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Articles linked to this page are constantly being added. As with other materials in this Website, the articles are embedded in this home page. See our Favorite Links Page for additional resource materials available on other Websites.  The information on this website is educational and not intended to be legal advice.

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Advocacy

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Assistive Technology

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Autism Spectrum Disorders

  • Beyond Guilt or Innocence - About youth with autism spectrum conditions and their contacts with the juvenile justice system--a journal article for the 2004 spring issue of Leadership Perspectives in Developmental Disability by Dennis Debbaudt. The Forum is a project of the UCE at the Shriver Center, a division of the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Technical Support is provided by New England INDEX. This is an Official Page/Publication of the University of Massachusetts Medical School. The DD Leadership Forum is funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, federal Department of Health and Human Services. - Spring 2004
  • Daniels's Success Story.  A Determined Mother Demonstrates that Full Recovery from Autism is Possible by Mary Romaniec    Mother's Magazine - September 2004
  • DEALING WITH KIDS' SETBACKS By Dan Coulter
  • Defying autism / Despite disorder, Grandin finds success as designer of livestock-handling equipment - Temple Grandin talks about autism and her life during an interview Sunday in Dodge City. Ask Temple Grandin to describe how she thinks, and she tells you to name something that isn't familiar to her and isn't in the same room. If you say "a pyramid," she immediately visualizes the pyramid on a dollar bill, followed by a photo of a pyramid on the cover of a recent National Geographic magazine. Then her mind conjures up images of the sphinx, followed by the stone lions in front of a New York City library, by Eric Swanson - 12/2004
  • Diagnosis, Misdiagnosis and Advocacy--An AS Adult Explains AS 1999
  • Different for decades - Geeky. Clueless. Loner. Loser. Just plain odd. All their lives, they have heard these words and society's ruthless verdict that, try as they might, they can never achieve that indefinable state of "fitting in." Finally these people are hearing a new word: Asperger's. At long last, medicine has a label for their quirks. "Before I got a diagnosis, even I thought I was crazy," said one man attending a Middlesex support group. "I thought I was weird, strange. And I didn't know why," by Kathleen O'Brian - 11/2004
  • Disclosure of autism information to CDC or any other organization from a student's individual educational records - 2004
  • Discovering Asperger Syndrome by Dan Coulter
  • Executive Dysfunction - The term “executive functioning”  refers to mental processes involved in goal-directed activity.  The work on this has been primarily done in Neuropsychology but the implications for educators are important. Executive functioning has been rather under-discussed in the school context as yet (stay tuned for my dissertation J) where these issues have been attributed to failures in discipline rather than brain function by Kristine S. Knight
  • Executive Functioning - Executive Functioning is the brain's ability to absorb information, interpret this information, and make decisions based upon this information. For example, most people have a routine when they get up in the morning. Some mornings you might look out the window and see something is dripping from the sky. This dripping is interpreted as "rain" which implies a set of rules (i.e., needing to wear different clothes, the soccer game will be canceled which means you need to make other arrangements for an after school activity, rolling down the windows while you drive is not wise, you don't need to water the grass today, etc.), by Alex Michaels
  • FEAT of Oregon presents a unique Halloween experience for the entire family! Read more.  Purchase tickets online. 9/2004
  • Formal Assessment Tool  to Assess Sensory and Motor Functioning in People with Asperger's Syndrome
  • George’s Place - Autism swept him off to a secret world. Could his grandmother find a way to meet him halfway? By Carolyn See, September & October 2004 AARP Magazine
