Penn State Conference to Address Instruction, Success for Children with Autism
University Park, Pa. (PRWEB) July 29, 2015 -- More than 28,000 students in Pennsylvania receive special education services for autism. Parents, educators and service providers of children living with autism will converge upon Penn State to share the latest updates and best practices to better serve the growing demographic.
The National Autism Conference will be held Aug. 3-6 at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel at the University Park campus. The conference’s nearly 90 sessions will welcome about 1,200 attendees representing 28 states and four countries — Canada, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom — to provide updates on autism research and to promote evidence-based interventions for school-based services.
Mike Miklos, a behavior analyst and Pennsylvania certified school psychologist who works as an educational consultant for the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN), says the conference sessions will focus on establishing good instructional skills for teachers as well as transitional skills for autistic children moving beyond public education.
“We’re looking to help schools and educational professionals develop plans that will help students be successful in college and in their careers,” said Miklos. “It’s all about college and career readiness.”
Several sessions at this year’s conference are related to complex language skills, as well as new discussions involving atomic repertoire and joint control. A pair of panels featuring professionals and students discussing their transitions from school and within the workforce will take place from 9 a.m.-noon and 1:15-4:15 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 4 during sessions 16 and 28, respectively.
Miklos says sharing personal success stories can serve as a model for those with autism and hopes the panels become a source of inspiration for others to find success through effective transition experiences.
In conjunction with Penn State Conferences and Institutes, the National Autism Conference is hosted by the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Bureau of Special Education, PaTTAN and Penn State’s College of Education.
Walk-in registration is available for the conference. For more information, including webcasting and the full schedule, visit autism.outreach.psu.edu.
Matt Caracappa, Penn State Outreach and Online Education, http://www.outreach.psu.edu/, +1 814-865-7600, [email protected]
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