# ASD World - Complete LLM Index
Title: ASD World
Tagline: Helping Parents Help Kids
Description: Helping Parents Help Kids - Musings, IEP guidance, and resources by Rick Colosimo
URL: https://asdworld.com

## Author Information
Name: Rick Colosimo
Email: rick@thoughtstorm.com
Phone: 201.632.1357
Address: Ridgewood, NJ 07450

## Complete Post Catalog

### When should you separate businesses?
- Date: February 25, 2022
- URL: https://asdworld.com/when-should-you-separate-businesses/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: strategy
- Excerpt: Sometimes, a company develops a new line of business that isn’t obviously part of the existing business. The question soon arises whether to separate the new business, and how to do it. Here are some basic ways of separating a business so that it’s more separate from an existing business: Putting it in a separate…


### Placebo effect and autism
- Date: January 16, 2019
- URL: https://asdworld.com/placebo-effect-and-autism/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: research
- Excerpt: We all know about the placebo effect, but we don’t really know how it works. It does seem, however, that there’s some mental element to the placebo effect, even to the point that recent studies show that if patients know they are getting a placebo (no double-blind there!), they still exhibit a placebo effect. A…


### What does creating employment for ASD adults look like?
- Date: July 17, 2017
- URL: https://asdworld.com/what-does-creating-employment-for-asd-adults-look-like/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: 
- Excerpt: What does creating employment for ASD adults look like? This short film, Employing the Full Spectrum tells the story of a family in Florida that built a car wash business around their adult son with autism. Most of the employees, in fact, are on the spectrum. The young men working there talk about what it…


### Six Flags NJ – bring a doctor note
- Date: October 7, 2015
- URL: https://asdworld.com/six-flags-nj-bring-a-doctor-note/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: community, coping, NJ
- Excerpt: This summer, I finally managed to stop in at the guest services building (which is not the main guest services, so ask first before you wait in the line) at Six Flags in Jackson, NJ. I picked up the Equal Access Pass for my son with ASD. The process was super-fast and painless. The pass…


### Non-jobs for people with autism
- Date: October 30, 2013
- URL: https://asdworld.com/non-jobs-for-people-with-autism/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: community, independence, technology, work
- Excerpt: As many of you know, my son with autism is still a young child. But already I see that I am more and more thinking about the next 80 years of his life. I am aware (not ready to resign myself to ANYTHING at this point or any other, ever) that his life may be…


### Autism Speaks housing survey – responses needed
- Date: July 31, 2013
- URL: https://asdworld.com/autism-speaks-housing-survey-responses-needed/
- Categories: Events
- Tags: housing, survey
- Excerpt: Autism Speaks is seeking responses to this housing surgery from people with autism aged 14 and up – and their caregivers. Take the Autism Speaks Housing and Residential Supports Survey to share your needs and hopes for the future! Complete it for a chance to win a FREE iPad! https://www.autismspeaks.org/housing-survey


### What chores does your child do?
- Date: July 19, 2013
- URL: https://asdworld.com/what-chores-does-your-child-do/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: family, independence, self-care, self-reliance
- Excerpt: I just came across this article about a boy whose family has integrated him into family chores in the classic ABA model: harnessing natural motivations, creating discrete tasks, and implementing positive reinforcement, both tangible and social. My older son is 8, and he’s certainly capable of many things. But I haven’t formalized the chores for…


### Pathway to individualized therapies
- Date: June 10, 2013
- URL: https://asdworld.com/pathway-to-individualized-therapies/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: diagnosis, IEP, research-based, treatments
- Excerpt: While the I in “IEP” mean “individual,” many parents question how individualized educational and treatment programs are. When every child in a class has the same amount of classroom time, PT, OT, and speech therapy, they wonder where the I comes in. One problem I see as a parent is what seems to be a…


### World Autism Awareness Day 2013
- Date: April 2, 2013
- URL: https://asdworld.com/world-autism-awareness-day-2013/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: autism
- Excerpt: Today is World Autism Awareness day. My Facebook profile picture is my 8yo son Dylan, showing you, and me, what he thinks of autism. I imagine it’s something along the lines of “I just want to do what I want and have fun like every other boy. Sometimes it’s just hard.” Other times I imagine…


### Thanks, Ridgewood Soccer!
- Date: January 1, 2013
- URL: https://asdworld.com/thanks-ridgewood-soccer/
- Categories: Events
- Tags: community, inclusion, sports
- Excerpt: Summer is well past over, and one hurricane, one Fall season, and a few major holidays later, there’s finally some time to think about it.   I’d like to say thanks to the Ridgewood Soccer Association, which runs a special needs soccer program alongside the large program for typical kids in town. What made this special…


### Damn, science!
- Date: May 26, 2012
- URL: https://asdworld.com/damn-science/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: science, soapbox
- Excerpt: I really love this site; she’s got a way of focusing on clarity of communication.   Damn, science!   Yes, I know that many parents don’t agree, many more worry, and even more are questioning. Some of those are people I personally like and respect. Feel free to sound off in the comments if you…


