Autism Spectrum - Best Practices
Autism Collaboration brings together autism advocacy organizations in the USA and internationally to inform, solicit, review, and fund autism research initiatives following the guiding principle of "helping the most kids the most quickly". Members of Autism Collaboration include: TACA, Unlocking Autism, Treating Autism, Generation Rescue, SafeMinds, Autism Research Institute, Autism One, Autism Society of America, The Autism Trust, Mindd Foundation, National Autism Association, Schafer Autism Report, and EmergenzAutismo.org. More information is available from: http://www.autism.org/.
Autism Does Not Disappear At 18! is a project of Pentru Voi Foundation in Timisoara, Romania. The project aims to develop specialized support services for persons diagnosed with autism in their childhood. It also aims to raise awareness of persons with autism among General Practitioners (GP's), psychiatrists, local authorities, and local communities. Within the project is a campaign to promote the social inclusion of adults with autism; training sessions for GP's and specialists working with adults with autism; an advocacy group on social inclusion of adults diagnosed with autism in their childhood and two support groups for 15 adults with autism and their families. The project is financially supported by the European Union and the Romanian Government through PHARE 2006 - Support for the development of the mental health community-based services and deinstitutionalization of persons with mental illness. More information is available at: http://www.pentruvoi.ro/content/content/news/38/140/37/.
Autistic Spectrum Disorders: Good Practice Guidance, produced in 2002 by the United Kingdom's Department for Education and Skills, aims to raise awareness and standards of support for children with ASDs. It is organized in two parts. Part I (Guidance on Autistic Spectrum Disorders) offers an introduction on the nature of ASDs and the principles of good service provision for children with ASDs. Part II (Pointers to Good Practice) helps service providers to develop provision for children with ASDs based on the collective experience of practitioners.
Ballastexistenz is a blog established and maintained by a non-verbal woman with physical disability as well as autism, who has lived in institutions and whose subsistence and services are funded by the state. The name "ballast" was a dehumanizing cliché used in Nazi Germany to refer to people whom the state considered a burden on society and a waste of space and money. The blogger has used the term to contrast it with her real life. This blog shares ideas about human rights, autistic liberation, and disability rights. More information is available at: http://ballastexistenz.autistics.org/
Center za avtizem, Ljubljana, Slovenia, is an association of special education teachers, psychologists, therapists, and other professionals, experts, and advocates, working to promote inclusion of persons with autism. It is a member organization of Autism Europe. More information (in Slovenian) is available at: http://www.avtizem.org/.
The Early Bird Programme of the National Autistic Society, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, United Kingdom, combines group center-based training sessions (for parents of children with ASD) with individual home visits to help parents apply what they learn and work directly with their children. More information is available at: http://www.nas.org.uk/earlybird.
Ritzy Film Club for Adults with Learning Disabilities, London, United Kingdom, is a film club at the Ritzy Cinema, established especially for adults with learning difficulties, and their friends or care-givers. The Lambeth Autism group[Link Missing] d developed the idea of autism-friendly screenings, when the soundtrack is turned down, and low lights are left in the auditorium. More information is available at: http://www.picturehouses.co.uk/site/cinemas/ritzy/community.htm.