OSPA 2021 Fall Conference
Nov. 4-5, 2021
Supporting Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Schools: Assessments and Beyond
Thursday A.M. Session: Legal Topics with Pam Leist
This session on legal topics will concern students with ASD. The session will cover relevant case law related to the provision of FAPE and LRE determinations.
Ms. Leist of Ennis Britton, Co. LPA is a member of the Special Education and Workers’ Compensation Practice Teams, and she assists clients with a variety of education law issues including special education, student discipline, labor and employment law, negotiations, board policy review and development, and legislative review. Ms. Leist serves as the Education Committee Chair for the Ohio State Bar Association.
Thursday P.M. Session: The Resistance, Persistence, and Resilience of Black Families Raising Children with Autism with Dr. Elizabeth Drame, Tara Adams, Veronica Nolden and Judy Nardi
The afternoon session features the authors of The Resistance, Persistence, and Resilience of Black Families Raising Children with Autism. Issues of race, inter-racial differences, class, disability, and gender will be discussed. The session aims to open discussion about systemic racial inequities in education and to help cultivate culturally responsive practices. This session will include a keynote address by Dr. Elizabeth R. Drame, a panel discussion with the authors, and small group discussions.
Dr. Drame is a professor in Teaching and Learning at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She prepares special educators and coordinates the Autism Spectrum Disorders Certificate Program. Drame received her Ph.D. in Learning Disabilities from Northwestern University.
Tara Adams works in disability advocacy and served as a family advocate for the University of Wisconsin-Madison Wisconsin Promise Program, helping families and youth receiving Social Security Supplemental Income to improve post-secondary outcomes.
Veronica R. Nolden served as a special education paraprofessional, autism advocate and volunteer at a local hospital. She is a cofounder of the Milwaukee Urban Autism Summit.
Judy M. Nardi is a Senior Pharmacy Technician. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in African American Literature from Loyola University in Chicago, IL.
Friday A.M. Session: Girls and Women on the Spectrum: Closing the Gender Gap with Ruth Aspy, Ph.D.
There are more males than females with ASD. The description of ASD, and consequently the tools used to identify ASD, are based on what ASD looks like in males. As a result, females with ASD are often not referred or are misidentified – they may fall through the cracks. Strategies will be discussed for better identifying and serving females with ASD.
Friday P.M. Session: Identifying Autism Across the Spectrum: Strategies for School Teams with Ruth Aspy, Ph.D.
A well-trained and experienced evaluation team is needed to identify and serve students with autism spectrum disorder. From creating an effective inter-disciplinary team to administering quality assessments to accurately interpreting findings and communicating with parents and families, it is important to have the knowledge and skills to best support students with ASD.
Dr. Aspy is a licensed psychologist who specializes in interdisciplinary assessment and intervention for individuals with autism spectrum disorder. She is co-author of a comprehensive model of intervention, The Ziggurat Model, which earned the Literary Achievement Award from the Autism Society of America. She is experienced in both the clinic and school settings. Her focus is on understanding underlying strengths and characteristics of those with ASD and designing supports and strategies with their neurological/brain differences in mind.
