Annual Issues in Autism Conference

The UM-NSU Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (CARD) based at NSU’s Fischler School of Education and Human Services will host its 11th Annual Issues in Autism Conference “Social Skills and Behavior Interventions for Individuals With High Functioning Autism/Asperger Syndrome” on Saturday, May 2 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Health Professions Division.

This workshop will focus on social skills supports for students with high functioning autism and Asperger Syndrome. Social skills activities will be discussed in the context of comprehensive planning. Practical suggestions, including case examples, on using social skills in school and home settings will be provided.  

Addressing the behavior problems of students with ASDs is one of the greatest challenges schools face. This session provides an in-depth application of the Ziggurat Model to address rages, meltdowns, and difficult behaviors. Attendees will learn to recognize precursors of meltdowns and address behaviors using the levels of the Ziggurat Model. 

Brenda Smith Myles, Ph.D., will lead the workshop. Myles, a consultant with the Ziggurat Group, is the recipient of the 2004 Autism Society of America's Outstanding Professional Award and the 2006 Princeton Fellowship Award. She has made presentations internationally, written more than 150 articles and books on autism and Asperger Syndrome, and served as the co-chair of the National ASD Teacher Standards Committee. She is on the National Institute of Mental Health's Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee's Strategic Planning Consortium and the Autism Society of America's Panel of Professional Advisors. Myles is also on the executive boards of several organizations, including the Organization for Autism Research. In addition, she was recently acknowledged as the second most productive applied researcher in ASD in the world from 1997 to 2004.

The conference is free and open to the public, but pre-registration is required by Friday, April 24. To register online, please click here.  For more information, please contact Lezonne Codner at (954) 262-7111 or Lezonne@nova.edu.