### More thoughts on prevalence & DSM-V
- Date: May 16, 2012
- URL: https://asdworld.com/more-thoughts-on-prevalence-dsm-v/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: 
- Excerpt: Here are two more reviews/discussions of the CDC prevalence report from sources I believe to be intelligible, authoritative, and well-meaning, as opposed to fear-mongering, uninformed, and unskilled). The Autism Science Foundation describes the basics of the report in cogent language and provides a little education along the way, helping the reader understand what is being…


### Autism costs more than money
- Date: May 4, 2012
- URL: https://asdworld.com/autism-costs-more-than-money/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: coping, cost, explaining
- Excerpt: Here’s a short CNN piece reflecting on the costs of autism. It’s not news to those of us who’ve been living with it, but I’m sure it will surprise the heck out of those friends of yours and mine who don’t know the numbers. But there’s another poignant moment in this piece that is…


### Get dinner in Glen Rock NJ on May 2 and support Autism Speaks for free
- Date: May 1, 2012
- URL: https://asdworld.com/get-dinner-in-glen-rock-nj-on-may-2-and-support-autism-speaks-for-free/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: 
- Excerpt: My friend Christina Peck is helping out with a fundraising event at Francesca’s in Glen Rock on Wednesday, May 2. Every order leads to a donation to Autism Speaks. Christina is a very involved parent who has helped many families with her book, Blessed with Autism. I’ll be there, and you might as well too.…


### Recent ASD developments
- Date: April 30, 2012
- URL: https://asdworld.com/recent-asd-developments/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: 
- Excerpt: It’s time once again for the GoTheDistance for Autism bike event in north Jersey. My son can now ride without training wheels, so please support him here: https://tinyurl.com/DylanTrain (opens in new tab) We’ve all been busy digesting new incidence/prevalence numbers, new DSM criteria, fundraising, and, of course, IEP season. Here are some highlights: AutismNJ wrote…


### Webinar on Key Components of school programs
- Date: July 14, 2011
- URL: https://asdworld.com/webinar-on-key-components-of-school-programs/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: 
- Excerpt: Our friends at rethink autism are presenting a webinar that will be valuable for a broad number of parents with children on the spectrum. From their announcement: School districts nationwide are challenged to keep pace with the complex needs of a growing autism population. This webinar will define 7 Key Components that research and practitioners…


### Augcomm New Jersey: augmentative communication meeting
- Date: May 31, 2011
- URL: https://asdworld.com/augcomm-new-jersey-augmentative-communication-meeting/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: autism, events, NJ
- Excerpt: Augcomm New Jersey is being produced by Eric Jager, who I’ve met. He’s a parent and skilled in meeting and event planning (at the big-boy level). I’m sure this will be a well-planned event with useful information for participants. Registration is now open for Augcomm New Jersey, a forum on augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)…


### Rick’s first fundraiser finishes on 4/9
- Date: April 8, 2011
- URL: https://asdworld.com/ricks-first-fundraiser-finishes-on-49/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: autism, cost, fundraising, supporters
- Excerpt: Here’s a short link to one of my other blogs, Watch Rick Train. I’m raising money all year for Reed Academy, starting with the Tough Mudder in Pennsylvania tomorrow and finishing with Ironman Florida in November. My goal is $140,000. This is the start. Thanks for your support; I’ll post updates at the WRT blog.


### Parents: welcome to bad parts of SpEd world
- Date: March 15, 2011
- URL: https://asdworld.com/parents-welcome-to-bad-parts-of-sped-world/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: autism, cost, Goals, school
- Excerpt: Apparently No Child Left Behind is failing because it’s revealing that schools are leaving children behind. And so schools, rather than contemplate that they’re not doing well, are suggesting that goals be changed so that they can succeed. Seriously? They’re going to change the rules because the schools are failing? Isn’t that exactly the point…


### Why my iPad lives at REED Academy
- Date: March 13, 2011
- URL: https://asdworld.com/why-my-ipad-lives-at-reed-academy/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: aba, soapbox
- Excerpt: Here’s a great new app, intended for the visually impaired, that recognizes US currency in realtime. Yes, my old iPad doesn’t have a camera, but the accessibility of these tools to my Dylan is just amazing. I’ve started to take nearly every idea for a program and think about how it could be legitimately —…


### Does ABA work on typical kids?
- Date: February 21, 2011
- URL: https://asdworld.com/does-aba-work-on-typical-kids/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: aba, research-based
- Excerpt: I enjoy reading Eric Barker’s blog because he cites to published research on interesting topics. I think his tagline should be: “not what you thought.” This post questions the wisdom of using rewards to encourage desired behavior, namely eating vegetables. It caught my eye for lots of reasons: School’s been expanding my older son’s menu…


### Does your school talk to you like this?
- Date: February 15, 2011
- URL: https://asdworld.com/does-your-school-talk-to-you-like-this/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: culture, leadership, nonprofit, strategy
- Excerpt: Too funny. We have to laugh sometimes, or everything else just consumes us. That’s not good for anyone. (Thankfully, the district in which I live has some wonderful people working there, who make us feel like valued members of the community. It’s not like that everywhere.)