  • Good People Behaving Badly / Bad Behavior No Matter What - The following post is a modified, later edited version of a response first sent to a listserv specializing in adult Asperger Syndrome issues.  It was sparked by a lively discussion concerning AS adults caught in criminal entanglements, and the rush to their defense of some individuals in the disability support community by Roger N. Meyer
  • High cost education -  "A year at Yale University is cheaper than what it can cost to educate one student with autism disorders for one year in the Bucks County school system. School districts can spend at least $50,000 a year educating a child with this lifelong disorder that impairs communication and social interaction skills," by phillyburbs.com - 9/2004
  • How "Educational Assessments" Skew Autism Prevalence Rates - During an Individual Education Plan (IEP) meeting with our local school district, one of the teachers suggest that my younger son was autistic. This surprised me because we had just provided a letter from a well-respected developmental pediatrician that specified why the boy not meet the diagnostic criteria for autism. In response to my concerns, the teacher and school psychologist explained that he met the criteria for autism as determined in Oregon under a federal law called the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), by James R. Laidler, M.D.
  • Is Autistic Artistic? - The pre-Columbian Impressive gallery shows are on display all over New York as part of "Outsider Art Week." This year, the main event, the opening of the Outsider Art Fair at the Puck Building, begins with a benefit for the American Folk Art Museum on the evening of Jan 27, 2004.  In the meantime, a sophisticated group show can be found, as usual around this time of year, at the Ricco/Maresca Gallery in SoHo. One notable thing about the current exhibition is its title, "Autism/Asperger's/Art." By N. F. Karlins - 1/2005
  • Life on and Slightly to the Right of the Autism Spectrum by Stephen Shore - 2003
  • Listening to Your Kids - How are you listening to your kids?  If you're one of those rare "born listeners" who can get almost anyone to open up, you're lucky. If you're like the rest of us, you can probably improve your listening skills, by Dan Coulter
  • Lost Boys - Autism and My Son - They used to be thought of as loners, misfits, even geniuses. Now they're being labeled "autistic." But here's the scary part: The diagnosis may boil down to an excess of maleness, by Lou Schuler / Men’s Health 9/2004 
  • New Expectations - 2004
  • New UO program trains autism specialists  - 9/2004
  • One Boy's Journey Out of Autism's Grasp - "...James has autism. He is one of 150,000 or more American children classified in the last decade as having the once-rare disorder, including 25,000 in 2003. Half a century ago, polio epidemics left perhaps 5,000 children a year with some degree of disability, and the sight of children stricken overnight galvanized the nation. But autism's arrival, and the response to it, has not been so dramatic, by John O'Neil - 12/2004
  • Oregon Public Schools Autism Prevalence Report - School Year 1992-2003 - .pdf
  • Perhaps they're just wired a bit differently - People with brain disorders seek more acceptance by Amy Harmon, NY Times – 7/2004
  • PROMISING FUTURE / With a successful autism program in place, parents fear having their children removed if they don't show progress - SPECIAL REPORT: EDUCATING AUTISTIC CHILDREN.  Parents pour their hopes and San Joaquin County educators pour thousands of dollars every year into applied behavior analysis, an intensive therapy for autistic children that is widely regarded as one of the most promising treatments for the neurological disorder.
  • Reducing Special Needs Parent Stress - A lot of parents who have kids with special needs get a free helping of stress every day.  With extra nuts -- and sprinkles.  If this is you, how do you start an anti-stress diet?  Start small.  Take a  break. Oh yeah, right.  When are you going to find the time? by Dan Coulter - 11/2004
  • Report on Effective Autism Treatment - Adams & Steward
  • Results Falling Short of Claims in Behavior Therapy for Autism - Desperate parents of autistic children have tried almost everything - hormone injections, exotic diets, faith healing  in the hope of finding a cure, by Benedict Carey  - 12/2004
  • Revenge of the Nerds  - Once outcasts, some autistics now see their condition as a cognitive gift and even the next stage in human evolution—at the dawn of the transhuman age, who's to say they're wrong?" By George Dvorsky
  • Scientists suggest autism involves more than genes - 9/2004 

