This is a collection of Internet and other resources which parents of children with PDD, PDD-NOS, autism, Asperger"s Syndrome, or hyperlexia may find useful. All the information concerns teaching methods that are a branch of applied behavior analysis (ABA) called behavioral intervention. This site contains a list of ABA providers all over the US and some international.

At Abilities, our definition of service and quality begins in the therapy room with a professional and dedicated speech pathologist, occupational therapist, or special educator, but extends beyond the therapy room. We provide many services and programs in the process of diagnosing and treating communication, sensory, motor, reading, writing and hearing disorders.

Ombudsman program

Info and referral, stipends for conferences & workshops

Access To Better Communication (ABC)
is a Professional Speech Language Pathology Group located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. ABC offers a variety of speech and language services for young children including screenings, evaluations and therapy. ABC is also pleased to announce that two of their speech-language pathologist are currently going through the certification process for Relationship Development Intervention (RDI). Both consultants will complete their training in August of 2006 and are currently taking new families.

The Advocacy Center has a multi-disciplinary staff of lawyers, paralegals, client advocates and support staff who provide the following services:

1. Legal Representation - The Advocacy Center represents clients in areas of the law designated as priorities by its Board of Directors. Legal representation includes counseling, advice, research, negotiation, administrative review, administrative hearing, state office review, litigation and class action. If a person needs legal representation in a non-priority area, the staff can make referrals to other sources of legal representation.

2. Advocacy Assistance (non-legal) - Many persons with disabilities seek Advocacy Center's help by making a phone call to our office and speaking with Intake Staff. However, we know that it is not always easy to make that call. People in residential facilities, such as group homes, nursing homes and psychiatric hospitals, may not feel safe in calling us, or may not be able to verbalize their needs. So we have Ombudsmen who visit group homes and nursing homes, and Client Advocates who visit psychiatric hospitals. Ombudsmen and Client Advocates help solve problems, make complaints and achieve goals.

3. Information and Referral - The Advocacy Center knows that it is difficult to identify the right resource for each person's needs. Staff help people to access services by providing information about resources, and making referrals to legal, social, health, education, employment, and other related services.

4. Systems Advocacy - The Advocacy Center works to improve systems that are used by people who are elderly and/or have disabilities, including education, health, legal, social services, transportation, and vocational systems. Most of our systems advocacy work is carried out by teams of several staff who meet as needed to achieve a system enhancing objective. Occasionally a team will include persons from outside the agency. Other systems advocacy work may consist of individual Advocacy Center staff participating in task forces outside the Advocacy Center.

5. Education and Training - The Advocacy Center educates others about the legal rights of persons who are elderly and persons who have disabilities, through presentations to groups, participation on committees and task forces, media campaigns, technical assistance flyers, and educational booklets. Training offered by the Advocacy Center may be in response to requests from specific groups; or may be set up by the Advocacy Center in response to needs identified by the staff.

6. Self-Advocacy - The Advocacy Center helps to give clients the skills and knowledge to act on their own behalf.

7. Publications - The Advocacy Center provides a variety of booklets, reports, flyers, and other resources pertaining to persons 60 years or older and persons with disabilities. Special reports are published from time to time and usually focus on a specific issue or problem. An example is the 2003 report, Mental Health Rehabilitation Services: "Rehabilitation" or a "Get Rich Quick Scheme?" that looks at problems with Louisiana's mental health rehabilitation program.

8. Outreach and Training - The Advocacy Center often responds to community groups who ask for someone to talk to them about its work. Outreach includes the visits to residential facilities by ombudsmen and client advocates and various issues affecting people with disabilities.

All services are free of charge for persons with disabilities.

The Advocacy Center has a multi-disciplinary staff of lawyers, paralegals, client advocates and support staff who provide the following services:

1. Legal Representation - The Advocacy Center represents clients in areas of the law designated as priorities by its Board of Directors. Legal representation includes counseling, advice, research, negotiation, administrative review, administrative hearing, state office review, litigation and class action. If a person needs legal representation in a non-priority area, the staff can make referrals to other sources of legal representation.

