Request Workshops & Training

There is no cost to school districts/parents for the Center’s workshops. Upon request, two or more workshops can be combined to create half- and full-day in-service opportunities.

Most workshops are led by licensed clinical psychologists. Our consultants focus on the academic, social, emotional, adaptive, and behavioral development of students with autism spectrum and disruptive behavior disorders. WNYRCASD faculty include Ph.D. and master’s level experts in autism spectrum disorder and evidence-based practices from The Summit Center. If you’re interested in scheduling one of the workshops listed, please fill out the form below.

101: Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorders and Evidence-Based Treatments

• This training provides up-to-date information on the clinical and associated features of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), including Asperger’s disorder and PDD-NOS. Attention will be given to how these features manifest themselves and present unique instructional and learning challenges within educational settings. The training goes beyond the core features of the disorders and covers evidence-based strategies for helping children and adolescents with ASDs.

102: Inclusive Programming for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

• This seminar provides school personnel with practical and evidence-based intervention techniques to maximize the success of students with ASD within public education settings. The training will include how to foster the initial transition of a student into a new educational setting/class, as well as school-based strategies to enhance the academic, social, emotional, and behavioral functioning of students with ASDs. Guidelines to facilitate success within general education inclusion settings will be offered.

103: Developing and Fostering Social Development for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders within Public Education Settings

• A review of typical school-based practices suggests that school districts may sometimes fall short in facilitating the social development of students with ASDs. This seminar explains the social interaction difficulties children with ASD commonly experience and provides school personnel with evidence-based approaches to enhance the social development of these students.

104: Redefining Consequence: Strategies for Addressing Challenging Behaviors in Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

• This 2-3 hour seminar is designed for educators and related service providers who work with a child who demonstrates recurring challenging behaviors. This presentation goes beyond determining what is causing challenging behaviors, and examines how many conventional ways of responding to challenging behavior contribute to the persistence of challenges. Practical evidence-based strategies to decrease maladaptive behaviors, increase adaptive alternative behaviors, and evaluate the effectiveness of intervention plans will be offered. Attendees will consider whether their current means of responding to challenging behaviors include the necessary elements to build skills and curtail future problematic behaviors.

105: Advanced Seminar in the Applications of Behavioral Strategies for Evaluating and Responding to Challenging Behaviors Demonstrated by Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders

• This six-hour workshop (three sessions) is designed for teams of school personnel (minimum of 3 per school per team required) who work with a student with an ASD who exhibits challenging behaviors. Participants will be expected to have an understanding of ASDs, enabling this hands-on workshop to focus on developing strategies within-session that can be applied between sessions to address challenging behaviors. Bi-weekly sessions will allow for application and evaluation of learned material. The focus of each session follows:
• Session #1: Identifying target behaviors and appropriate data tracking methods
• Session #2: Interpreting data and generating a behavior intervention plan
• Session #3: Plan review and future considerations

106: Building Skills vs. Doing Skills: Considerations for Fostering Independence and Reducing Adult Supports

• This 2-3 hour seminar is designed for all classroom/personal care aides, educators, and related service providers who support a child with autism and/or behavioral challenges. Emphasis will be placed on providing assistance (or “aiding”), to emphasize the important role of building skills rather than doing skills. Participants will leave with a framework for fostering independence that includes attending to and tracking prompts, developing and implementing individualized independence plans (IIPs), and establishing means to monitor progress. Attendees will be able to differentiate between accommodating and unaccommodating accommodations. Specific case examples will be provided. Attendees will become aware of the risk or promoting dependence, and differentiate between doing skills vs. building skills, become familiar with instructional, environmental, and behavioral techniques that should be used to reduce adult support and facilitate acquisition of skills for children with developmental delays.

107: Advanced Seminar in the Application of Strategies for Providing Effective Aide Support

• This three-hour session is designed for teams of school personnel (minimum of 3 people per school team required) who work with a student with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) who requires regular aide assistance/prompting throughout the school day. The focus of this series is to learn and apply a framework to foster independence and reduce adult supports. Team attendance is necessary to emphasize the need for collaborative and supportive relationships in order to effectively support “our kids.” Participants will be expected to have an understanding of ASDs, enabling this hands-on workshop to focus on developing strategies within-session that can be applied between sessions to address the goal of reducing adult support. Sessions will be scheduled (approximately) every other week, allowing for application and evaluation of learned material. The focus of each session includes:
• Session #1: Understanding the goal of building skills vs. doing skills and identifying appropriate prompt/aide data tracking methods
• Session #2: Interpreting prompt/aide data and generating individualized independence plans
• Session #3: Review success of IIP, barriers, and future considerations

108: No More Moving Meltdowns: Strategies for Transporting Students with Intellectual Disabilities, Autism, and Related Diagnoses

• This two-hour session is designed for bus drivers, teacher aides and transportation administrators. Attendees will learn best practices for transporting students with intellectual disabilities, autism, or related diagnosis and how to create a sensory-friendly environment on four wheels.