Autism Links

The Asperger's Association of New England - (AANE) is made up of individuals with Asperger's Syndrome (AS), their families, friends and professionals.  AANE is dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with AS and related conditions.  Check this site for upcoming workshops, information, and advocacy issues. 

Assistive Technology Exchange  - Website where you can look for or list Assistive Technology devices for sale or for free.  The goal of "getATstuff" is to help get Assistive Technology devices that are no longer being used into the hands of people who need and can benefit from them.

AutismCares - A growing number of national autism organizations have partnered to form AutismCares, a national initiative to help families with members who have autism that are challenged with disasters in their community. AutismCares registers families through a free online service to help manage and store their health care records and ensure that trained case managers are able to locate them more effectively in case disaster strikes their community.

Autism Information Center - National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, CDC - Their work includes identifying the causes of birth defects and developmental disabilities, helping children to develop and reach their full potential, and promoting health and well-being among people of all ages with disabilities.

Autism/Pervasive Developmental Disorders – This site is filled with information and resources.  Topics include:  Life with Autism, new Theories, A Dad’s Journal, Newsletters, Diagnosis, Alternative and Traditional Care, Behavioral Issues, Hidden Problems, Family Issues, and much more.

Autism Network International  - Support and advocacy organization run by and for autistic people; offers personal stories, an email list and links to autism sites.

Autism Research Institute - ARI is primarily devoted to conducting research, and to disseminating the results of research, on the causes of autism and on methods of preventing, diagnosing and treating autism and other severe behavioral disorders of childhood.  They provide information based on research to parents and professionals throughout the world.

Autism Risk and Safety Management - Website developed by Dennis Debbaudt that provides information and resources for Law Enforcement, First Responders, Parents, Educators, and Care Providers.

Autism Speaks — The goal of this organization is to give a voice to an entire community, to every family dealing with the hardships of autism. Dedicated to funding global biomedical research into the causes, prevention, treatments, and cure for autism; to raising public awareness about autism and its effects on individuals, families, and society; and to bringing hope to all who deal with the hardships of this disorder.

Autism Society of America  - The mission of the Autism Society of America is to promote lifelong access and opportunities for persons within the autism spectrum and their families, to be fully included, participating members of their communities through advocacy, public awareness, education, and research related to autism.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - The CDC, as the sentinel for the health of people in the United States and throughout the world, strives to protect people’s health and safety, provide reliable health information, and improve health through strong partnerships.

Centros para el Control y la Prevencion de Enfermedades (CDC) - Los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades (CDC) lanzaron su versión actualizada de CDC en Español, con una nueva presentación y nuevas herramientas que lo hacen más funcional y fácil de utilizar. Esta nueva versión forma parte del gran compromiso de los CDC de proporcionar información precisa y actualizada para los hispanohablantes sobre una amplia gama de temas de salud, entre los que se incluyen, promoción de la salud y prevención de enfermedades como asma, cáncer, diabetes y VIH/SIDA, vacunas, salud de los niños y riesgos ocupacionales.

Center for the Study of Autism  - The Center provides information about autism to parents and professionals, and conducts research on the efficacy of various therapeutic interventions.  The site is readable in Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Italian.

DisabilityInfo.org - maintained by New England INDEX, contains a wealth of information for people with disabilities, their friends, families and the people who serve them. Information within this site focuses primarily on Massachusetts.

Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism - The primary goal is to promote awareness and support families affected by autism spectrum disorders. The foundation is committed to funding organizations that provide direct services, family support grants, education, advocacy and recreational opportunities with the purpose of improving the quality of life for individuals with autism and their families.

Family TIES of Massachusetts - A statewide information and parent-to-parent support project for families of children with special needs and chronic illness. It is administered by parent coordinators housed in each of the regional offices of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

First Signs - A national non-profit organization dedicated to early identification and intervention of children with autism and other developmental disorders. Its mission is to ensure the best developmental outcome for every child by promoting awareness regarding the most important and often overlooked aspects of development: social, emotional, and communication.

Forward Motion Coaching - Career development coaching for adults with Asperger's Syndrome so that they can find and keep meaningful work.  Classes and workshops also offered.

Gluten-freeorg - a site filled with internet links, gluten-fee recipes, gluten-related ills, etc.

Independent Living on the Autistic Spectrum -  An online support group (newsgroups, mailing lists, etc) for people with Autism or related conditions, including but not limited to Asperger Syndrome.  Members from all over the world come together here to make friends, support each other, and share practical experiences and tips relevant to independent living with our condition.