  • Shutdowns and Stress in Autism - What is a shutdown? A shutdown is a particular sequence of behavior which we observed in a child diagnosed as high-functioning within the autistic spectrum. In academic settings when pressured by an adult to perform tasks that were difficult, she became unresponsive, sleepy, immobile, and limp to the touch for several minutes, and then fell asleep in a chair for as briefly as 10 min. and up to 2 hours. These “shutdown” (SD) states were always triggered by social stress of a certain kind and they became more severe and frequent over a period of about a year. Do shutdowns worsen the symptoms of autism ?  By Ingrid M. Loos Miller and Hendricus G. Loos - This article is written for parents.  - 9/2004

    • Shutdown States and Stress Instability in Autism  by Ingrid M. Loos Miller and Hendricus G. Loos - This is a  scientific version of the paper and provides a detailed discussion of the physiological basis and mechanisms involved.  - 9/2004

  • Some Extremely Reasonable Suggestions for “Typical” Parents, Family, and Teachers on Behalf of Kids With Asperger’s Syndrome.  By Jennifer McIlwee Myers, Aspie-at-Large
  • Teaming up on Bullies by Dan Coulter - 7/2004
  • Technical Assistance Documents
  • Teaching What Matters by Dan Coulter - 1/2005
  • Teen carves out future by overcoming barrier - Sit and talk with Larry Baker, and you notice how bright and articulate he is. He has an incredible memory, and can tell you about many experiences he had as a very young child. He might interrupt you a bit, but he will apologize afterward, by Angie Jeffrey - 12/2004
  • Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew by Ellen Notbohm / South Florida Parenting Magazine - Ellen Notbohm is a freelance writer and columnist for Autism/Asperger's Digest and co-author of 1001 Great Ideas for Teaching and Raising Children with Autism Spectrum by Veronica Zysk and Ellen Notbohm.  She lives in Portland, Oregon.  Veronica Zysk was Executive Director of the Autism Society of America from 1991 - 1996 and is now Managing Editor of Autism/Asperger's Digest.
  • The Autism Epidemic Awareness Fund Demands Presidential Action. - Families and friends Are Taking the Fight to End the Autism Epidemic to the Ballot Box. We’re Calling on Both Presidential Candidates to Commit to Doubling Federal Autism Research Funding.  Join the Fight. Contribute What You Can to Our “Double The Funds” Campaign. Your Support will Enable Us to Run a Nationwide Television Ad Challenging Both Candidates to Take the “Double the Funds Pledge."  What you can do.
  • The  Best Teacher Ever!! by Dan Coulter - 8/2004
  • The Case of Jeffrey Dahmer: Sexual Serial Homicide from a Neuropsychiatric Developmental Perspective - Sexual serial homicidal behavior has received considerable attention during the last three decades. Substantial progress has been made in the development of methods aimed at identifying and apprehending individuals who exhibit these behaviors. In spite of these advances, the origins of sexual serial killing behavior remain for the most part unknown. In this article we propose a biopsychosocial psychiatric model for understanding the origins of sexual serial homicidal behavior from both neuropsychiatric and developmental perspectives, using the case of convicted serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer as the focal point. We propose that his homicidal behavior was intrinsically associated with autistic spectrum psychopathology, specifically Asperger’s disorder. The relationship of Asperger’s disorder to other psychopathology and to his homicidal behavior is explored. We discuss potential implications of the proposed model for the future study of the causes of sexual serial homicidal crime.  By J. Arturo Silva, M.D.; Michelle M. Ferrari, M.D.; and Gregory B. Leong, M.D. / J Forensic Sci, Nov. 2002, Vol. 47, No. 6 
  • The challenge of adolescents and adults with Asperger syndrome by Digby Tantam / Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Clinics of North America (2003).  This article is currently available in part of a FREE issue devoted to AS.
  • The Power of Fun - We tend to remember extremes: our best days and worst days. You usually can't control the worst days.  Bad stuff happens when it happens. But you can make more days some of your family's best days by recognizing and harnessing the power of fun.  It can bring your family closer, help you teach your kids what you want them to learn and get you all through tough times.  By Dan Coulter - 2/2005
  • The "Refrigerator Mother" Hypothesis of Autism - Although it is hard to find the specific instance when the “refrigerator mother” hypothesis of autism was first used, it is not difficult to find who first proposed it. As early as his 1943 paper, Leo Kanner was calling attention to what he saw as a lack of parental warmth and attachment to their autistic children. In his 1949 paper, he attributed autism to a “genuine lack of maternal warmth” and the “Refrigerator Mother” theory of autism was born, by James R. Laidler, MD
  • U of O student working on a thesis for AS/HFA and is looking for families to participate. - My name is Wanda Dixon, I am a senior at the University of Oregon pursuing a BA in Psychology. I am currently working on an Honor’s Thesis that involves a study of individuals with High Functioning Autism (HFA) and individuals with Asperger’s Syndrome (AS).  ...Read more.
  • What you need to know about AD/HD under the individuals with disabilities Education Act by Matthew Cohen, Esq.
  • WHO'S TO KNOW?  Disclosing Asperger Syndrome By Dan Coulter - 2/20052/005
  • Why Nerds Are Unpopular / If you're too cool for school, you're probably not very smart. Some of us would rather build rockets than friendships, by Paul Graham - Wire Magazine 12/2004
  • Workplace Discrimination - AS adult needs your help.   Lana Kapchinsky, ("Scap" or "Scap_64" to many of us) an adult with Asperger Syndrome is requesting your help in her workplace discrimination case. The request is simply that you write a letter.

