Brenda Smith Myles, Ph.D., has made over 3000 presentations all over the world and has written more than 250 articles and books on autism spectrum disorder. Further, in the latest survey conducted by the University of Texas, she was acknowledged as the second most productive applied researcher in ASD in the world. Brenda is the author of The Hidden Curriculum and co-writer of Excelling with Autism, two of the books we focus on in this segment. Social intuition keeps most of us from getting into situations that could easily lead to disastrous social experiences. Because we have an innate ability to size up environments and people to determine how to proceed successfully, we use unwritten rules, or hidden curriculum, as our guideposts. In this segment, we learn how to break down the skills necessary and uncover a pathway to success.

Tim Villegas is the Director of Communications at the Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education (MCIE). He is the founder and host of two podcasts, Think Inclusive and The Weeklyish. Throughout his 16-year career as a special education teacher, he has advocated for the inclusion of students with extensive support needs in general education classrooms. Inclusive education is not only a right, but it has been proven time and time again through peer reviewed, scientific research as having the best outcomes into adulthood. This segment shines the light on the benefits of inclusion and steps to achieve success for both students and teachers.

Kelly Mahler OTD, OTR/L, holds a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy and has been an occupational therapist for 20 years, specializing in the development of self-regulation and social cognition skills. She is the author of Interoception: The Eighth Sensory System and The Interoception Curriculum: A Step-by-Step Guide to Developing Mindful Self-Regulation. It’s not uncommon for kids with autism to have a noticeably high tolerance for pain. Have you ever wondered why? Well, this segment will explain our 8th sense – interoception – and provide you with an explanation of what’s going on inside their bodies and classroom strategies on how to help your students whose sensory system appears a bit off track.

Lynn Kern Koegel, PhD, is a Clinical Professor at the Stanford University School of Medicine and the Editor in Chief of the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. She is the author of 8 books including, Overcoming Autism and Growing Up on the Spectrum and Hidden Brilliance: Unlocking the Intelligence of Autism. Dr. Koegel and her husband, Robert, are the developers of Pivotal Response Treatment which focuses on motivation. She appeared on the tv show Supernanny, working with a child with autism. Far too often, we as parents and educators attempt to mold children into our perception of who we think they should be. In Dr. Lynn Koegel’s new book, Hidden Brilliance: Unlocking the Intelligence of Autism, she exposes the intellect behind behaviors often found in those on the autism spectrum. During this segment, she shares with us observations from decades of research in the field and advice on how to create positive outcomes through student interests.

David Geslak, B.S., CSCS, has developed a system to effectively teach exercise to students with autism. Nine universities have incorporated his program into their Adapted Physical Education and Special Education Programs. Coach Dave is the author of The Autism Fitness Handbook, and creator of the Autism Exercise Specialist Certificate and award-winning, Exercise Buddy App. Obesity and fitness/health related issues are prevalent within the autism community. In this segment, we uncover some of the reasons why and share some tried and true interventions that can be instituted within the home and school settings.

Claudio V. Cerullo, Ph.D., is an internationally recognized expert on the subject of Anti-Bullying and School Violence Prevention. He has written numerous articles and books on the subject and has lectured at many education forums and conferences. Dr. Claudio V. Cerullo has been invited to the White House as an expert panel member in the area of school violence prevention. He is the author of Inside the Mind of a Bully. Bullying is a huge issue for those in the autism community. The social challenges that come along with the disability can contribute to someone becoming an easy target. That, coupled with the fact that they may not even realize that they’re being bullied, makes them open to maltreatment by all sorts of kids who may otherwise be afraid of getting caught.

Lisa Combs, M.A. Special Education, has worked inside the field of education for over 30 years. She has authored two books on evidence-based autism supports, Push to Open: A Teacher’s QuickGuide to Universal Design for Teaching Students on the Autism Spectrum and Gear Up for Success: A Three-Tiered Planning Model for Supporting Learners on the Autism Spectrum. She is also the author of the popular "Best Friend Books'' children's books series, and conducts associated social-emotional workshops for students, school staff and community groups. Incorporating easy-to-use strategies of Universal Designs for Learning into your classroom will most certainly benefit students with disabilities, but it can also have a long-lasting impact on those who don’t. In this session, you will learn about differing learning styles and intelligences, executive functioning, how to teach generalization of skills, and so much more!