### Have you bought “Your Baby Can Read”?
- Date: November 16, 2010
- URL: https://asdworld.com/have-you-bought-your-baby-can-read/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: autism, lawyer, research-based, scam, soapbox
- Excerpt: It’s come to my attention from a friend, classmate, and father of a child on the spectrum that the “Your Baby Can Read” program was recently exposed (challenged, to be sure) as a likely fraud. It was the subject of a segment on the Today Show about a week ago. Here’s the clip: Apparently this…


### Happy Veterans’ Day
- Date: November 11, 2010
- URL: https://asdworld.com/happy-veterans-day/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: culture, military
- Excerpt: Today is a day I treat much like Memorial Day, with the difference that I’m not uncomfortable about receiving greetings today. (Memorial Day is for fallen servicemembers; I’m not in that category nor have I been in harm’s way. Many others have; think of them today.


### Improve learning and retention of flashcard info
- Date: October 25, 2010
- URL: https://asdworld.com/improve-learning-and-retention-of-flashcard-info/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: aba, BCBA, methodology, research-based, treatments
- Excerpt: So many, many flashcards and pictures around our classroom (what the unitiated refer to as our “playroom”) fill bins and bins, sorted into ziplock bags. This Lifehacker article suggests that using a slightly more unusual font, such as Comic Sans MS or Bodoni MT, had 14% greater retention, even at different font sizes. One group…


### Tell us about your health insurance
- Date: September 27, 2010
- URL: https://asdworld.com/tell-us-about-your-health-insurance/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: autism, insurance, NJ, resources
- Excerpt: Since the passage and effectiveness of New Jersey’s autism insurance bill, I have been struck by the odd circumstance of it being so difficult to figure out if you have coverage under the law. It took a while, but I finally created a system to share information about the health insurance benefits provided by our…


### Making enemies of parents and teachers
- Date: March 21, 2010
- URL: https://asdworld.com/making-enemies-of-parents-and-teachers/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: autism, coping, cost, IEP, public health, school, treatments
- Excerpt: This post on paying for our own professionals from rickcolosimo.com was sparked by a health-care editorial, related to prohibitions on sharing legal fees with non-lawyers, and now belongs here. The phrase “doctors and patients as enemies” is what knocked me over in the reposted editorial by Milton Friedman. Is there anyone who doubts that very…


### Autism’s urban legend
- Date: February 19, 2010
- URL: https://asdworld.com/autisms-urban-legend/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: advocate, coping, explaining, soapbox
- Excerpt: Jen Laviano (@JenLaviano) has a post up this week that mentions my un-favorite urban legend about autism: that there are parents who get their kids a diagnosis so that they can get “extra help” from their school district. Jen talks about having discussions with parents, friends, relatives, teachers, etc. to explain the value of special…


### Quick question: who’s interested in an autism-focused IGNITE event?
- Date: January 15, 2010
- URL: https://asdworld.com/quick-question-whos-interested-in-an-autism-focused-ignite-event/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: advocate, open source, soapbox
- Excerpt: “Ignite” talks are presentations composed of 15 slides that automatically rotate every 20 seconds, meaning they’re only 5 minutes long. Since I’ve been working on a similarly sized presentation to introduce my ideas on a comprehensive ASD curriculum planning & tracking tool, and since March 1-4 is Global Ignite Week, I wondered whether there are…


### “Stealing” money from special education?
- Date: January 11, 2010
- URL: https://asdworld.com/stealing-money-from-special-education/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: cost, lobbying, school
- Excerpt: This article on the siphoning of stimulus funds for special education to general education is one of the few I’ve seen in the WSJ on special education. By itself, I think that’s a major achievement — it means that special education and the plight of students and the often under-funded special education departments is getting…


### When research isn’t science
- Date: November 27, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/when-research-isnt-science/
- Categories: Science Corner
- Tags: IEP, research, science, soapbox
- Excerpt: Some time ago, a link to this quasi-review article crossed my desk. Briefly, it explains why, in the author’s opinion, the subject articles on genetic research in autism are somehow untrustworthy or flawed. In some ways, it’s well-written. I like the bibliography. It’s all Nature, Science, NEJM, and Nature Genetics. But to me, the real…


### Comprehensive medical record planning
- Date: November 2, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/comprehensive-medical-record-planning/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: autism, diagnosis, open source, public health, screening
- Excerpt: This article on the VA’s electronic records experience should be energizing autism service providers around the country, but I fear that it isn’t. The doctors involved have their own electronic records issues, and they’re almost certainly uncomfortable with anything that could make them responsible for inappropriate disclosures of information to non-medical providers, HIPAA releases notwithstanding.…


### Planning for your first IEP
- Date: October 30, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/planning-for-your-first-iep/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: early intervention, IEP
- Excerpt: What advice do you need to help you think about your child’s first IEP? This guide gives you some principles and tips to help you think about how to plan for your first IEP.


