Autism Spectrum Disorders Conference Held in Abingdon
by Jane Todd

The Virginia Department of Education's Training and Technical Assistance Center at Virginia Tech was the sponsor of the Autism Spectrum Disorders Conference recently held at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center in Abingdon. The March 30-31 program was attended by more than 200 educators, psychologists, parents, speech pathologists, paraprofessionals, and students.

Anne Donnellan, Ph.D., professor in the School of Leadership and Education Studies at the University of San Diego and Professor Emerita at the University of Wisconsin-Madison along with Martha Leary, M.A., CCC-SLP, a speech pathologist and communication consultant, were joint presenters for the full-day session, Myths and Assumptions: What we know about people with a label of autism.

David Pitonyak, an independent consultant with more than 20 years of experience in supporting individuals who exhibit difficult behaviors, including supporting the needs of friends, family and caregivers, was the keynote presenter on the second day. His presentation, What Do I Do Next? Strategies for getting started after the conference is finished, energized the audience with new ideas they could take back to work and daily life.

This session was followed with opportunities to choose three breakout sessions covering the broad areas of social skills, communication, and teaching strategies.

This conference, held for the third year, is designed for those who are supporting students from preschool through high school with autism, Asperger, or PDD-NOS, and meets a need in the Southwest Virginia area. Parents and professionals alike continue to voice their enthusiasm and appreciation for bringing this specialized conference to far southwestern Virginia.

The mission of the Training and Technical Assistance Center (T/TAC) is to improve educational opportunities and contribute to the success of children and youth with disabilities (birth-22 years). The center provides quality training and technical assistance in response to local, regional, and state needs. T/TAC services increase the capacity of schools, school personnel, service providers, and families to meet needs of children and youth.

The Training and Technical Assistance Center for Professionals Serving Students with Disabilities at Virginia Tech and Radford University is part of a statewide technical assistance program based at university sites across Virginia. The T/TACs, funded through a grant by The Virginia Department of Education, provide services to teachers, administrators, and others requesting assistance for their students in special education. Consultations, workshops, information, and referrals are provided free of charge.

If you would like more information about T/TAC programs, please contact Diann Eaton at dweaton@vt.edu or Mickey Vanderwerker at mickeyV@vt.edu.