Picture Exchange Communication System
Pyramid Educational Consultants, Inc offers a wide range of consulting services and products for educators and parents of children and adults with autism and related disabilities. The PECS system focuses on teaching speech by initially non-verbal means, using pictures and “exchanging” them with the educator. The Pyramid Approach to Education provides additional applied behavior analysis tools. The website provides an introduction to extensive seminars offered by the company.
Lovaas Institute for Early Intervention
Dr. O. Ivar Lovaas of the Psychology Department of UCLA, founded this Institute to foster research in teaching pre-school aged children with autism, pervasive developmental disorders, and related developmental disabilities. The Lovaas behavioral intervention program has many advocates, but has been modified and supplemented over the years in response to some of its critics. The website is mainly an introduction to the Institute which conducts clinics for persons affected and workshops for parents and professionals.
Division TEACCH
TEACCH stands for T reatment and E ducation of A utistic and Related C ommunication H andicapped CH ildren and comes from The University of North Carolina. The TEACCH mission in part is to enable individuals with autism to function as meaningfully and as independently as possible in the community. Resources on this site include information on autism, educational and communication approaches, supported employment program, research training opportunities, and TEACCH Regional Centers.
Center for Autism and Related Disorders
The center for Applied Behavior Analyses (ABA) approach for children with autism and related conditions. ABA is a systematic approach to the assessment and evaluation of behavior, and the application of interventions that alter behavior. It is based on the discrete trial method (more commonly known as the “Lovaas” technique) and is an offshoot of of behavior modification therapy.
Autism Treatment Center of America™
Utilizing his unique approach called The Son-Rise Program®, Barry Neil Kaufman, Executive Director of The Option Institute and author of the best-selling bookSon-Rise: The Miracle Continues, which was subsequently made into an NBC-TV movie, teaches parents and professionals caring for children and adults challenged by Autism, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD), and all other developmental difficulties how to design and implement home-based/child-centered programs enabling their children to dramatically improve in all areas of learning, development, communication and skill acquisition.
Families for Early Autism Treatment (FEAT)
FEAT is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing world class Education, Advocacy, and Support for the Northern California Autism Community. Its resources are useful more broadly, particularly emphasizing early intervention for children at risk.
Teaching Tips for Children and Adults with Autism
A very practical article by Temple Grandin
Gentle Teaching
Introduction to this non-aversive approach to behavior issues.