2. Advocacy Assistance (non-legal) - Many persons with disabilities seek Advocacy Center's help by making a phone call to our office and speaking with Intake Staff. However, we know that it is not always easy to make that call. People in residential facilities, such as group homes, nursing homes and psychiatric hospitals, may not feel safe in calling us, or may not be able to verbalize their needs. So we have Ombudsmen who visit group homes and nursing homes, and Client Advocates who visit psychiatric hospitals. Ombudsmen and Client Advocates help solve problems, make complaints and achieve goals.

3. Information and Referral - The Advocacy Center knows that it is difficult to identify the right resource for each person's needs. Staff help people to access services by providing information about resources, and making referrals to legal, social, health, education, employment, and other related services.

4. Systems Advocacy - The Advocacy Center works to improve systems that are used by people who are elderly and/or have disabilities, including education, health, legal, social services, transportation, and vocational systems. Most of our systems advocacy work is carried out by teams of several staff who meet as needed to achieve a system enhancing objective. Occasionally a team will include persons from outside the agency. Other systems advocacy work may consist of individual Advocacy Center staff participating in task forces outside the Advocacy Center.

5. Education and Training - The Advocacy Center educates others about the legal rights of persons who are elderly and persons who have disabilities, through presentations to groups, participation on committees and task forces, media campaigns, technical assistance flyers, and educational booklets. Training offered by the Advocacy Center may be in response to requests from specific groups; or may be set up by the Advocacy Center in response to needs identified by the staff.

6. Self-Advocacy - The Advocacy Center helps to give clients the skills and knowledge to act on their own behalf.

7. Publications - The Advocacy Center provides a variety of booklets, reports, flyers, and other resources pertaining to persons 60 years or older and persons with disabilities. Special reports are published from time to time and usually focus on a specific issue or problem. An example is the 2003 report, Mental Health Rehabilitation Services: "Rehabilitation" or a "Get Rich Quick Scheme?" that looks at problems with Louisiana's mental health rehabilitation program.

8. Outreach and Training - The Advocacy Center often responds to community groups who ask for someone to talk to them about its work. Outreach includes the visits to residential facilities by ombudsmen and client advocates and various issues affecting people with disabilities.

Information, legal advice and referral

Advocacy.org provides social justice advocates with resources and guidance in the area of advocacy leadership development, and also introduces our programs and services. We're will be constantly updating our site with stories, resources and lessons learned in order to pass on what we've learned from advocates like you.

Nutritional web store with specialized supplements taylored to the needs of autistic children.

The Arc of Louisiana advocates with and for all people with mental retardation and related developmental disabilities and their families that they shall live to their fullest potential

Nationwide Respite Locator

Offers support groups in the Central Louisiana/Alexandria area, and information and referral services. ARISE’s mission is to assist parents of children with autism by providing knowledge, training, and behavioral services.

One of the most complex tasks both parents and professionals face is developing and implementing an effective language intervention for children with autism. Parents and professionals are finding that BOTH Discrete Trial Training (DTT) and Natural Environment Training (NET), together with the help of Skinner's (1957) Functional Analysis of Verbal Behavior to be very effective for children with autism. This is commonly referred to as Applied Verbal Behavior (AVB)which is a specialty within the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). It is a place where parents and professionals running home (and school) programs can discuss concerns and share their knowledge of this type of teaching.

More than 10 national autism leadership organizations have come together to form AutismCares, a nationwide disaster relief effort that will potentially assist thousands of Katrina families living with autism.

To address the most immediate needs, ”AutismCares – Katrina” is coordinating support for the unique needs of families affected by autism through facilitating temporary / permanent relocation support, mobilizing specialty assistance teams and providing autism-conscious supplies directly to these families and the professionals caring for them.

Autism One Radio presents knowledgeable, caring hosts providing answers to many of the most important questions. We cover a wide range of topics, including the most effective treatments and therapies, school concerns, legal issues, government policies, family dynamics and more.

Autismshop.com is a one-of-a-kind Book & Toy Store that is packed with merchandise and information for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder and those who love, care for, and educate them.

Founded in 1994 as a not-for-profit organization by the parents of a child with autism (now recovered), AutismShop.com regularly carries over 1000 different items that educate, increase awareness, and improve lives. Our proceeds benefit autism research and support.

When in Minnesota, visit our charming brick & mortar shop!

Message Boards

We are developers and creators of therapy materials for AAC (augmentative communication) devices. Based in Hawaii, we provide products to national and international clients.