is different. Each program must, of necessity, be tailored to each individual child. Thus we can read about real children and young adults who may have struggled with perseveration, obsessions, direction-following, appropriate greetings, self-injury, lack of play skills, social avoidance, self-care, appropriate conversational skills, and the like, and learn about the trial and error approach that eventually helped these individuals to achieve a greater degree of self-management and independence.

What I find particularly appealing about this little book is not only the "real-life" aspect of the stories (Dr. Newman truly cares about these kids, and most likely you will, too), but the author's often self-deprecating humor, and his willingness to share his pride, joy, frustration and mistakes, warts and all. I also appreciate his attitude toward parents: he appears to assume throughout his discussions that parents are intelligent and loving - a welcome assumption, set against the historical tendency of many professionals to portray parents as incompetent, uncaring, or just plain dumb.

Are there any non-success stories? Frankly, no, but of course, that brings up the question of what constitutes "success." Newman is careful to do two things: One, to actually admit the reality of recovery, a word that gets certain members of the old guard into a sputtering rage ("Impossible! Never never never!"). Two, to emphasize that even where recovery has not occurred and may never occur, these children and young adults do achieve significant success, if success is defined as step by step progress towards independence; as maximum possible integration into a social community; as an ability to communicate one's wants, needs and desires. In each of these case studies, the child or teenager inspires us with hope, because even while the road is long, and there may be many hurdles yet to overcome, we see these young ones mastering particular challenges, one at a time, and we rejoice for them.

Problems? Maybe a few, non-essential. The author tries to speak in plain English, translating that ponderous behavioral jargon as best he can, and for the most part, he succeeds. This work can actually function as a neat little primer on some basic behavioral principles. On more than one occasion, however, the text cries out for a higher degree of professional editing than it may have received. At times, the syntax is convoluted, the grammar flat out wrong, ("who" for "whom," "lay" for "lie," etc.) and the meaning murky: The commodities from the menu, it turned out, did not occasion inappropriate behavior the way the reinforcers that the staff had selected, including verbal praise, had."

Sometimes, the text is too wordy, sometimes a bit too elliptical. For instance, we are told to use "telegraphic speech" at the beginning of a child's learning, but Dr. Newman does not go into any rationale for this recommendation. Since the anti ABA folks just love to jump on telegraphic speech as an example of how cold and mechanical behavioral analysts are, it may have been wise to include a sentence or two of explanation here. But never mind. For what I think this text can bring to anyone who cares about people with autism, these decoding challenges are a small price to pay. I would have drawn much hope and help from this book, had it been available to me when my children were in treatment.

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Editor's Note: Catherine Maurice is the well-known author of Let Me Hear Your Voice (1993) and the editor of Behavioral Intervention for Young Children With Autism (1996). She is a board member of the Association for Science in Autism Treatment (ASAT). This article first appeared in the Winter 2001 edition of ASAT's newsletter and is reprinted here with permission. An article describing ASAT's mission appeared in the Fall 1999 issue of the CT FEAT Newsletter, available online at www.ctfeat.org. If you'd like to learn more about ASAT, you can contact them at: 175 Great Neck Road, Suite 406, Great Neck, New York 11021; 516- 466-4400 or ASAT@autism-treatment.org.

HELP WANTED: ABA EMPLOYMENT

Almost every week, someone contacts CT FEAT seeking ABA-related employment information.

It may be a therapist looking for extra hours to fill out her schedule. More often, it's a family seeking a therapist for a home program.

Sometimes the inquiries come from ABA providers or public schools - seeking clients, consultants, or employees, as the case may be.

To meet the growing demand for a convenient forum where prospective employers and employees can find each other, CT FEAT has created a new employment bulletin board at the organization's web site (www.ctfeat.org).

The ABA JOB CONNECTIONS site is available free of charge. It is focused primarily on ABA-related services provided within Connecticut or in nearby parts of bordering states.

Users of the site can be listed as "service providers" (e.g. therapists or consultants) or as

"prospective employers" (e.g. families, schools, agencies).

CT FEAT does not recommend or endorse any of the employers or employees listed at the site. Nor can we verify the accuracy of the information they provide. We also reserve the right to reject any proposed listing.

