ASPEN provides families and individuals whose lives are affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders (Asperger Syndrome, Pervasive Developmental Disorder-NOS, High Functioning Autism), and Nonverbal Learning Disabilities with education about the issues surrounding the disorders, support, and advocacy. ASPEN is a national volunteer 501(c)3 non-profit organization with headquarters in New Jersey.
The Learning Disabilities Association (LDA) of America website includes information and resources on learning disabilities, including those involoving a social component, such as autism and Asperger syndrome. LDA is dedicated to a world in which
all individuals with learning disabilities are empowered to thrive and participate fully in society;
the incidence of learning disabilities is reduced; and
learning disabilities are universally understood and effectively addressed.
A Social Story is a process that results in a product for a person with an autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). First, as a process, a Social Story requires consideration of – and respect for – the perspective of the person with ASD. A Social Story is a short story – defined by specific characteristics - that describes a situation, concept, or social skill using a format that is meaningful for people with ASD. The result is often renewed sensitivity of others to the experience of the person with ASD, and an improvement in the response of the person with ASD.
The Gray Center for Social Learning and Understanding is a non-profit organization dedicated to individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and those who work alongside them to improve mutual understanding. We approach the social impairment in ASD as a shared impairment. We work to improve social understanding on both sides of the social equation, helping both persons with ASD and those who are considered to be 'normal' to be able to communicate.
This volume sifts through the latest developments in theory and research, discussing key diagnostic and conceptual issues and reviewing what is known about behavioral features and neurobiology. The effects of AS on social development, learning, and communication are examined, and chapters illuminate the challenges that individuals with AS face in the family context, in school, and in other settings.
This book uncovers the puzzling behavior by children and youths with Asperger Syndrome (AS) that have a sensory base and, therefore, are often difficult to pinpoint and interpret. The book reviews formal and informal assessment tools, offers interventions for parents and educators, and covers the impact of the sensory system on behavior.
This book, by Richard L. Simpson and Brenda Smith Myles, details the characteristics of Asperger’s Syndrome and its effect on those living with the disease. The book focuses on the diversified needs of children with Asperger’s Syndrome and includes stories and strategies from real families of several individuals who have Asperger's.
This book is a guide for teachers and anyone else working with children with Asperger’s Syndrome. Authors Val Cumine, Julia Leach, Gill Stevenson and Burnley Stevenson offer a comprehensive guide that outlines the characteristics of this disease and the effect it has on a child’s education. This book offers strategies for classroom intervention and behavioral challenges that children with Asperger’s Syndrome may present.
This book, by Tony Attwood, serves as a guide on the many aspects of Asperger’s Syndrome, including the unusual characteristics of the syndrome and strategies to reduce those that are the most debilitating. By including case studies from his own practical experience, Attwood offers many examples and quotations from people with Asperger's syndrome.
Designed for children with high-functioning autism or Asperger's Syndrome (AS), this workbook by Catherine Faherty promotes self-awareness in children and helps make efforts to remove the stigma often associated with Asperger's.
Uta Frith, the editor of this book, explains on page 1, "Asperger's pioneering paper published in 1944 is part of the classic literature of child psychiatry, and a landmark in the development of the concept of autism...This volume makes a start in answering some of the questions that are now being asked. It contains a translation of Asperger's 1944 paper, and in addition, presents reviews of current concepts of autism."
Planning for college can be one of the biggest moments in a teen’s life, but for those students with learning and other disabilities, the college experience can be fraught with frustration, uncertainty, and lowered self-confidence. Written by Cynthia G. Simpson, Ph.D. and Vicky G. Spencer, Ph.D., this book offers teens the confidence, strategies, and guidance they need to effectively choose a college, get prepared for university life, and make the most of their collegiate experience. Special sections also discuss ADHD and Asperger’s syndrome. Click here to read a review of this book.
Presented in an easy to read format, this book by Temple Grandin and Kate Duffy focuses on using one's strengths, natural talents, and special interests to gain employment and lead successful lives.
This book provides an insight into the challenges and benefits specific to gifted children with attention difficulties. Explaining why certain children are gifted and how giftedness is manifested, each chapter addresses the relevance for children with AD/HD, autism and Asperger Syndrome.