### Special event honoring Catherine Maurice
- Date: October 27, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/special-event-honoring-catherine-maurice/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: autism, research-based, school, supporters
- Excerpt: Every parent of a child on the spectrum knows the name Catherine Maurice. Her book, “Let Me Hear Your Voice,” is a literary landmark in the field that has touched almost every parent I know. In a rare public appearance made even more rare because it’s parent-driven, Catherine Maurice will be honored by REED Academy…


### Project: “Open-source” school for autistic children
- Date: October 13, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/project-open-source-school-for-autistic-children/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: cost, open source, research-based, school, soapbox
- Excerpt: I refer to this as 30seats.com, wth a focusing on creating one classroom at a time to serve our entire community of new children with ASDs. Mission: A program that would collect, create, and curate tools, information, and content to address the physical, program, and regulatory requirements to found a school-centered program for children with…


### News: Teacher attempts to poison special ed student
- Date: October 11, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/news-teacher-attempts-to-poison-special-ed-student/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: school, violence
- Excerpt: This  article from Indiana describes one of the more crazy things that I have read about special education teachers. For those who are interested, I would probably define this as attempted murder. It’s absolutely reckless behavior that is so depraved as to lead me to believe that she deserves that level of punishment. 1. She…


### Severe discrepancy: references
- Date: October 10, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/severe-discrepancy-references/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: advocate, eligibility, IEP, legislation, NJ
- Excerpt: Here are some quotes from relevant laws and regulations regarding the usage of the severe discrepancy model for determining whether a child has a specific learning disability: IDEA sections: a. 20 USC 1414(b)(2) says: (2)  Conduct of evaluation In conducting the evaluation, the local educational agency shall— (A) use a variety of assessment tools and…


### Severe discrepancy: status in NJ
- Date: October 9, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/severe-discrepancy-status-in-nj/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: eligibility, IEP
- Excerpt: School districts in New Jersey are permitted to use a severe discrepancy method for determining whether a child has a specific learning disability.


### Organic farming for self-reliance
- Date: October 9, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/organic-farming-for-self-reliance/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: adults, self-advocate
- Excerpt: This article on a European CSA alternative struck me as a great idea to use as a framework for an adult living/training option for some autistic adults or teens. A farm environment would allow for a variety of sensory environments and different tasks to help accommodate individual needs, quirks, and talents. Organic farming would definitely…


### ANNOUNCEMENT – Restraint Survey
- Date: September 29, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/announcement-restraint-survey/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: advocate, lobbying, research
- Excerpt: via COPAA I include this today because the thought of these activities, let alone the actual descriptions of what has happened to our children, those least able to defend themselves, to seek protection, to tell others, chokes me up every time. I’m still looking for anyone with IEP language regarding these issues. APRAIS, The Alliance…


### The promise of genetics research
- Date: August 17, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/the-promise-of-genetics-research/
- Categories: Science Corner
- Tags: autism, research, science, screening, treatments
- Excerpt: I have been struggling with the question of whether to keep writing on science issues, particularly since it’s not my area of expertise (even though I’m very fond of thinking about these issues). I’ve decided to compromise and try to write about science and research policies and projects, which are of interest to…


### What does the NJ insurance bill do?
- Date: August 17, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/what-does-the-nj-insurance-bill-do/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: aba, autism, insurance, NJ, public health
- Excerpt: New Jersey Governor Corzine signed A2238, the NJ autism insurance coverage bill, into law on Thursday, providing for minimum of $36,000 annual coverage for behavioral therapy for autism. Some immediate answers about the NJ insurance bill, A2238: 1. What companies are required to comply with the bill? The bill will not affect insurance companies, and…


### Quick announcement – consultations available
- Date: August 9, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/quick-announcement-consultations-available/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: admin, advocate, IEP
- Excerpt: I’ve been contacted by folks from out of town who have questions about their children, and so I’ve developed a straightforward consultation service that allows you to get specific advice for your situation. As an added bonus, you will end up *finally* getting your child’s files in order! What are the burning questions you’d like…


### Autism Speaks carefully about vaccines
- Date: August 7, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/autism-speaks-carefully-about-vaccines/
- Categories: Science Corner
- Tags: public health, research, science, soapbox
- Excerpt: I finally had time to read the recent statement/interview with Dr. Geri Dawson, the Chief Science Officer of Autism Speaks. As you know, we’ve discussed this complicated and angst-inducing issue in the past, primarily with respect to the complexities of epidemiology in vaccine research and the nuanced textures of meaning of studies large enough to…


### Parent sued for school district attorney fees
- Date: August 6, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/parent-sued-for-school-district-attorney-fees/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: advocate, cost, fees, lawyer
- Excerpt: This article editorial (original behind paywall) (via this post) from Pennsylvania describes one of every special education parent’s many fears about the due process procedure: having to pay the school district’s legal fees if they lose. Reading the story, and the complaint (PDF) , it seems clear that there are three main issues: The parent…


### What happens to an IEP when you move?
- Date: August 5, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/what-happens-to-an-iep-when-you-move/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: IEP, school, statute
- Excerpt: A tweet I saw today asked about what the expectations are for implementation of her son’s IEP following an impending move. My response: Did you get answer to your IEP transfer question? See 20 USC 1414(d)(2)(C). Short answer: FAPE until they re-eval. Here’s the complete text of the section: (C) Program for children who transfer…