K12 Academics - Website devoted to providing resourceful information about autism including, but not limited to, terminology, characteristics, epidemiology, and therapies.

Kids Health - A website containing information on autism that is directed towards kids, teens, and parents who are looking for information stated in understandable terms.

LADDERS - In association with the Massachusetts General Hospital , Pediatric Services, LADDERS is a multidisciplinary clinic whose mission is to provide the highest quality clinical, social and support services to those diagnosed with autism, pervasive developmental disorders and other developmental disabilities.

Manitas por Autismo (A Little Hand for Autism) - ¡Te damos la más cordial bienvenida a nuestra Alianza Manitas por Autismo! Somos una organización sin fines de lucro que trabaja día a día para brindar información sobre el autismo. Esperamos que compartas con nosotros todas tus experiencias, dudas o preguntas. Diariamente se generan muchos artículos, novedades y mensajes repletos de información de interés. Déjanos saber qué tipo de apoyo en particular necesitas y haremos todo lo posible por ayudarte. ¡Bendiciones para ti y tu familia!

MASS Federation for Children with Special Needs  - The Federation is a center for parents and parent organizations to work together on behalf of children with special needs and their families.

Massachusetts Yellow Pages for Kids -  Find educational consultants, psychologists, educational diagnosticians, health care providers, academic therapists, tutors, speech language therapists, occupational therapists, coaches, advocates, and attorneys for children with disabilities on the Yellow Pages for Kids for your state. You will also find special education schools, learning centers, treatment programs, parent groups, respite care, community centers, grassroots organizations, and government programs for children with disabilities. 

National Center on Secondary Education and Transition (NCSET)  - The National Center on Secondary Education and Transition (NCSET) coordinates national resources, offers technical assistance, and disseminates information related to secondary education and transition for youth with disabilities in order to create opportunities for youth to achieve successful futures.

National Early Childhood Technical Assistance System (NECTAS)  - This organization supports the implementation of the early childhood provisions, birth through 5 years, of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act ( IDEA ).  Their mission is to ensure that all eligible young children with disabilities and other special needs and their families benefit from strong, high quality state and local service systems and supports that are culturally appropriate and family centered.  Available in English and Spanish.

NICHCY - National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities  - A center that provides information to the nation on disabilities in children and youth; programs and services for infants, children, and youth with disabilities; IDEA, the nation's special education law; No Child Left Behind, the nation's general education law; and research-based information on effective practices for children with disabilities.

Oasis - Aspergers - OASIS stands for Online Asperger Syndrome Information & Support.  It is an information source for families of children diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome and related disorders, educators who teach children with AS, professionals working with individuals diagnosed with AS,  and individuals with AS who are seeking support.

Pioneer Valley Parenting Resource Directory - The goal of this guide is to help parents & families navigate through all of the different resources available throughout the Pioneer Valley.

Project Ride - Project RIDE (Recreation, Independence, Development, and Equipment) is a program of Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts. We provide special needs children with modified tricycles and information about adaptive sports programs in Western Massachusetts. Our emphasis is on the importance of recreational activities for special needs children and their families.  This program is for children 6 and older with special needs living in Western Massachusetts who would not normally have an opportunity to ride a bike. The child should be able to pedal and steer the tricycle independently. A letter of support from their Primary Care Physician is required for participation.
For more information, please call Liane Kendall @ (413) 737-2601.

Social Skill Builders - A not-for-profit, family-focused group, is dedicated to providing information, networking, and parent and professional workshops and training in western Massachusetts.  Their mission:  help children and young adults with communication- based deficits build skills for lasting friendships and other social relationships.

Stride Adaptive Sports - STRIDE Adaptive Sports is a multidisciplinary, educational organization specializing in therapeutic recreation-related services for individuals with disabilities.  Programs are cost-free for participants, and run on a volunteer basis.  STRIDE contributes to each child's growth by offering the resources and opportunities that are often considered too costly for families to provide.  STRIDE does not cater to any one type of disability.

Special Education Law and Advocacy - WrightsLaw - Parents, advocates, educators, and attorneys come to Wrightslaw for accurate, up-to-date information about special education law and advocacy for children with disabilities.

TalkAutism - An integrated group of communication technologies managed by experienced advocates.  Our mission is to assist the autism community by being the one place to find many resources or speakers.   