Like other twice-exceptional children, gifted children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are sometimes forced to choose between addressing the concerns of one exceptionality over another, but this is occurring less and less as dedicated teachers and informed parents collaborate to create environments and programming that supports the child’s individual profile of abilities. Written by Maureen Neihart, Psy.D. and Kenneth Poon, Ph.D. , this book describes instructional and behavior management strategies for the most common challenges teachers face with gifted children with ASD so that the abilities of these children can be developed to their fullest potential.
Written by Stephen Norwicki, Jr. Ph.D. and Marshall P. Duke, Ph.D., this book aims to help children who are "square pegs" in social circles. The authors, both of whom are clinical psychologists, offer parents strategies for helping their child improve his/her social relationships through improved non-verbal communication skills. Chapter titles include: Use of space and touch, gestures and postures, facial expressions, and the like.
Written by six experts in the field, this award-winning book discusses the importance of identifying giftedness and understanding how the characteristics of being gifted are often similar to those used to diagnosis disorders such as ADHD, ODD, Bipolar, OCD, Autism, or Asperger’s. This book outlines steps for successfully identifying the differences between giftedness and disorders. Click here to read a review of this book.
This book by Liane Holliday Willey provides guidance for those with Asperger's Syndrome (AS) on how and who to tell about their AS, how to survive college, what employment options might be suitable and more.
In this book, authors Stephan M. Silverman and Rich Weinfeld, cover topics such as recognizing and diagnosing Asperger's syndrome, addressing the needs of students with Asperger's, and providing interventions in the home to help develop needed skills.
This book by Janet Price and Jennifer Engel Fisher is a unique handbook for kids and teens on living successful lives with these disorders by taking control of their strengths to overcome their weaknesses. Drawing on their experiences as parents and teachers of students with Asperger's syndrome (AS) and Nonverbal Learning Disorder (NLD), the authors provide tips on understanding the disorders, living with the symptoms, succeeding in school, completing homework, talking to others about strengths and needs, making friends and socializing, and using technology to connect with other kids and teens with these disorders.
Scientific studies show that up to 90 percent of any message is communicated nonverbally, and that nonverbal skills relate directly to academic achievement and social success. Fortunately, nonverbal communication can be both taught and learned, just like any other language. This book is a useful tool for parents and teachers who are interested in helping their children develop nonverbal skills.
A parenting book for those who have kids ages 3 to 13, this is a guide offering advice for dealing with children's difficult behavior and hot button issues including biting, tantrums, cheating, bad friends, inappropriate clothing, bullying, sex, drugs, peer pressure and much more. Each of the 101 challenging parenting issues includes specific step-by-step solutions and advice that is age appropriate. Chapter 7, titled "Special Needs", features information on ADD, Autism, Gifted, Learning Disabilities and more.
This Council for Exceptional Children article discusses the relationship between Asperger's Syndrome (AS) and giftedness in children. The authors give a clear description of AS's characteristics, how to distinguish it from giftedness and how students can sometimes have both traits. There is also a great deal of advice on how parents and teachers can best accommodate these twice-exceptional students.
Developed by the Belin-Blank Center, this information packet is designed for professionals working in the field of gifted education. It covers the relationship between giftedness and autism, as well as other twice-exceptional issues.
Dr. Tony Atwood summarizes Asperger Syndrome in this article chronicling the history of the syndorme, which has more recently been classified as an autistic spectrum disorder. Children and adults with Asperger’s Syndrome have an intellectual capacity within the normal range, but have a distinct profile of abilities that has been apparent since early childhood.
This website is home to a bi-monthly publication about twice-exceptional children -- those who are gifted and have learning or attention difficulties. Readers will find book reviews, products and profiles of experts, service providers, websites, and email discussion lists. Additional features include news from the 2e field, such as conference coverage, new research findings, information on new medications and a survey that 2e: Twice-Exceptional Newsletter conducted about the needs of gifted kids who also have learning difficulties such as AD/HD, Asperger’s, dyslexia, etc.