### Roving Office Hours @ Clifton NJ
- Date: August 5, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/roving-office-hours-clifton-nj-2/
- Categories: Events
- Tags: advocate, autism, Goals, IEP, lawyer, NJ
- Excerpt: I’ll be at the Starbucks in Clifton NJ on Route 3 West for Roving Office Hours on Wednesday, August 19. Clifton Route 3 360 Route 3 West Clifton, NJ 07014 973 473-2560


### Roving Office Hours @ Nutley NJ
- Date: August 5, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/roving-office-hours-nutley-nj/
- Categories: Events
- Tags: advocate, autism, Goals, IEP, lawyer, NJ
- Excerpt: I’ll be at the Starbucks in Nutley, NJ on Franklin Ave. for Roving Office Hours on Wednesday, August 19. Nutley 483 Franklin Avenue Nutley, New Jersey 07110 973-562-0045


### Roving Office Hours @ Bloomfield NJ
- Date: August 5, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/roving-office-hours-bloomfield-nj/
- Categories: Events
- Tags: advocate, autism, Goals, IEP, NJ
- Excerpt: I’ll be at the Starbucks in Montclair, NJ on Bloomfield Ave. for Roving Office Hours on Wednesday, August 19. Bloomfield 701 Bloomfield Avenue Montclair, New Jersey 07042 (973) 746-7300


### Roving Office Hours @ Livingston NJ
- Date: August 4, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/roving-office-hours-livingston-nj/
- Categories: Events
- Tags: advocate, Goals, IEP, lawyer, NJ
- Excerpt: I’ll be at the Starbucks in Livingston, NJ for Roving Office Hours on Monday, August 17. Livingston 1 West Mt. Pleasant Avenue Livingston, New Jersey 07039 973-533-1669


### Roving Office Hours @ Madison NJ
- Date: August 4, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/roving-office-hours-madison-nj/
- Categories: Events
- Tags: advocate, Goals, IEP, lawyer, NJ
- Excerpt: I’ll be at the Starbucks in Madison, NJ for Roving Office Hours on Monday, August 17. Madison 307-311 Main Street Madison, New Jersey 07940 973-410-0244


### Roving Office Hours @ Summit NJ
- Date: August 4, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/roving-office-hours-summit-nj/
- Categories: Events
- Tags: advocate, explaining, IEP, lawyer, NJ
- Excerpt: I’ll be at the Starbucks in Summit , NJ for Roving Office Hours on Monday, August 17. Summit 2 Beechwood Road Summit, New Jersey 07901 (908) 273-3121


### Do you have IEP questions in Delaware?
- Date: August 4, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/do-you-have-iep-questions-in-delaware/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: advocate, explaining, Goals, IEP, lawyer
- Excerpt: I’m considering scheduling some Roving Office Hours sessions at the Starbucks in Rehoboth Beach, DE during the week of August 22-29. 301 Rehoboth Ave. Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971 302 227-3682 If you are going to be in the area during that time, please let me know so that I can try to schedule during times…


### CANCELLED Roving Office Hours @ Wayne NJ
- Date: August 4, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/roving-office-hours-wayne-nj/
- Categories: Events
- Tags: advocate, autism, explaining, Goals, IEP, NJ
- Excerpt: Sorry, this session is cancelled. I’ll be at the Starbucks in Wayne, NJ for Roving Office Hours on Friday, August 14. Preakness Shopping Center 810 Hamburg Turnpike Wayne, New Jersey 07470 (973) 872-6406


### CANCELLED @ Hackensack NJ
- Date: August 4, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/roving-office-hours-hackensack-nj/
- Categories: Events
- Tags: advocate, autism, IEP, NJ
- Excerpt: UPDATE: This event is CANCELLED — I will be attending the signing of the NJ autism insurance legislation. I’ll be at the Starbucks in Hackensack, NJ for Roving Office Hours on Thursday, August 13. Hackensack 360 Essex Street Hackensack, New Jersey 07601 201-457-3323


### Roving Office Hours @ Wyckoff NJ
- Date: August 4, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/roving-office-hours-wyckoff-nj/
- Categories: Events
- Tags: advocate, autism, Clinic, explaining, IEP, NJ
- Excerpt: I’ll be at the Starbucks in Wyckoff, NJ for Roving Office Hours on Wednesday, August 12. Wyckoff 325 Franklin Avenue Wyckoff, New Jersey 07481 201-847-8080


### Roving Office Hours @ Glen Rock NJ
- Date: August 4, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/roving-office-hours-glen-rock-nj/
- Categories: Events
- Tags: advocate, explaining, IEP, NJ
- Excerpt: I’ll be at the Starbucks in Glen Rock NJ for Roving Office Hours on Tuesday, August 11. Glen Rock 224 Rock Road Glen Rock, New Jersey 07452 201-493-8261