TEACCH - Chapel Hill   - TEACCH stands for the Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication Handicapped Children.  The approach discussed on this site includes a focus on the person with autism and the development of a program around this person's skills, interests, and needs.

The Brain Development and Disorders Project at MIT - The project aims to merge the clinical strengths of the Developmental Medicine Center with the research strengths of the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences.  The goal of the project is to use advanced research tools and methods to develop accurate diagnosis and treatment for children with developmental disabilities such as ASD and related developmental disorders.  Specific projects include the study of vision, movement, language, touch and cognitive functions in children with ASD.

The Inclusion Series - The Inclusion Series is a unique resource for institutions and individuals. This award-winning series is widely used by educators, professionals and parents world wide. It is shown in workshops, university classrooms, parent-teacher meetings, in-service training programs, resource centers, and other educational settings. these documentaries offer audiences examples of inclusion of people with disabilities in real-life situations and inspires all audiences.

The Spiral Foundation —A non-profit organization that was founded in 2002 with a mission to further the understanding of sensory processing disorder (SPD), formerly known as sensory integration dysfunction, through research and community education.

Temple Grandin   - A person with autism, talks about:

• "Experiences with Visual Thinking Sensory Problems and Communication Difficulties"  
• "Teaching Tips for Children and Adults with Autism"
• "Making the Transition from the World of School into the World of Work"

Whole Children - Whole Children offers movement, art, recreation and music programs for infants, children and teens of all abilities.  The goal of our programs is to meet each child at their skill level in the most appropriate environment for that child.  The emphasis in all classes is on finding and celebrating children’s individual strengths, having fun, and making and sustaining friendships. All of our classes are taught by trained and/or certified instructors and most classes have a student/teacher ratio of 4:1.

Grants For Families With Children With Autism

There's no doubt about it: autism is expensive. For some families, though, the cost of autism can be devastating. That's why the National Autism Association has created a grant program specifically for families of children with autism who are in financial crisis.

If you are a family residing in the United States with a child on the autism spectrum aged birth to 18, you may qualify for the grant. The maximum you may request is $1,500. Money from the grant may be applied ONLY to biomedical treatments, supplements or therapies for your child with autism - and the money is paid directly to vendors (not to families).

Similar grants are offered to families by Act-Today for Autism, Autism Family Resources, and United Healthcare Children's Foundation. The important point to note is that money from these grants never goes directly to families - and it may be used only for autism treatments and related costs (not to, for example, keep the house warm in winter).

If you are in search of a grant for autism treatment, these grant opportunities are legitimate resources. Many advertised grant opportunities, however, are not. A Google search will almost certainly lead you to sites and ads for "free grants for autism." Many of these organizations will require you to pay in advance for your "free grants" - an absurd idea, since grants, by their very nature, are "free."

If any agency or individual requests money from you as part of a grant application process, run fast and far. Then, consider reporting that agency or individual to the police.

Source:  Autism.About.com

 Products, toys, specialty items

Abilitations - Abilitation's primary focus is serving the needs of individuals with special needs and learning differences. Our special education, physical therapy and speech therapy product mix focuses on movement, positioning, sensorimotor, exercise, aquatics and play.

Attainment Company - Products that help people with cognitive disabilities succeed at school, work and life.

Bright Apple - Special education and basic skills materials from resource rooms to inclusion situations; materials to meet every student's needs.

Childswork ChildsPlay - Childswork/Childsplay uses a prevention and intervention model when creating its high-quality products. These programs focus on the behavioral, social and emotional issues children deal with at home and at school. Through the use of games, print materials, and visual media, counselors and educators have a superior array of counseling tools at their disposal. This line of products offers hundreds of items for both play therapy and classroom settings that make a difference in the building of critical skills in young children.

Enable Mart - Focuses on assistive technology products.

Future Horizons - Publisher in the world of autism/Asperger's books, DVDs, and resources.

Laureate Learning Systems - Dedicated to publishing innovative software of the highest quality, specifically designed to improve the lives of children and adults with special needs.

Mayer-Johnson - Easy to use products for people with special learning needs.

Really Good Stuff - Dedicated to providing products and services that help teachers make a difference in children's lives by offering a collection of fun and creative teaching tools. All products are tested in the classroom and reviewed by teacher panels before they ever make it onto the product list.

Research Press - Books and videos in School Counseling, Special Education, Psychology, Counseling and Therapy, Parenting, Death and Dying, and Developmental Disabilities. .

Resources for Reading - Specializing in reading materials and supplies.