Autism Spectrum Disorders: Interventions and Treatments for Children and Youth

Richard L. Simpson was Professor Emeritus at the University of Kansas. He was a member of the Department of Special Education faculty for over 40 years. While at the University of Kansas he directed numerous University of Kansas and University of Kansas Medical Center demonstration programs for students with autism spectrum disorders and other disabilities and coordinated a variety of federal grant programs related to students with autism spectrum disorders and other disabilities. He also worked as a special education teacher, school psychologist and coordinator of a community mental health outreach program. Rich authored numerous books, articles, and texts on a variety of topics connected to students with disabilities. Rich was the former senior editor of the professional journal Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities. His awards include the Council for Exceptional Children Research Award, Midwest Symposium for Leadership in Behavior Disorders Leadership Award, Autism Society of Kansas Leadership Award, and numerous University of Kansas awards and distinguished roles, including the Gene A. Budig Endowed Teaching Professorship of Special Education. Sonja R. de Boer-Ott is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (B.C.B.A.) and is currently completing her Ph.D. at the University of Kansas. She works as a consultant regarding interventions for students with Autism Spectrum Disorders and is a project coordinator for an ASD training grant received from the Office of Special Education Programs. Previously, she worked in the area of early intervention-creating applied behavior analysis (ABA) programs for young children with ASD-and as an inclu-sion facilitator for children with ASD-creating inclusive education programs for students with ASD within school districts in California. She has also worked as Associate Professor for Chapman University. Deborah E. Griswold is Project Coordinator in the Department of Special Education at the University of Kansas. Her interests and research are in autism spectrum disorders, emotional and behavior disorders, and disability and the link to delinquency and adult incarceration. She received her doctorate from the University of Kansas. Brenda Smith Myles is Associate Professor in the Department of Special Education at the University of Kansas, where she codirects a graduate program in Asperger syndrome and autism. She has written numerous articles and books, including Asperger Syndrome and Difficult Moments: Practical Solutions for Tantrums, Rage, and Meltdowns and Asperger Syndrome and Adolescence: Practical Solutions for School Success, the winner of the Autism Society of America's outstanding literary work in 2002. Dr. Myles is on the executive boards of several organizations, including the Organization for Autism Research and MAAP Services, Inc. Jennifer B. Ganz is Assistant Professor of Special Education at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Dr. Ganz previously worked as a general and special education teacher and an educational consultant. Her research interests include strategies to improve social and communication skills in individuals with autism spectrum disorders. Katherine Tapscott Cook is an assistant professor at Missouri Western State College in special education. She received her PhD in special education with an amphasis in autism, Asperger syndrome and behavior disorders from the University of Kansas. Dr Cook's principle research interests in the area of autism spectrum disorders include sensory integration and social skills instruction. She is a co-author of Asperger Syndrome and Sensory Issues. Kaye L. Otten is Program Director at the Autism Asperger Resource Center, a nonprofit organization in Kansas City. She completed her doc-torate in special education specializing in emotional, behavioral, and autism spectrum disorders. Dr. Otten has nine years of teaching experi-ence in public school districts and private agencies. Josefa Ben-Arieh earned an undergraduate de