### Roving Office Hours @ Clifton NJ
- Date: August 4, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/roving-office-hours-clifton-nj/
- Categories: Events
- Tags: advocate, explaining, IEP, NJ
- Excerpt: I’ll be at the Starbucks in Clifton NJ on Route 3 West for Roving Office Hours on Monday, August 10. Clifton Route 3 360 Route 3 West Clifton, NJ 07014 973 473-2560


### Avoiding classification doesn’t help your child
- Date: August 3, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/avoiding-classification-doesnt-help-your-child/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: methodology, school, screening
- Excerpt: I just saw this quote in a recent article: “We don’t want to identify kids as disabled,” Charla MacKenzie, director of pupil personnel services for Southwest Licking Local Schools, said “To us, that’s a very big thing.” “It’s only when we’ve exhausted all those suggestions, all those interventions, and we still don’t see progress that…


### IEP goals about discipline or restraints?
- Date: August 3, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/iep-goals-about-discipline-or-restraints/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: Goals, IEP, school, science
- Excerpt: Here’s another article describing seemingly vague rules about restraints and seclusion, an issue that seems to be growing in importance in recent months. Here is a single excerpt from the COPAA letter: A 9 year old boy with autism in Tennessee was restrained face-down in his school’s isolation room for four hours. The complaint alleges…


### Roving Office Hours @ Montclair
- Date: July 25, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/roving-office-hours-montclair/
- Categories: Events
- Tags: advocate, autism, IEP, lawyer, NJ
- Excerpt: I’ll be at at the Starbucks in Montclair, NJ on Valley Road for Roving Office Hours on Wednesday.


### Roving Office Hours @ Midland Park
- Date: July 25, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/roving-office-hours-midland-park/
- Categories: Events
- Tags: IEP
- Excerpt: I’ll be at at the Starbucks in Midland Park, NJ for Roving Office Hours on Monday.


### Roving Office Hours
- Date: July 25, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/roving-office-hours/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: 
- Excerpt: Earlier today, in a post on MOSAIC, the NJ autism parents’ group, I referenced my last post, in which I talked about rewriting actual IEP goals as one project I’d like to undertake (along with so many others!). To make it easier to discuss these issues, and to help parents find a more convenient forum…


### Results, not efforts, should drive placements
- Date: July 23, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/results-not-efforts-should-drive-placements/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: Clinic, Goals, IEP
- Excerpt: Recently on rethinkautism, a parent asked about the “Chevy vs. Cadillac” mantra widely repeated to supposedly illustrate the IDEA principle that children are entitled to an “appropriate” education, not the “best” education or, in general, one that “maximizes” their progress or opportunity. The best way to respond to this sort of comment (besides ignoring the…


### Down with Autism!
- Date: July 1, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/down-with-autism/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: aba, autism, coping, methodology, research-based, soapbox, treatments
- Excerpt: Let’s be clear. Autism sucks; it certainly sucks for my son. (And I don’t lump the Asperger’s group into this: I have met Aspies who are cogent, gainfully employed, capable, present in the world, and able to self-advocate; Dylan wasn’t at all like that before getting high-quality ABA and has a long way to go,…


### Scientist drawing line on vaccine research
- Date: July 1, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/scientist-drawing-line-on-vaccine-research/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: explaining, public health, research, science
- Excerpt: Today, Dr. Eric London, from Autism Speaks/Autism Science Foundation and a co-founder of NAAR (which merged with Autism Speaks), announced that he is resigning from the Scientific Affairs Committee and dissociating himself from Autism Speaks. His statement generally refers to the continuation of vaccine-related research supported by Autism Speaks. This issue is one that is…


### How much value do ASD treatments create?
- Date: June 30, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/how-much-value-do-asd-treatments-create/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: cost, legislation, NJ, public health, treatments
- Excerpt: This WSJ article illustrates the type of analysis that we should all expect to have to understand as coverage for ABA moves into the mainstream of private insurance coverage and then, theoretically, becomes the responsibility of some national health insurance plan to cover. Will Congress and state legislatures be as willing to bear the burden…


### IDEA Fairness Restoration Act seeks funds for IEP experts
- Date: June 26, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/idea-fairness-restoration-act-seeks-funds-for-iep-experts/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: cost, legislation, lobbying, single-issue voting
- Excerpt: The release below from COPAA describes new legislation introduced to allow for the recovery of expert witness fees in due process hearings and similar proceedings under IDEA. While parents who win at due process can often get reasonable attorney’s fees, and the law permits full recovery by a lawyer who charged a client less, expert…


### Science Corner — Brain structures may affect sociability
- Date: June 22, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/science-corner-brain-structures-may-affect-sociability/
- Categories: Science Corner
- Tags: diagnosis, research, science, screening
- Excerpt: This brief description of an MRI study from Cambridge relates that two areas of the brain may affect sociability by affecting the value of social rewards to a person. They found that the greater the concentration of tissue in the orbitofrontal cortex (the outer strip of the brain just above the eyes), and in the…