Due to the tremendous demand for ABA services, many individuals make unwarranted claims of expertise in this field. Parents and schools need to educate themselves regarding the minimal qualifications that an ABA provider should have.

For more information on these qualifications, see the Guidelines for Consumers of ABA Services to Individuals With Autism published by the Association for Behavior Analysis, www.wmich.edu/aba/Autismwebfile.htm, or write to: ABA, 213 West Hall, Western Michigan University, 1201 Oliver Street, Kalamazoo, Michigan 49008-5052.

If you would like to use the CT FEAT ABA JOB CONNECTIONS service, just go to:

www.ctfeat.org/EmploymentBulletinBoard.htm and follow the instructions that appear there.

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   ABA Providers Expand Services in the Region

Most of the ABA service providers available to Connecticut children have their main offices in other states, principally New Jersey (e.g. Eden, Pyramid, and Rutgers) and California.

But in recent months two of the most prominent California- based providers, The Center for Autism and Related Disorders (C.A.R.D.) and Autism Partnership, have increased their local operations in our region.

C.A.R.D., which formerly serviced Connecticut families out of a New York state satellite office, has opened an additional office in Northampton, Massachusetts. The program supervisor for that office is Nicole Heathwood. To contact that office, write to: P.O. Box 1125, Northampton, MA 01061 or call (413) 585-9294 or (413) 585-8201. You can also visit C.A.R.D.'s web site at www.cardhq.com.

  Autism Partnership

Autism Partnership (AP) now has two senior staff residing in New York City and available to serve families in Connecticut. Services include:

1. Program Supervision/Case Management: Case supervision and staff training is provided by a program supervisor. Services include program development, evaluation and refinement, and continued training for the treatment team, including parents. Periodic consultation with one of their staff psychologists is also available.

2. Training Workshops: For families who do not live within commuting distance of New York City. The workshop includes an overview of autism, principles of ABA, demonstration of teaching techniques, hands-on training for staff and parents, and individual program recommendations for the child. Regular follow up visits will be scheduled.

    

3. School Consultation: Consultation is provided to assist schools in the education of students with autism, utilizing empirically validated, behaviorally-based methods. Consultations involve developing a plan to facilitate a student’s successful placement in the optimal educational setting. Services include identification of a

   student’s educational needs, development of specific intervention to meet those needs, and supervision and training of school personnel.

To obtain more information, you can visit AP's web site at www.autismpartnership.com. You can also choose to go directly to the page describing their New York/Connecticut operations at www.autismpartnership.com/ny-ct.htm. You can contact their main office: 200 Marina Dr. #C, Seal Beach, CA 90740; Phone: (562) 431-9293; Fax: (562) 431-8386; or send an E-mail to: ny-ct@autismpartnership.org.

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RESOURCE CENTER UPDATE

                As reported in the Fall 2000 issue of this newsletter, two talented and energetic parents have teamed up to open a resource center for parents and professionals interested in learning more about autism spectrum disorders. Stacy Hultgren (the editor of the PDD Network newsletter) and Lois Rosenwald (director of the Greater New Haven PDD support Group) are co-directors of the new "Autism Spectrum Resource Center of Connecticut (ASRC)," which plans to open an office in New Haven later this year.

The ASRC aspires to be Connecticut's first statewide resource center focused on autism. In addition to creating a library of books, videotapes, and other educational materials, the Center plans to develop various educational, training and advocacy related programs. The new organization is currently in the process of organizing a library and is soliciting donations of pertinent books, videotapes and other educational materials.

CT FEAT recently donated to ASRC all of the books listed on our "recommended reading list." (See a description of those books on pages 11-14). If you would like to make a donation to ASRC, contact the directors at: 203-272-7429 or 203-924-0457. You can write to ASRC at: 27 Broadview Road, Cheshire, CT 06410, or visit their web site at www.ct-asrc.org.

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    CT FEAT PARENT RESOURCE MEETINGS

Please visit the CT FEAT web site (www.ctfeat.org), or call the CT FEAT Hotline (860-571-3888), to request directions, check for storm cancellations, or obtain further information. Also, please note that there is no child care available.