    Lorelie from Oregon, USA adds: "I'm adding my own request as well. I did write a letter for her. As I know the whole story from the beginning I can tell you it is one of the worst and most blatant discrimination cases I have been privy to. Lana's is a groundbreaking case for all AS adults and all the kids that will soon flood the colleges and workforce. You can make a difference in Lana's future and the future of your kids or spouse or self with just one letter letting these people know that the entire autism community is watching this case and our voices WILL be heard.      ...read more.
  • Workplace Discrimination - AS adult needs your help.   Lana Kapchinsky, ("Scap" or "Scap_64" to many of us) an adult with Asperger Syndrome is requesting your help in her workplace discrimination case. The request is simply that you write a letter. Lorelie from Oregon, USA adds: "I'm adding my own request as well. I did write a letter for her. As I know the whole story from the beginning I can tell you it is one of the worst and most blatant discrimination cases I have been privy to. Lana's is a groundbreaking case for all AS adults and all the kids that will soon flood the colleges and workforce. You can make a difference in Lana's future and the future of your kids or spouse or self with just one letter letting these people know that the entire autism community is watching this case and our voices WILL be heard.  ...read more.

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Behavior

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Decisions

  • A New York High Court Decision on Domestic Violence: Can a Parent Be Guilty of Neglect Simply Because She Is Victimized in the Presence of Her Children? - The New York City Administration for Children's Service (ACS) was alleged to have had a policy dictating that children be removed from mothers who were victims of domestic violence. Federal District Court Judge Jack Weinstein characterized this claimed policy as a "pitiless double abuse": These women were forced to suffer the battering, first, and the loss of their children, second, by Joanna Grossman - 12/2004
  • Advocates for Special Kids, et al. v. Oregon State Board of  Education, et al. U.S. District Court Case No. CV99-263 - Whereas, plaintiffs have brought an action against the Board, its chair, Wayne Feller, and Oregon State Superintendent of Public Instruction Stan Bunn, in the United States District Court for the District of Oregon, Case No. CV99-263 KI ("the Litigation"), alleging that the Oregon statewide assessment program
    discriminates against children with learning disabilities in the
    Oregon public school system
  • Appeals court revives $1 million award for fired Portland special-ed teacher  by Steven Carter - 4/2004
  • by parents of an autistic kid who first complained to the state that their
    child's educational program was being shortened by the county office merely as a matter of administrative convenience of administrators and teachers, and not in response to the individual needs of all autistic children whose program day was similarly shorted.  In a finding to the first complaint, the California Dept of Education demanded correction of the shortened day practice by the offending LEA, but upon a repeat filing of the same complaint a year later, refused to order the LEA to individualize the shortened day administrative practice.  The district court found that
    adding lunch and recess (categorically) "met" a vague criterion of
    equalizing things, and dismissed the parent's case on the basis that the
    parents should have first exhausted their administrative remedies through
    Due Process filing.  This opinion rejects the dismissal of standing to sue,
    and treats the LEA's unlawful blanket policy as on-its-face a violation of
    IDEA requirements for individualized instructional programs based upon the
    unique needs of each student.  It finds legally unacceptable the school
    authorities' argument that lunch and recess, being counted for ALL autistic
    students, satisfy their individual instructional needs, especially as with
    an earlier case similar to this one, no identification of lunch and recess
    specialized instruction was mentioned in the individual students' IEP's.
     
    This case is similar in scope to Lucht v. Mollala, in that an original
    order from an SEA that remained unenforced by the SEA, causing the parents' attorney intervention and involvement in an IEP at the LEA level, was found to be substantiated without an additional need to file for another Due Process hearing due to lack of due diligence exercised by the SEA over the non-compliant conduct of a subordinate school district.  It is also a case confirming the inappropriateness of lockstep and administratively convenient policies treating entire categories of disabled students as a bunch when designing any particular student's program of instruction.  Filed 10/08/2004 
  • DAVIS v DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL / U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals - This is a sexual harassment/discrimination suit arising out of the acts of a physical education teacher.  11/2000
  • DAVIS. v. MONROE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION - "Held: 1. A private Title IX damages action may lie against a school board in cases of student-on-student harassment, but only where the funding recipient is deliberately indifferent to sexual harassment, of which the recipient has actual knowledge, and that harassment is so severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive that it can be said to deprive the victims of access to the educational opportunities or benefits provided by the school. Pp. 7-22." - 5/1999
  • Deal v. Henderson County Board of Education, 6th CCA - It concerns pre-determination of program and refusal of a Tennessee school district to even consider ABA, plus findings of legal error by the District Court judge who reversed the findings of the state IHO. Reversed in part; affirmed in part, remanded for additional hearing - 12/16/2004 

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