### Long term planning for ASD adults
- Date: June 22, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/long-term-planning-for-asd-adults/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: adults, cost, public health, self-advocate
- Excerpt: The discussion about the treatment of the adults working at the turkey farm tied to ideas I’ve discussed before. As I tweeted earlier today, the population of developmentally disabled adults is growing, and the demographics show that we haven’t reached the knee of the curve yet, the point at which the rate of increase changes…


### Background on the turkey farm
- Date: June 22, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/background-on-the-turkey-farm/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: adults, businesses, cost, self-advocate
- Excerpt: (I started writing a reply to Tom’s comment on the Institution or Community post, but I got on a roll and decided my response was long enough to merit its own post.) There are news stories that describe prior confirmation that the turkey farm was cited previously for owing back wages to the “employees.” There…


### Institution or Community?
- Date: June 18, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/institution-or-community/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: adults, businesses, cost
- Excerpt: Dora Raymaker at Change.org often gets straight to the point when instances of mistreatment are revealed. This post about a turkey farm where developmentally disabled adults were paid $0.44 an hour generates her question about what separates an institution from a community. She writes that self-determination is the distinctive factor, the essence of community living.…


### Reviews wanted: Autistic Spectrum Resources
- Date: June 18, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/reviews-wanted-autistic-spectrum-resources/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: resources, reviews
- Excerpt: It seems like every time I open my email or web browser I come across more “resources” for parents with children on the spectrum. I’m concerned, however, that there’s almost too many, if such a thing is possible, because much of the information is scattered, duplicated, and even contradictory. What the community might need is…


### Autism writes
- Date: June 18, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/autism-writes/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: autism, coping, planning, recovered, self-advocate
- Excerpt: This all-too-short essay from a 14-year-old who had autism is practically overwhelming for me to read. I will freely confess that I still believe my son will be able to write something like this some day, at the same time that I freely admit that he might never write a sentence that he isn’t taught.…


### Email to NJ’s Corzine about ASD promises
- Date: June 16, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/email-to-njs-corzine-about-asd-promises/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: lobbying, NJ, single-issue voting
- Excerpt: Here’s today’s email to NJ Governor Corzine: Dear Governor Corzine, Since NJ is the state with the highest incidence of autism, what specific commitments will you make to parents of school-age children and to autistic adults? What would you pledge to do if, once elected, you do not follow through on these promises? Please note…


### Support ATAA sponsors for Autism Votes
- Date: May 21, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/support-ataa-sponsors-for-autism-votes/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: lobbying, NJ, single-issue voting, sponsor
- Excerpt: We’re big fans of Autism Votes, and today’s email about the ATAA (Autism Treatment Acceleration Act) S.819 co-sponsor drive led me to realize that the usual model of sending emails to ask for something is not all that I need. While the AV email suggests calling to register support, I thought it would be great…


### Concrete steps underway
- Date: May 4, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/concrete-steps-underway/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: admin, logo, website
- Excerpt: The ASDworld logo contest is over, and we’ll be refining the logo a bit and updating the site soon to use it here. Also, after a too-lengthy selection process, I’ve decided to build the alpha version of the test site using Joomla. Joomla and drupal are both in the running for the final site backend,…


### Honor roll of autism-friendly businesses
- Date: April 28, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/honor-roll-of-autism-friendly-businesses/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: businesses, international, supporters
- Excerpt: One idea I’ve had for a while and thought I would implement after the alpha version of the site is done is an “honor roll” of sorts recognizing businesses that we find, as families, to be “autism friendly.” I’m writing this post now because I just received a message from Rimini Autismo, an Italian organization,…


### Site plans – update
- Date: April 27, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/site-plans-update/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: logo, website
- Excerpt: The new site is being worked on in the background as I write this: We’ve already identified the outlines of logo through our crowdSPRING contest. As the designer creates new entries, we’ll try to run a poll to see what our visitors like. We’ll be transitioning the site’s WP theme to Thesis, which I use…


### Why do poor treatments sometimes get results?
- Date: April 27, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/why-do-poor-treatments-sometimes-get-results/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: methodology, research-based, science, treatments
- Excerpt: This Slate article talks about the Hawthorne effect, which basically says that positive interactions with people creates positive outcomes, at least for a while. It’s sort of like a placebo effect for behavior. Using facilitated communication as an example, the author details one reason why researchers in the softer sciences (as opposed to hard sciences…


### Email asks NJ Gov’r Corzine about autism
- Date: April 27, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/email-asks-nj-govr-corzine-about-autism/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: lobbying, NJ, single-issue voting
- Excerpt: After weeks with no response from the Christie campaign on my question about the candidate’s position on autism (I guess he believes twitter is for press releases rather than conversations), I looked over NJ Gov’r Corzine’s scant website. No presence for autism there either; in fact, neither of these websites contained a search box. I…


### Animation of Long-Term Potentiation and DNA
- Date: March 27, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/animation-of-long-term-potentiation-and-dna/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: explaining, science
- Excerpt: Readers of Exaptation will note that a recent post dealt with Long-Term Potentiation, or LTP. LTP is related to the manner in which signals travel in the brain (very simplified explanation!). This animation of LTP explains the process in much greater detail. Other visualizations relevant to understanding some of the scientific research regarding autism include:…


