2017 Midwest Autism Summer Institute: Advocating for Access – June 22 and 23
For many of us, Summer Vacation includes a trip East to attend the Syracuse University Institute on Communication & Inclusion‘s Autism Summer Institute. This year, however, the ICI will not be hosting a conference on the East Coast. Instead, they will join forces with the University of Northern Iowa for the 2017 Midwest Summer Institute:…
Read MoreSBT’s Next Celebration of Communication is Saturday April 15, 2017
REGISTER for Our Next Celebration of Communication on Saturday, April 15, 2017 We are pleased to announce that our next Celebration of Communication which will be held on Saturday, April 15, 2017 at 4:00 PM. Please join us on the 3rd Saturday of every month for our Celebration of Communication. These informal gatherings provide a…
Read MoreNonverbal Autistic’s Brother Shows Support by “Racing for a Voice”
Joey and Clayton Tharpe are loving brothers. Unfortunately, as much as he wanted to, for 27 years Clayton was unable to tell his brother that he loved him. The reason for this is that Clayton has an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) that made him unable to speak or communicate in any effective way with his…
Read More3rd Annual Rethinking Autism Conference Returns April 20-21, 2017
Click to Scroll Down to Event & Registration Details After last years highly successful event, Optimal Rhythms, Inc. / ACCESS Academy will host the 3rd Annual Rethinking Autism Conference this April, which is National Autism Awareness Month, an initiative created to “promote autism awareness, inclusion and self-determination for all, and assure that each person…
Read MoreMarch Supported Typing Coaching Workshop & Typers’ Training Cancelled
The Coaching Workshop & Typers’ Training on March 3 – 5 Has Been Cancelled Due to unforeseen circumstances, we have cancelled the Supported Typing Coaching Workshop & Typers’ Training scheduled for March 3 – 5, 2017. If you registered with a credit card, refunds will automatically be made to your card in the next few…
Read MoreInstitute on Communication & Inclusion 2017 Events Update
For many of us, Summer Vacation includes a trip East to attend the Syracuse University Institute on Communication & Inclusion‘s Autism Summer Institute. This year, however, the ICI will not be hosting a conference on the East Coast. Instead, they will join forces with the University of Northern Iowa for the 2017 Midwest Summer Institute:…
Read MoreOne Parent’s Plea for Better Laws / Police Training to Protect Autistic Children
We recently came across an article published on the Augusta Chronicle website that that we want to bring to your attention. This article, “People with autism need to be protected with new law,” was written by Kinshasa S. Reese, the mother of an autistic son and U.S. Army Reserve sergeant pursuing her master’s degree in…
Read MorePolice Training for Effective Relations with Autistic Community Comes to Little Rock
As a visit to our Celebration of Communication this past May from Police Officer Mark Merrell, who trains police and other first responders on how to improve relations and understanding with the disabled community, illustrates, we have been aware of the importance of proper training for first-responders in how to deal with autistic children and…
Read More“Plankton Dreams” – a story about a remarkable young man’s journey out of silence
We want to thank Sheree Burke for for bringing our attention to Tito Rajarshi Mukhopadhyay’s latest publication, “Plankton Dreams: What I Learned in Special Ed.” This book offers an insightful look into the life of an extraordinary young man locked in silence who learned to communicate with the outside world in an extraordinary manner. In…
Read MoreAs Autism Awareness Grows, so do Facilities & Services for ASD Community, Pt. 3
Air Travel A study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2014 showed that the prevalence of autism in the US has increased to 1 in 68 children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). As awareness of autism and the needs of the ASD community grows among the general population,…
Read More