Center Description

The New Hampshire Resource Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders offers Academic Initiatives: Ph.D. Program: Preparing Leadership Personnel in the Area of Educating and Supporting Children and Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders (Project LEAD); a Graduate Certificate in Autism Spectrum Disorders; Research Initiatives: the Early markers and Beyond Access Projects; and Professional Development and Technical Assistance: Jumpstart; Communication Skill Builders; On–Site Technical Assistance and Training; Annual Autism Summer Institute; and the Autism National Committee Bookstore.

For more information, click here to download the NHRCASD brochure (pdf)

Academic Initiatives

Ph.D. Program: Preparing Leadership Personnel in the Area of Educating and Supporting Children and Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders (Project LEAD)

Students apply to the Ph.D. Program in Education, administered by the Department of Education at the University of New Hampshire. At the time of application, they indicate their interest in studying Autism Spectrum Disorders. The Project LEAD grant, from the U. S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, supports a limited number of qualified students with graduate assistantships (~$13,000 per year) and full tuition waivers.

For program content information, contact: Cheryl M. Jorgensen, Ph.D., at (603) 862-4678 or cheryl.jorgensen@unh.edu

For application procedures, contact: Lisa Canfield, Department of Education, at (603) 862-2310 or lcc2@unh.edu

Graduate Certificate in Autism Spectrum Disorders

Practitioners serving in a variety of roles – educators, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, psychologists, school nurses, social workers, families, consultants, advocates, policymakers, graduate students in Psychology and Sociology – may enroll in a program of study leading to a post-baccalaureate Graduate Certificate in Autism Spectrum Disorders .

For program content information, contact: Cheryl M. Jorgensen, Ph.D., at (603) 862-4678 or cherylj@unh.edu

For application procedures, contact: Lisa Canfield, Department of Education, at (603) 862-2310 or lcc2@unh.edu

Evaluation & Diagnosis

Seacoast Child Development Clinic www.seacoastclinic.unh.edu

The Seacoast Child Development Clinic promotes child strengths to achieve his/her full and meaningful participation in the community. Interdisciplinary evaluation and consultation is provided to assist families of children who have developmental challenges, including autism, to make informed decisions regarding medical, developmental, and educational needs. These services are family-centered and culturally sensitive.

Contact: Rae Sonnenmeier, Ph.D., SLP-CCC, at (603) 862-0561 or seacoast.clinic@unh.edu

Research Initiatives

Early Markers Project

Early Markers is a project designed to prospectively identify characteristics associated with development of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in at-risk infants. Babies are identified as at-risk if they have an older sibling with ASD. The project involves developmental clinic evaluations as well as naturalistic parent-child interactions videotaped in the home from 6-36 months of age. At-risk infants, typically developing infants and infants with Down syndrome, are included to identify early markers that differentiate those children who are eventually diagnosed with ASD.

Contact: Michelle Sullivan, Ph.D., at (603) 862-0284 or michelle.sullivan@unh.edu

Beyond Access Project www.iod.unh.edu/beyond-access

Beyond Access is a four-year Model Demonstration Project, funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, which promotes improved learning of general education curriculum content by students with the most significant disabilities. The project assists school teams to learn, implement, and refine a student supports and team planning model that blends research-based best practices in inclusive education, augmentative communication, collaborative teaming, and professional development. The project has a strong evaluation component documenting outcomes for several students with autism across three school districts. Initial research findings have been published in a peer-reviewed journal, Augmentative and Alternative Communication.

Contact: Cheryl M. Jorgensen, Ph.D., at (603) 862-4678 or cheryl.jorgensen@unh.edu

Professional Development & Technical Assistance

Jumpstart www.iod.unh.edu/jumpstart.html

Jumpstart is a project designed to offer a model of individualized support to New Hampshire families of children, aged birth to three, and providers to support young children who have autism or autism-like characteristics. Jumpstart provides comprehensive, individualized support with a core of three important elements: development of functional communication skills, supported participation in socially inclusive environments, and multi-faceted family support.

Contact: Ann Dillon, M.Ed., OTL, at (603) 862-0793 or ann.dillon@unh.edu

Annual Autism Summer Institute

This multi-day summer institute provides participants with state-of-the-art information and strategies in the area of educating students with ASD in general education classrooms. Each morning, participants hear a keynote presentation from a national leader in the field of autism. In the afternoon, while working in small groups, participants synthesize this new information and develop strategies for supporting students with ASD in their schools and families.

Contact: May Ann Allsop at (603) 228-2084 ext.14 or maryann.allsop@unh.edu

Click here for more information on this year's Autism Summer Institute

On-Site Technical Assistance and Training

Institute on Disability staff members provide on-site training and technical assistance upon request. Topics can include information and consultation on positive behavioral intervention and supports, strategies for full participation, transition from school to adult life, futures planning, full class participation, literacy and communication, access to the general education curriculum, and additional strategies for full participation in schools and communities for individuals with autism and their families.

Contact: Mary Schuh, Ph.D., at (603) 228-4230 or mcschuh@unh.edu

Communication Skill Builders Group

The Resource Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders sponsors a monthly Communication Skill Builders Group for individuals who express themselves through facilitated communication. Technical assistance and training is provided to individuals and their teams who are working on independent typing, message passing, typing with multiple facilitators, and overall enhanced communication.

Contact: Janet Williamson at (603) 228-2084 or janet.williamson@unh.edu

Autism National Committee (Autcom) Bookstore

Autism National Committee Bookstore www.autcom.org

Founded in 1990, this is the only national autism advocacy organization dedicated to "Social Justice for All Citizens with Autism" through a shared vision and a commitment to positive approaches to protect and advance the human rights and civil rights of all persons with autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorder, and related differences of communication and behavior. The Institute on Disability's Resource Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders is pleased to host a bookstore promoting cutting edge resources written for, and by, individuals with autism, their families, and supportive professionals.

For a complete listing of resources, visit: http://iodserver.unh.edu/iodbookstore/

To place an order by phone, call: (800) 378-0386

Links and Other Resources

NH Task Force on Autism, Part 1 - Assessment and Interventions (pdf)

Interactive Collaborative Autism Network

Asperger's Association of New England

Autism Society of New Hampshire

Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation

Jay Nolan Community Services

The Autism Acceptance Project

Paula Kluth

Professional Development in Autism at the University of Washington

OSEP National Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavior Supports

Indiana Resource Center for Autism

Network of Autism Training and Technical Assistance Providers (NATTAP)