### Sneak peek!
- Date: March 26, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/sneak-peek/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: 
- Excerpt: This is the inaugural post for ASD World, which will officially launch on April 2, 2009. Yes, World Autism Awareness Day. Please take part in an activity near you or donate to a favorite cause. Initially, I will blog here as I build an advocacy practice to assist the parents of children with autism. I…


### Can we use brain signaling to improve ABA?
- Date: March 25, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/can-we-use-brain-signaling-to-improve-aba/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: aba, research, science
- Excerpt: This article from Wired describes a very interesting development in neuroscience that could be harnessed to improve teaching of autistic children (and, of course, NT children as well). The essence of the discovery is that there are signals, prior to the application of a stimulus (in this case, something to be memorized), that seem to…


### Andrew Wakefield links of shame
- Date: February 9, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/andrew-wakefield-links-of-shame/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: aba, autism, public health, treatments
- Excerpt: This short article is the most recent update on the fallout from Wakefield’s actions. A longer version is also available. Finally, a broad explanation of the investigation is available on the journalist’s website. Here are some things that we didn’t note in our earlier post: this article from a few days ago is NOT the…


### Soapbox: Andrew Wakefield and Scientific Misconduct
- Date: February 8, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/soapbox-andrew-wakefield-and-scientific-misconduct/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: autism, explaining, public health, treatments
- Excerpt: When I was pregnant, I thought I should wear a t-shirt with the following: December 5. I don’t know. No, I just cannot be within a 5-foot radius of ham or any other pork product. This was because every random stranger asked me, “When are you due? What are you having? Do you have any…


### Focusing the national agenda on autism
- Date: January 21, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/focusing-the-national-agenda-on-autism/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: cost, public health, screening, treatments
- Excerpt: There are about a zillion autism organizations, and many of them have at least some lobbying component. Here at 30seats, we’re generally more focused on thinking about direct action, either in terms of directly helping families in their own homes or in their efforts to secure early intensive behavioral interventions (EIBI) for their children (including…


### ABA is for monkeys (and managers)!
- Date: January 20, 2009
- URL: https://asdworld.com/aba-is-for-monkeys-and-managers/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: aba, analogies, explaining, silver lining
- Excerpt: I recently puchased the book “Made to Stick,” and I’ve spent a little time catching up on the authors’ articles in Fast Company magazine. One caught my eye and seemed eerily familiar. This article describes, of all things, using some standard ABA techniques to “handle” a difficult boss. It mentions the notion that everything you…


### Costs of caring
- Date: December 2, 2008
- URL: https://asdworld.com/costs-of-caring/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: cost, public health, treatments
- Excerpt: The NYT today has a post about the cost of caring for an elderly parent. One of the projects on our writing list is an article about measuring the soft costs of having an autistic child. We call these soft costs because one standard measure of evaluating medical treatments from a public health or insurance…


### Save the Date – 12/4/08 Film Screening
- Date: November 10, 2008
- URL: https://asdworld.com/save-the-date-12408-film-screening/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: autism, film, sponsor, wolfhound fund
- Excerpt: As the first public activity of the Wolfhound Fund, we will be sponsoring a screening of Jackie Spirer’s film “Finding Matty’s Voice.” Her film won the Grand Jury Prize at this year’s Ivy Film Festival. The screening will take place on December 4 at the Cornell Club, in New York City. More to follow. If…


### Next steps on open-source autism school
- Date: August 7, 2008
- URL: https://asdworld.com/next-steps-on-open-source-autism-school/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: open source, school
- Excerpt: To get started, We’ve posted a project in connection with the open-source autism school at Arielle’s Project Interns site. Here is the description: Develop specifications for a web 2.0 front-end for a project to create an open-source/crowdsourced model for starting a nonprofit school for children on the autistic spectrum. The website should support and encourage…


### Open Source Autism School
- Date: August 7, 2008
- URL: https://asdworld.com/open-source-autism-school/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: open source, school
- Excerpt: We live in the tri-state area surrounding New York City, which turns out to be a sort of national hotspot for high-quality (meaning effective at recovering a significant portion of children) programs for children on the autistic spectrum. Of course, each of the well-known private nonprofit schools only has space for about 30 kids total,…


### What is science?
- Date: April 15, 2008
- URL: https://asdworld.com/what-is-science/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: 
- Excerpt: The goal for this post is to explain what the “science” crowd thinks. As science-minded people, we generally subscribe to the scientific viewpoint, and we think that most people, when it’s explained properly, actually agree with the scientific viewpoint. The first point to remember is that the scientific viewpoint is about process not results. The…


### What we’re all about….
- Date: April 10, 2008
- URL: https://asdworld.com/what-were-all-about/
- Categories: Uncategorized
- Tags: 
- Excerpt: This is the inaugural post for 30 Seats, at 30seats.blogspot.com. We’ll host externally at some point and transfer these posts. We are parents of a 3 year-old boy diagnosed with PDD-NOS. We live in northern New Jersey, where there is both a plethora of autistic children and a seeming wealth of top-quality resources for early…