Menu
Published on 10/16/13

Autism Answers Conference set on UGA Griffin campus

One in 88 American children have been identified with an autism spectrum disorder, according to estimates by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. To help parents and educators better serve these children, the University of Georgia Griffin campus will host a conference focused on the topic of autism Nov. 14 from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The Bionic Educator II-Autism Answers Conference is being presented by the UGA College of Education’s communication sciences and special education department, Griffin RESA-Metro South GLRS and Spalding Regional Hospital. The conference is designed for teachers, school administrators, related service providers and parents of autism spectrum disorder students.

“We have a stellar group of educators and researchers who will be leading breakout sessions on topics of high interest to administrators, general and special education teachers, related service providers and parents,” said Clemene Ramsey, Griffin campus program coordinator for the UGA College of Education and organizer of the event. “They will take the research we know about students on the autism spectrum and apply that to the effective classroom practices.”

The keynote speaker will be B.J. Freeman, professor emerita at the UCLA School of Medicine and a nationally recognized advocate, author and leader in the field of autism. Her topic will be “Infantile Autism to ASD: A 40 Year Journey 1973-2013.”

Other international speakers include Susan Kabot, executive director of the Autism Mailman Segal Institute of Nova Southeastern University, and Christine Reeve, adjunct professor for Nova University.

Local UGA Griffin faculty member and international presenter Perry Buffington will speak about the effect of medication of students with autism. A native of Pike County, Buffington is a licensed psychologist with more than 20 years of experience.

Rebecca Lamont and Jackie Isbell, consultants who work in the field of autism, will discuss how to apply what teachers know about students on the autism spectrum to the classroom environment.

The conference fee is $75 and includes a continental breakfast and lunch. To register, see www.griffinresa.net. The registration deadline is Nov. 7. For more information, contact Clemene Ramsey at clemene@uga.edu.