Your Child and Autism

Toronto District School Board Finds Innovative Tool for Teaching Children With Autism Using ABA Principles

Fredericton, NB (PRWEB) October 22, 2007 -- The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) is rolling out a state-of-the-art software tool to help meet the demand for autism programming for children in Ontario schools. "We are excited about the prospect of providing teachers and professional support staff with additional resources and training using AutismPro to support the IEPs of students with autism," said Karen Gravitis, Executive Superintendent of the TDSB.

"AutismPro is a new online software tool developed in Canada by international experts in the field of autism," said Karina Schmidt, Vice President of Virtual Expert Clinics, the creators of AutismPro. "Subscribers to AutismPro can make informed choices and get quality resources to collaboratively design an individualized educational plan (IEP) using a tool that has been built on ABA principles."

"AutismPro gives teachers the training and multimedia guidance they need to put a plan into action with video supports, printable resources and online workshops," said Ms. Schmidt. "They can even evaluate the success of their plan with charts that track individual progress."

"The TDSB is very proactive in seeking innovative ways to improve access to quality training and resources in their schools," said Ms. Schmidt. "They really care about doing the best possible job for their kids by equipping their teachers with the tools they need to succeed."

The TDSB is the largest school board in Canada and the fourth largest in North America. "Classroom teachers are responsible for the educational outcomes of all the children, including children with autism. However training dollars are often restricted to special educators and clinicians due to cost. AutismPro is designed to bring everyone, including teachers into the loop, and help them integrate the children into the classroom" said Ms. Schmidt.

Recent studies show a startling increase in the incidence of autism world-wide. One study based on findings in 2003 took the rate from one child in every 166 in North America to one child in every 150. Many experts believe the proportion is even higher today.

Over the next year, the TDSB will be partnering with Virtual Expert Clinics to use AutismPro in helping teachers to choose appropriate programming strategies to meet the needs of their children with autism. "We're looking forward to seeing the results of this project," said Ms. Schmidt. "Our AutismPro Educator package was designed especially for this type of environment with its unique classroom needs."

About the Toronto District School Board

The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) was created on January 1, 1998 following the amalgamation of seven individual Boards of Education. Serving almost 1.4 million electors of the City of Toronto, it is among the largest school boards in North America, with over 500 schools and over 15,000 teachers.

About AutismPro

AutismPro is a 9-step Internet-delivered tool for designing and delivering individualized autism intervention for the home, school or clinic. It can be used to guide and coordinate a team effort for children with autism. A special edition of the program, called AutismPro Educator, has been created to train teachers and other school personnel and provide them with the resources they need to educate children with autism in the classroom.

About Virtual Expert Clinics

Virtual Expert Clinics develops training and planning tools for educators of special needs children. Their first product, AutismPro, blends the expertise of world-class autism experts with intelligent software to deliver accessible training and guidance through the computer.

Contact:

Thomas Mitchell

Publicity Manager

Virtual Expert Clinic

46 Dineen Drive

National Research Council

Fredericton, New Brunswick

E3B 9W4

Phone: 506.474.8134

Toll Free: 866.462.0991

eMail: mitchell(at)vecinc.com

Web Site: www.autismpro.com

###

MORE ARTICLES:

Key Steps Can Help with Financial Impact of Disability
Allsup provides insights on improving cash flow and financial resources, including Social Security Disability Insurance benefits, when individuals must stop working because of disability.

Significant Points Concerning Social Security Disability Hearings
Are you one of the social security disability claimants who have not yet seen a favorable answer for your applications after considerable waiting? Then requesting for an appeal of the decision concerning your Disability Claim at the Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA) could be the positive step in achieving what you have been praying for.

Autism And Music - TeamVico CD About the Autism Journey Releases April 2nd
A family's journey of Autism and Recovery is told through original music on rock and roll concept album.

Vital New Social Storybook Teaches 'Social Rules' and 'Having a Conversation' to Children with Autism
Natural Learning Concepts launches new book to make socializing understandable and fun.

Natural Learning Concepts Proudly Announces Autism Job Placement
A Vital and Exciting New Resource Connects the Remarkable People on the Autism Spectrum with Pro-Autism Employers Nationwide

Canadian Technology Breakthrough in Autism Offered Globally
Following CDC reports of a sharp increase in the incidence of autism in North American, an innovative Canadian company offers a free trial of its revolutionary patent-pending approach to guiding autism intervention over the Internet, and receives an overwhelming global response.

Pregnancy Disability Insurance ? Protect Your Income For a Truly Safe Pregnancy
Missing work during and after pregnancy has become a common occurrence According to a 2002 study, 29% of short term disabilities (180 days or less) and 12% of long-term disabilities are due to pregnancy

Raising Children With High Functioning Autism
If your child has been diagnosed with high functioning autism, parenting can be a challenge. The main reason is because autistics do not think and mentally develop the same way as the average child, and so must be taught individually and differently. Therefore, the challenge is finding out what parenting methods work for your autistic child. Essentially, it?s a lot of trial and error.

The Ultimate Asperger Syndrome Handbook: Everything You Need to Know... But Didn't Know Who to Ask
What do you get when a book is authored by a passionate Master's psychology candidate who is a professional writer of 20 years and the mother of an Asperger Syndrome kid? The world's most useful book on Asperger Syndrome and related disorders, that's what.

Autism Development - Why & How to Cure
Autism is a neurological disorder & needs special care for treatment. This disorder results from combinations of certain traits. This disorder ranges from low functioning autism to high function autism.