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                According to Diane Twachtman-Cullen, she typically charges school districts "between $2500 and $3,000" per day for her services as an autism consultant (7/24/98 due process testimony). The invoice reproduced above shows that she earned $2700.00 per day for her services in a 2000 Trumbull case.

Twachtman-Cullen is a speech pathologist who holds an M.A. degree (1968) in Speech Pathology and a Ph.D. (1994) in Special Education. She and her daughter, who is also a speech pathologist, provide autism consulting services through a business they call the "Autism and Developmental Disabilities Consultation Center."

As both an "expert witness" and as a consultant, Twachtman-Cullen is a proponent of the "social pragmatic" and TEACCH models of autism intervention. She is very critical of applied behavior analysis (ABA) based treatment approaches.

In a 1998 due process case, Twachtman-Cullen testified in support of the Stamford school system's "eclectic" intervention program and against the ABA program that the parents were seeking for their child. According to Twachtman-Cullen, "I think that ABA can be used, perhaps, to teach certain kinds of things. You know, maybe shoe tying…I am not in favor of that approach as a total education approach, and I am absolutely not in favor of it for the teaching of complex language and communication skills."

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• GENERAL SESSION -- Effective Treatment

                Sigrid S. Glenn, Ph.D., BCBA, Gerald L. Smook, Ph.D., BCBA (09)

                Benedeto Vitiello, M.D. (13)

                Ronald Kallen, M.D. (16)

CCCD'S 4^TH ANNUAL BENEFIT AUCTION

For additional information, contact the Office of Development at 203-882-8810 or email grimmer@cccdinc.org. You can also visit CCCD's web site at www.cccdinc.org.

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 CONFERENCES AND SUMMER SCHOOL   Check CT FEAT’s web site, (www.ctfeat.org) for continuously updated information about local conferences, workshops, and other learning opportunities pertaining to effective treatment practices. For a comprehensive national listing of conferences on a wider range of autism related topics, visit Sacramento FEAT’s site at www.feat.org.

• ASSOCIATION FOR BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS (ABA) 27^th ANNUAL NATIONAL CONFERENCE

Friday, May 25 to Tuesday, May 29, 2001, New Orleans, Louisiana

The target audience for this conference is ABA professionals. However, many parents describe this giant annual gathering of the international ABA profession as the absolute best ABA conference imaginable. Given its comparatively sophisticated level, non-professionals probably should have some prior experience in the field. Some 25 of the sessions will be focused on autism, which is just one specialty area within the broad ABA field. These sessions will feature a combined total of more than a hundred presenters. They will address a range of autism-related treatment topics, including: social skills acquisition, precision teaching, verbal behavior, perspective taking, service delivery models, etc.

Just about every "big name" presenter in the autism field will be there, including: Tristram Smith, Bridget Taylor, Mark Sundberg, James Partington, John McEachin, Ron Leaf, Gina Green, Catherine Maurice, Mary Jane Weiss, Patricia Krantz, Doreen Granpeesheh, Anthony Castrogiovanni, Andrew Bondy, Stein Lund, and Bobby Newman. For non-members, the cost of the entire conference is $249.00, or $88.00 per day. You can learn a lot more about this amazing gathering of talent, as well as download a registration form, at the ABA web site: www.wmich.edu/aba/convention.

• EDEN INSTITUTE 7^th ANNUAL PRINCETON LECTURE SERIES: AFFECTING THE RESEARCH AND SERVICE AGENDA

Ivar Lovaas, Ph.D. (on Overview of the U.C.L.A. Young Autism Project) will be among the keynote speakers in this day-long event. Other presenters include: Jonathan Cohen, M.D., Ph.D. of Princeton University (on Imaging the Human Brain: A Window on the Mind), and Karin Nelson, M.D. from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (on Towards a Biology of Autism). Eden Director David Holmes, Ed.D., will preside over a question-and-answer panel which will include Marie Bristol-Power, Ph.D. of the National Institute of Health. The lectures take place at Princeton University and cost $130.00. For further information, contact the Eden Institute at One Eden Way, Princeton, New Jersey, 08540, at 609-987-0099 and ask for Joni, or visit their web site at www.edenservices.org

• USING EVIDENCE-BASED METHODS TO TEACH CHILDREN WITH AUTISM

This workshop is primarily geared towards professionals and paraprofessionals. It will provide practical ABA strategies for individuals working with children and adolescents in a variety of settings, including homes and special and general education classrooms. Topics will include: characteristics of autism, overview of ABA, instructional methods, early curriculum, lesson planning, generalization, motivation measuring progress, managing behavior problems, and inclusionary environments.

