for Excellence Regional Communities of Learning in Autism (CoLAs) - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

VCU Autism Center for Excellence Regional Communities

• f Learning in Autism

(CoLA’s)

• Dr. Carol Schall, Director of Technical Assistance

Virginia Commonwealth University Autism Center for Excellence

Who is Leading this Effort?

• VCU ACE Technical Assistance
• VADOE Training and Technical

Assistance Centers

• In Region 1, The Region One Autism

Education Consortium

What is a CoLA?

• A group of public school

division “Autism Leaders” who engage superintendant’s regions in problem solving related to ASD training and technical assistance to encourage systems change across the region

• A learning community where public school

division “Autism Leaders” can also discuss and meet their own professional development needs

What will CoLA’s do?

• Share resources
• Solve regional problems
• Share training information and resources
• Increase consistency and efficiency of

programming with in and across divisions,

• Promote and increase division and region wide

implementation of evidence-based practice,

• Problem solve and discuss the blending of

evidence-based practice with federal mandates

• Plan for training for the regional autism specialists

in the regions

How will CoLA’s Meet?

• Face to Face

– 2 to 3 times per year

• Via Conference Call

– As needed and defined by the members

• On the Web

– Through the sharing of resources on a Wiki

Who Can Attend?

• Individuals from public school

divisions who serve a leadership role in the area of ASD services for the entire division.

• Division wide Autism Specialists
• Division wide special education trainer,

supervisor, coach

• Division wide special education autism

curriculum specialist

• Directors of Special Education
• Directors of Related Services (Speech, OT,

PT)

What might we get from a CoLA?

• Access to and sharing of

resources

• Shared problem solving and

brainstorming

• Region wide training
• Collective creativity
• Access to expertise
• Sharing success and challenges

Who do I Contact for More Information?

Regions VCU-ACE TA Associates E-mail Address Region 1 and 8 Adam Dreyfus Emily Helmboldt adreyfus@vcu.edu echelmboldt@vcu.edu Region 2 and 3 Noel Woolard Charlene Wentland woolardn@vcu.edu chwentland@vcu.edu Region 4 and 5 Steven Celmer spcelmer@vcu.edu Region 6 and 7 Teresa Lyons tlyons@vcu.edu

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Opportunities for Professional Development and Training

• Dr. Dawn Hendricks, Director of Training

Virginia Commonwealth University Autism Center for Excellence

WWW.VCUAUTISMCENTER.ORG

ACE Training

• Designed for all who serve or support

a student with ASD

• Based on the Virginia Skill

Competencies

• Designed for

– Knowledge and Skills Attainment (Beginning) – – Capacity Building (Intermediate) - is the integration of learning experiences in which knowledge and skills interact

University / College Coursework

University / College Coursework for Credit Coursework in Autism Spectrum Disorders Coursework in Applied Behavior Analysis

Not-for-Credit

1 3

Live Training Resources Webcasts Online Seminars Online Instructional Courses

Webcasts

National and State Experts

• ABA = Good Teaching

Date: December 13, 2011 Time: 3:30 - 4:30pm Eastern Presenter(s): Robert Schramm

• Function Matters! How to Determine Why a Student

Demonstrates Problem Behavior Date: January 10, 2012 Time: 3:30 - 4:30pm Eastern Presenter(s): Carol Schall

• In My Own Words. My Life with Asperger’s Syndrome

Date: February 14, 2012 Time: 3:30 - 4:30pm Eastern Presenter(s): Roseanne

Online Seminars

• Asynchronous
• Variety of topics
• 10-30 minutes
• Extension activities

– Individual – Group

Online Courses

• Foundations of Autism Course
• Educating Students with Autism

Spectrum Disorders

Foundations of Autism Spectrum Disorders Course

• Module One: Overview of Autism

Spectrum Disorder and the Primary Characteristics

• Module Two: Secondary

characteristics, learning styles and autism across the lifespan

Educating Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders

• Module One: Overview of ASD and

Introduction to the Educational Process

• Module Two: Critical Components of the

IEP

• Module Three: Instructional

Considerations

• Module Four: Foundations of Instruction
• Module Five: Behavioral Support

Online Resources

• Guidelines
• Fact sheets and briefs
• Journal articles
• Websites
• Lending Library
• Technology web page

Paraprofessional Initiative

• Online self-paced course
• Guidelines
• Institutes of Higher Education /

Community Colleges

• Virginia Skill Competencies
• Tracking Training Protocol
• Training Protocol for Divisions

Other Activities in Development

• Data-based Decision Making – online

self-paced course

• Screening and Diagnosis of ASD –
• nline self-paced course
• My Child was Just Diagnosed with

ASD! Now What do I do? – online self- paced course