Hampshire Country School is a private boarding school for boys ages 9-15, located in Rindge, New Hampshire. The school is for boys of high ability who need a personal environment with an unusual amount of adult attention and structure. Hampshire Country School can provide appropriate structure and support for certain students with nonverbal learning disabilities, Tourette Syndrome, ADHD, Asperger Syndrome, and other disorders; but it is not a treatment program. It is designed instead to involve and educate the bright, active, and interested side of each child rather than to dwell on the student's limitations and difficulties.
For nearly 35 years, the Center for Spectrum Services (formerly known as The Children’s Annex) has been improving the lives of people with autism. The Spectrum Services Clinic now offers diagnostic evaluations for people of all ages. It provides training for parents and professionals, consults to schools and agencies as well as social skills groups and counseling for children and adolescents with high-functioning autism and Asperger Syndrome.
The Spectrum Academy is a non-profit organization and is Utah's first charter school that implements research-based teaching methods to accommodate children with Asperger’s Syndrome, high functioning Autism, communication disorders, and sensory integration disorders.
This software can be used by children, adults and therapists in treating a variety of speech, communication, and cognitive impairments.
Magination Press publishes innovative books that help children deal with challenges and problems they face growing up. These books deal with topics ranging from the everyday—starting school, shyness, normal fears, and a new baby in the house—to more serious problems, such as divorce, attention deficit disorder, depression, serious injury or illness, autism, trauma, death, and much more.
This blog, maintained by the publishers of the 2e: Twice-Exceptional Newsletter, shares news, events, and resources found by researchers in the area of twice-exceptionality. The 2e: Twice-Exceptional Newsletter is a bi-monthly electronic publication for those who raise, educate, and counsel high-ability children with learning issues such as AD/HD, dyslexia, Asperger's, and so forth.
This website, by R. Kaan Ozbayrak, MD, provides information on Asperger's Disorder, including diagnostic criteria and treatment options. The website also offers a book list, information about meeting the challenges of adolescences and a list of 126 US clinicians who evaluate individuals with Asperger's Disorder.
Autism and Asperger Research Reports is a website that provides parents, families, and other interested parties with selected published research studies in the medical literature on autism and Asperger syndrome. The information provided on autism and Asperger syndrome are summaries of the research findings provided in layman's terms. They are for informational purposes only, and are not interpretation of findings.
Autism Today aims to be a creative, interactive, one-stop shop where you can find everything you need to navigate the maze of ASD-related information. Though many websites endeavor to do this, Karen Simmons developed a vision to put meaningful information right at your fingertips so that your decision-making around autism-related issues results in better conditions and clearer communications for everyone involved.
The NSTTAC helps states build capacity to support and improve transition planning, services, and outcomes for youth with disabilities and disseminate information. It also provides technical assistance on scientifically-based research practices, with an emphasis on building and sustaining state-level infrastructures of support for youth with disabilities.
Neurolearning is using knowledge about a child's unique brain-related strengths and learning differences to develop strategies for successful learning. Neurolearning is for all learners - gifted, visual, and auditory learners, children with dyslexia, attention deficit disorders, and those with special challenges like extreme prematurity, autism spectrum disorders, or difficulties related to impaired visual, auditory, or sensory processing.
Online Asperger Syndrome Information and Support (OASIS) center has joined with MAAP Services for Autism and Asperger Syndrome to create a single resource for families, individuals, and medical professionals who deal with the challenges of Asperger Syndrome, Autism, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder / Not Otherwise Specified (PDD/NOS). This web site provides articles, educational resources, links to local, national and international support groups, sources of professional help, lists of camps and schools, conference information, recommended reading, and moderated support message boards.
This article discusses some of the decisions and difficulties that people with autism are faced with when they decide to go to college. Also included are links to additional information and resources.
This language-free format makes the TONI3 ideal for evaluating subjects who are difficult to test with confidence or precision. It is particularly well suited for individuals who are known or believed to have disorders of communication or thinking such as aphasia, dyslexia, language disabilities, learning disabilities, speech problems, specific academic deficits, and similar conditions that may be the result of mental retardation, deafness, developmental disabilities, autism, cerebral palsy, stroke, disease, head injury, or other neurological impairment.
Abilities Tested: Intelligence, Aptitude, Abstract Reasoning, Problem Solving