The Virginia Commonwealth University Autism Center For Excellence

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The Virginia Commonwealth University Autism
Center For Excellence

• Dawn Hendricks, Ph.D.
• Director of Training
• Carol Schall, Ph.D.
• Director of Technical Assistance

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Mission

• Build state- and system-wide capacity to improve
  individual outcomes through four activities

VCU-ACE
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Meet our Team

• Dr. Paul Wehman Principal Investigator 
• Dr. John Kregel Director
• Dr. Dawn Hendricks Director of Training
• Dr. Carol Schall Director of Technical
  Assistance
• Sue Palko, M.Ed. Training Coordinator
• Joy Engstrom, Ph. D. Candidate Technical
  Assistance Coordinator
• Emily Helmboldt, M.Ed., LPC Technical
  Assistance Coordinator
• Staci Carr, Ph. D. Candidate Technical
  Assistance Coordinator

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Our Regional Technical Assistance Coordinators
Superintendents Region VCU-ACE Technical Assistance Associates
Regions 1 Adam Dreyfus, M.A., BCBA
Region 2 Noel Woolard, M. Ed., BCABA
Region 2 Charlene Wentland, M.Ed.
Region 3 Noel Woolard, M. Ed., BCABA
Region 4 Steven Celmer, M.A., BCBA
Region 5 Steven Celmer, M.A., BCBA
Region 6 Teresa Lyons, M. Ed.
Region 7 Teresa Lyons, M. Ed.
Region 8 Adam Dreyfus, M.A., BCBA
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Partners Collaborators

• Virginia Department of Education
• VCU School of Education and School of Medicine
• Virginia Autism Resource Center
• Community and University
• School Divisions
• Other College / University Partners
• T/TAC
• VAC
• The Partnership for People with Disabilities
• The National Professional Development Center on
  Autism Spectrum Disorders

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University / College Coursework
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Certificate Programs in ASD
Averett University  Danville Old Dominion University  Norfolk STATE
George Mason University Fairfax Radford University  Radford
James Madison University  Harrisonburg STATE Rappahannock Community College Glenns and Warsaw
Longwood University Farmville Regent University Virginia Beach STATE
Lynchburg University Lynchburg University of Mary Washington  Fredericksburg STATE
Mary Baldwin University  Staunton Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond STATE
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Consortia

• State Autism Professional Development Consortium
  (SAPDC)
• Applied Behavior Analysis Consortium
• Share information
• Build relationships that enable learning
• Develop shared repertoire of resources
• Engage in joint activities and build services

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Online Training
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Training Needs Assessment Results
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Webcasts from State and National Experts

• Supporting Social Emotional Development in Young
  Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Date
  4/12/2011 Presenter(s) Maureen Conroy
• Planning your Students Program Using the
  Comprehensive Autism Planning System (CAPS)
  Date 5/10/2011 Presenter(s) Shawn Henry
• Research Based Intervention Ensuring Program
  Quality for Students with Autism Spectrum
  Disorder Date 6/14/2011 Presenter(s) Sam Odom
• Supporting a Person with Aspergers Syndrome
  Date 7/12/2011 Presenter(s) Gena Barnhill
• Implementation of Evidence Based Practice in the
  General Education School Setting Date 8/9/2011
  Presenter(s) Cathy Pratt

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Online Seminars

• Asynchronous Do on your own time!
• 30-45 minutes
• Video support
• Range of topics
• Schedules
• Visual supports
• What is ABA?

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Online Instructional Courses

• Foundations of Autism
• Paraprofessionals
• Teachers
• Parents
• Medical residents

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Resource Development

• Autism Spectrum Disorders
• Diagnosis and Eligibility
• Family
• Educational Resources
• Evidence Based Practice
• Early Intervention
• Adults and Adolescents
• Behavior

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Technical Assistance
Regional
Statewide
School Divisions
VCU ACE Technical Assistance
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Bottom Up and Top Down
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School Division

• Systems Change Initiative
• Provide targeted TA to top level directors and
  administrators
• Provide embedded TA to classroom staff to
  implement and expand the National Professional
  Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders
  Evidence-Based Practices
• 8 School Divisions Projects
• 12 School Divisions

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School Divisions Number of Schools Number of Students Identified with ASD
Arlington County Public Schools 65 337
Botetourt County Public Schools 27 71
Greensville County Public Schools 4 26
Hampton/Newport News Public Schools 12 513
Henrico County Public Schools 71 598
Northern Neck Regional Program 12 45
Richmond City Public Schools 48 211
Wise County Public Schools 15 33
TOTALS 254 1834
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Practice and Coaching
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Administrative Support
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Data and Feedback
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For Divisions who are not selected

• Regional Communities of Practice
• Master teachers
• Special education specialists
• Autism specialists
• Limited remote and web based technical assistance
  for individual school divisions
• Individual questions/concerns
• School division questions/concerns

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For More information

• Carol Schall at cmschall_at_vcu.edu
• or
• Dawn Hendricks at drhendricks_at_vcu.edu