On June 11^th, there will be a separate half-day mini-workshop for parents providing an overview of the ABA approach and recommendations for maintaining active involvement in their child’s program. Topics covered in that workshop include: Role of Parents, Overview of ABA, Evaluating Your ABA Program, Programming for Generalization, and Working with Your School District.

The presenters are Stephen R. Anderson, Ph.D. and Patricia Egan, Ph.D. Dr. Anderson is a licensed psychologist and Board Certified Behavior Analyst who has worked and published in the autism field for more than 25 years. Dr. Egan received her Ph.D. in Developmental and Child Psychology from the University of Kansas with an emphasis in Applied Behavior Analysis and has been in the autism field for more than 20 years.

The conference costs $225.00 (lunch included) and the mini-workshop costs $30.00. Space is limited. Registration must be received by 6/1/01 or an additional $10.00 will be charged. For more information, call 716-857-1995, email abaworksinfo@aol.com, or write to ABA Works, Box 1142, Williamsville, New York 14231-1142.

• STRATEGIES FOR ENHANCING SPEECH, LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION IN CHILDREN WITH AUTISM AND RELATED DISORDERS.

Presented by the Berking county chapter of the Autism Society of America (ASA), this program is appropriate for parents of children with autism, as well as professionals in the field. The presenter is Joanne Gerenser, MA, CCC-SLP, who is the executive director of the Eden II program in Staten Island, New York. The cost is $79 ($60 for ASA members). For further information, contact the Berking County ASA at P.O. Box 6683, Reading, PA 19610, call 610-736-3739, or visit their web site at www.autismsocietyofberks.org.

• THE SUMMER INSTITUTE ON AUTISM AT LEHIGH UNIVERSITY

Lehigh University's College of Education "The Summer Institute on Autism" features national experts in the area of autism. A variety of topics will be covered, including: promoting language development, improving social skills, early intervention, inclusion, and working with families. Information will be practical and offer hands-on approaches and strategies. This institute is applicable to parents, administrators, special educators, behavior specialists, physicians, and other practitioners involved with individuals with autism.

Presenters include: Beth Glasberg, Ph.D. and Mary Jane Weiss, Ph.D. (Tuesday, July 10, 2001) on Early Intervention for Children with Autism; Bridget Taylor, Ph.D. (Wednesday, July 11, 2001) on Improving the Social Behavior of Children with Autism: Putting Research into Practice; Robert L. Koegel, Ph.D. and Lynn Koegel, Ph.D. (Thursday, July 12, 2001) on Pivotal Response Training for Children with Autism. There also will be a Parent Panel (graduate credit registrants only) (Friday, July 13, 2001).

This program is available as a graduate level course, but also may be attended on a non-credit, daily and weekly basis. This course is approved for Continuing Education credit by the Pennsylvania and New Jersey Departments of Education, and by the American Psychological Association. The continuing education may be taken on a daily basis ($95 per day) or for the entire seminar ($340). For more information, contact: Theresa Freeman, (610) 758-6563; fax (610) 758-3227; e-mail: specprog@lehigh.edu. You can also visit the web site at http://www.lehigh.edu/~specprog, or write to Lehigh University, College of Education, 111 Research Dr., Room A-219, Bethlehem, PA 18015

• AUTISM AND APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS

June 28, 2001 to August 9, 2001, New Brunswick, New Jersey

The Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center, in collaboration with the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology at Rutgers University, is offering summer graduate courses in the education of children with autism and related disorders using the principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA). These courses are for regular education teachers, special education teachers, and other school personnel seeking an introduction to, and hands on experience with, what ABA offers to students with autism.

This 6-credit sequence includes 100 hours of intensively supervised classroom experience working directly with children with autism under the guidance of master teachers. There also will be a graduate seminar focusing on conceptual and empirical underpinnings of the education of children with autism. Topics to be covered include diagnosis, assessment, the learning needs of children with autism and the special needs of the adolescent with autism. For more information, contact Ms. Jessica Curia, Division of Research and Training, Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, 25 Gibbons Circle, New Brunswick, New Jersey, 09901 - 8528; phone 732-932-3017.

• THE XYZs OF BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTION: REACHING AND TEACHING INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM

July 9 - 13, 2001 at the New Jersey Hospital Association, Princeton, NJ.

This is the tenth year anniversary of the four-day training program offered each summer by the New Jersey Center for Outreach and Services for the Autism Community (COSAC). This year's event is designed specifically for public school application and offers attendees the opportunity to earn Continuing Education Credits. The target audience consists of teachers, aides, behavioral specialists, direct-care providers, Child Study Team members, therapists and other professionals involved with individuals with autism.

The program provides a comprehensive discussion of the characteristics of autism and the principles of applied behavior analysis. The presenters include COSAC's staff, as well as invited speakers. Presentations will address the basic components of teaching skills and strategies for decreasing interfering behaviors. Didactic discussions are enhanced with opportunities for "hands-on" applications of the learned techniques.

For registration and fee information, contact COSAC's Coordinators of Professional Services: Kimberly Edwards (609 - 883-8100 x26; email kimberly.edwards@njcosac.org), or call Catherine Zane at (609 - 883-8100 x13 or send an email to catherine.zane@njcosac.org). You can write to COSAC at 1450 Parkside Avenue, Suite 22, Ewing, NJ 08638; telephone: 1-800-4-AUTISM or 609-883-8100; email: information@njcosac.org; or visit their web site at www.njautism.org/homepage.

Note: COSAC offers training opportunities throughout the year and maintains a professional mailing list. If you would like to be added, please e-mail COSAC at information@njcosac.org.     

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These are the books that CT FEAT recommends to all parents of newly-diagnosed children, as well as to others interested in learning about effective treatment practices.

• A Work in Progress: Behavioral Management Strategies and a Curriculum for Intensive Behavioral Treatment of Autism (Ron Leaf and John McEachin, Editors, DRL Books, 1999). The book's approximate cost is $42.95 and its ISBN number is 0-9665266-0-0. Probably the fastest way to obtain the book is directly from its publisher, Different Roads to Learning, at 800-853-1057.

This wonderful manual (approximately 400 pages) describes the fundamentals of intensive behavioral intervention in plain English, with clear teaching guidelines, concrete examples, and a fully developed curriculum. No other book currently available contains such an extensive curriculum or as much detailed information about ABA-based teaching techniques. Its authors are highly experienced clinicians who have decades of experience treating children with autism spectrum disorders.

The book is organized into three parts: 1) Behavioral Strategies for Teaching and Improving [the] Behavior of Autistic Children (itself consisting of 12 chapters on topics ranging from reinforcement and toilet training to strategies for shaping play and social skills); 2) The Autism Partnership Curriculum, which has about 60 skill sequences tied to five skill domains (pre-academic, communication/language, academic, social, and self-help); and 3) An Appendices section consisting of seven forms that can be used in setting up and implementing a behavioral intervention program. An extensive review of the book appeared in the Summer 1999 CT FEAT Newsletter, which is available online at www.ctfeat.org.

• Behavioral Intervention for Young Children With Autism: A Manual for Parents and Professionals (Edited by Catherine Maurice, Gina Greene and Stephen C. Luce, Pro-Ed, 1996). The book's approximate cost is $34.00 and most booksellers should be able to locate it by its ISBN number, which is: 0-89079-683-1.

If there were only one book that a parent of a newly diagnosed child should read, this is it. This book addresses most of the questions that parents have about the merits and mechanics of undertaking an Intensive Behavioral Intervention (IBI) program. There are twenty-six contributors to the volume. Many of them are among the most distinguished ABA professionals in the country (including Gina Greene, Stephen C. Luce, Bridget Ann Taylor, Ivar Lovaas, Tristram Smith, Ronald C. Huff and Raymond G. Romanczyk - all of whom have Ph.Ds). There also are contributions from four parents who share their personal experiences with doing an IBI program.

The book is divided into nine parts: 1) Introduction; 2) Choosing an Effective Treatment; 3) What to Teach; 4) How to Teach; 5) Who Should Teach; 6) Practical Support: Organizing and Funding; 7) Working With A Speech Language Pathologist; 8) Working With the Schools; 9) From the Front Lines: Parents' Questions, Parents' Voices.

 

• Teaching Developmentally Disabled Children: The ME Book (O. Ivar Lovaas, Pro-Ed, 1981). This book's approximate cost if $34.00 and most booksellers should be able to locate it by its ISBN number, which is 0-936104-78-3.

Until the publication of Behavioral Intervention for Young Children With Autism and A Work in Progress (discussed above), The ME Book was the only "parent-friendly" manual available to parents interested in providing their children with an intervention program grounded in Applied Behavior Analysis. In the twenty years since the publication of the book, the body of knowledge regarding how to effectively deliver this teaching technology to children with autism spectrum disorders has grown enormously. This welcome development has rendered some of the material in The ME Book obsolete or outdated.

Dr. Lovaas reputedly has a second edition of this book in development, which will consist of two volumes. Its publication is expected within the upcoming year. Meanwhile, especially for those parents who are not able to retain the services of qualified ABA consultants, there still is an enormous amount of useful information in this book. It is divided into seven units: 1) Basic Information; 2) Getting Ready to Learn; 3) Imitation, Matching, and Early Language; 4) Basic Self-Help Skills; 5) Intermediate Language; 6) Advanced Language; 7) Expanding Your Child's World.

• Let Me Hear Your Voice: A Family's Triumph Over Autism (Catherine Maurice, Fawcett Columbine Books, 1993). The book's approximate cost is $12.00 in paperback and most booksellers should be able to locate it by its ISBN number, which is 0-449-90664-7.

This beautifully written, moving account of a parent's quest to obtain effective treatment for her two children diagnosed with autism ignited a world wide interest in intensive ABA treatment. Previously, the research documenting the effectiveness of this approach had been little disseminated outside of academia and a handful of center based school programs. Like nearly half of all children who receive a truly optimal intensive behavioral intervention program (Ms. Maurice's lead therapist was the now famous Dr. Bridget Taylor, one of the country's most renowned ABA professionals), the Maurice children so completely remediated their impairments as to become "indistinguishable from their peers" or "recovered" from their autism. This is a wonderful book to share with family members and friends interested in understanding the emotional turmoil experienced by parents of newly diagnosed children and the extremely hard work that goes into implementing an intensive behavioral intervention program.

• Teaching Language to Children with Autism or Other Developmental Disabilities (Mark L. Sundberg, Ph.D., and James W. Partington, Ph.D.) The book's approximate cost is $43, and is available through Different Roads to Learning, www.difflearn.com, (800) 853-1057.

This book presents a language assessment and intervention program based on B.F. Skinner’s behavioral analysis of language. The first section of the book concerns preparation for language intervention. It includes a systematic assessment to determine the best place to start intervention for an individual child. It also contains information on augmentative communication. Section Two focuses on the development of initial communication skills for nonverbal children and Section Three focuses on teaching more advanced language and social skills. Section Four presents issues relevant to the implementation of a language program in a child’s natural and school environments. In addition there are a variety of data sheets and tracking forms located throughout the book. A review of this book appeared in the Fall 1999 CT FEAT Newsletter, available online at www.ctfeat.org

• The Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills (ABLLS) (James W. Partington, Ph.D. and Mark L. Sundberg, Ph.D) The book's approximate cost is $60, and is available through Different Roads to Learning, www.difflearn.com, (800) 853-1057. This is a two-part companion set to the work listed immediately above, by the same two authors. It contains an Assessment, Curriculum Guide and Skills Tracking System. The first part is the ABLLS Scoring Instructions and the IEP Development Guide. The second part is an ABLLS Protocol.

• Teach Me Language: A Language Manual for Children With Autism Asperger's Syndrome and Related Developmental Disorders (Sabrina Freeman and Lorelei Dake, SKF Books, Canada, 1996). The book's approximate cost is $53.00 and most booksellers should be able to locate it by its ISBN number, which is: 0-9657565-0-5.

This is a very "user-friendly" manual, designed for parents and therapists, which targets language weaknesses common to children with autism spectrum disorders. Though not an ABA book per se, many parents doing ABA programs find it a useful resource, especially when their children are ready for more advanced language work. Noting that this "population of children can demonstrate compliance problems when required to work on areas of weakness," the authors recommend "Lovaas type training" or "any behavioral program that brings the child to the point where s/he is table ready." This is a prerequisite for working successfully with the book's curriculum and teaching techniques.

The book's various activities and drills are "appropriate for children from kindergarten through the teenage years, with simple adaptation for cognitive level - i.e. the materials become more difficult, yet the activities remain structured in the same way." The book is divided into seven chapters: 1) Introduction; 2) Social Language; 3) General Knowledge; 4) Grammar and Syntax; 5) Advanced Language Development; 6) Academics/Language Based Concepts; 7) Therapy Schedules. You can find the entire Table of Contents, and other information about the book at the publisher's web site: http://fox.nstn.ca/~zacktam/. An extensive review of this book appeared in the Winter 2000 CT FEAT Newsletter, available online at www.ctfeat.org.

• Right From The Start: Behavioral Intervention for Young Children With Autism (Sandra Harris, Ph.D., & Mary Jane Weiss, Ph.D., Woodbine House, 1998). This book’s approximate cost is $14.95 and most booksellers should be able to locate it by its ISBN Number, which is 1-890627-02-X (pbk.).

Authors Harris and Weiss, professors at Rutgers University with decades of clinical experience treating children with autism, really get it "right" in this important new book: "Every young child who is diagnosed with a pervasive developmental disorder...should receive early and intensive behavioral intervention (IBI) services. This treatment should begin as soon as possible after the diagnosis is made." (page 8).

This concise, straightforward book addresses all of the "Frequently Asked Questions" typically posed by parents of newly diagnosed children. Its simple style and brevity (130 pages, with lots of pictures and tables) also make it a great book for school staff. As Yale University’s Fred Volkmar states, this is "a much needed guide for parents of preschool children with autism....It’s a balanced approach to a critically important topic. Parents and professionals will find it an invaluable guide." The book is divided into six chapters: 1) "An Introduction to Early Behavioral Intervention in Autism;" 2) "Does Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention Work?;" 3) "Models for Serving Children and Parents;" 4) "Home-Based Versus Center-Based Programs;" 5) "What to Teach and How to Teach It: Curriculum and Teaching Programs;" 6) "How to Identify a Quality Program."

• Targeting Autism: What We Know, Don’t Know, and Can Do to Help Young Children With Autism and Related Disorders (Shirley Cohen, University of California Press, 1998). This book’s approximate cost is $14.95 and most booksellers should be able to locate it by its ISBN number, which is 0-520-21309-2.

This book, written by a Professor of Special Education at Hunter College, provides a thoughtful and fairly balanced overview of current thinking about autism and the various approaches to treating the disorder. The book is divided into three parts: Part One: What is Autism? (with chapters titled "Meeting Autism;" "Being Autistic;" "Life Cycles;" and "Families"); Part Two: Treating Autism (with chapters titled "We Have A Dream;" "Is Lovaas the Only Game in Town? Intervention Programs for Autistic Children;" and Part Three: Looking for Cures, Recovery, and Better Lives (with chapters titled "Recovery?" and "Moving Toward Better Answers").

• When Everybody Cares: Case Studies of Applied Behavior Analysis with People with Autism (Bobby Newman, Ph.D., ISBN: 0-9668528-1-8, Dove and Orca Publishers, 1999). The book's approximate cost is $18, and is available through Different Roads to Learning, www.difflearn.com, (800) 853-1057.

This easy to read book, written by a practicing behavior analyst, consists of real life case studies demonstrating practical behavioral methods. Catherine Maurice’s enthusiastic review of the book appears on page 1 of this issue of this issue of the CT FEAT Newsletter.

 HELP CT FEAT WITH EVERY LONG-DISTANCE CALL YOU MAKE!

Do you have a SNET All Distance calling plan? If so, you can sign-up for SNET Community connections and arrange for CT FEAT to receive 5% of your long-distance bill--at no extra cost to you.

Call toll-free at 1-800-635-7638, or sign-up at www.snet.com/community; our code number is 3605. Check the brochure, enclosed in this newsletter, for additional information.

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