Larry's Gulch Inclusive Education Review June 21, 22, 2012

Meeting of Senior Department of Education Officials With Gordon Porter And Other Advocates of Extreme Everyone In the Mainstream Classroom Inclusion June 20, 21, 2012
Information from CANADALAND web site.

L: Yude  M. Henteleff, C.M., Q.C., L.L.D. (Hon.)     R: Harold L. Doherty 
at the Atlantic Human Rights Centre Inclusion Conference Crowne Plaza Fredericton-Lord Beaverbrook, June 14, 15, 2012 Mr. Henteleff presented, a paper advocating for a range of learning placement optionsin order to ensure meaningful inclusion:  MEANINGFUL ACCESS, INCLUDING THE PROVISION OF A WIDE RANGE OF PLACEMENTS, AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF INCLUSIVITY IN EDUCATION

It was a privilege, on June 14, 15, 2012  to attend the Atlantic Human Rights Centre Inclusion Conference at the Crown Plaza in Fredericton and to meet the very distinguished lawyer and disability advocate Yude Henteleff above. I personally have tried for many years to advocate for a rational evidence based inclusive education policy that provides a range of learning environments to accommodate the diverse challenges and needs of persons with disabilities particularly students with autism spectrum disorders.  Unfortunately anything that was discussed at that conference was not likely to have been considered by the NB government and department of Education officials when they met with Gordon Porter, and other "all students in the mainstream classroom inclusion philosophy " one week later at Larry's Gulch.

Autism Spectrum Disorder has been increasingly recognized for its heterogeneity particularly with respect to cognitive deficits, sensory challenges, self injurious behaviors,  and learning disabilities.  In NB the fight for an education policy that allows for alternative learning environments to accommodate those students, like my son, who do not function well in the regular classroom, and can even be harmed by that location,  has largely been undone by Gordon Porter and the NBACL including various members of the influential Carr family and their NBACL associate Danny Soucy.  At the June 14 2012 conference above Mr Henteleff and I were  voices advocating for evidence based accommodation of the needs of students with disabilities.  Gordon Porter was there presenting individuals with anecdotal horror stories about segregation. 

The conference appeared to have been a waste of time and money.  One week later,  at Larry's Gulch,  senior education officials and government officials met with Gordon Porter, Canada's most  obsessive advocate for reducing learning options for all students to the mainstream classroom.  Neither I, a former ASNB president and long time critic of NB's extreme mainstream only inclusion policy, nor the distinguished lawyer and disability advocate Yude Henteleff were present.

I  met Mr Porter,  NBACL/CACL icon,  on several occasions during the MacKay and Ministerial Committee inclusive education reviews. During a breakout session in a room at the MacKay review Gordon Porter grew visibly annoyed with me and another ASNB parent advocate when we advocated a range of learning settings to accommodate some students with autism disorders who would have difficulty functioning in the mainstream classroom.  He dismissed our comments by telling us that "you people should be thankful" for what we had.  I  have no doubt that when he attended Larry's Gulch with fellow NBACL official,  and co-author of the last of several inclusive education reviews, Angela Aucoin, Krista Carr of the NBACL and her husband Jody Carr, then the Minister of Education, and Danny Soucy MLA and NBACL official at various times,  that he pushed his obsessive,  extreme inclusion philosophy and made no positive mention of the need for a range of learning environments to accommodate those with severe autism and other disorders.

I wasn't present at the Larry's Gulch inclusive education review but I am sure that it likely topped the  Wayne MacKay and Ministerial Committee reviews and any views that did not support the Gordon Porter extreme, all students in the mainstream classroom, inclusion philosophy.

Autism Canada, With Some Help From the Globe and Mail, Promotes "Weak Evidence" Based Son-Rise Program®

Autism Canada suggests parents of autistic children should change course and head down a different trail, away from strong evidence based interventions like Applied Behaviour Analysis, toward programs with weak evidence base in support of their effectiveness like the Son-Rise Program®. The Globe and Mail has kindlly provided some support for this adventure with a less than thorough analysis or assessment of  the respective approaches and treatments or the possible outcomes for autistic children involved who might lose valuable therapy time during the critical early intervention period between ages 2 and 5. 

As I  previously noted on this site Autism Canada is busy Changing the Course of Autism from the evidence based approach that parents  advocated for across Canada over the last 15 years to an anything goes approach that encourages parents of young autistic children to try autism treatments with weak or no evidence supporting their effectiveness.  On July 3, 2014 the Globe and Mail Health section featured an article with several quotes by Dr. Wendy Edwards and Laurie Mawlam both of whom are affiliated with Autism Canada and their attempts to push Canadian parents of autistic children away from seeking evidence based effective interventions for their children ... Applied Behavior Analysis ... to programs with weak evidence in support of their effectiveness such as  ... the Son-Rise Program®. 

Lee Marshall is the author of the Globe and Mail article Facing down autism: The unconventional (and somewhat controversial) therapy that’s led to recovery  and  may not be responsible for the article title which assumes that the controversial therapy ACTUALLY leads to recovery even though the evidence that recovery results from the program is weak, anecdotal evidence. The article refers to a 2013 Lancaster University study Promoting child-initiated social-communication in children with autism: Son-Rise Program intervention effects a very small study which involved 6 children none of whom had an intellectual disability.  Intellectual disability is a serious complicating condition affecting from 41-44%  (CDC) to 50% (WHO) of persons with autism disorders.

Dr. Wendy Edwards provides her family's personal, anecdotal evidence of the benefits of the Son-Rise Program®.   Doctor or not her family story is still just that .... a family story.     Anecdotal evidence,  like  personal testimonials published promoting Son-Rise, is  considered the weakest form of evidence:

"Anecdotal Evidence"

"Social scientists are wary about the use of stories as evidence for a claim. Anecdotes that are not backed up with systematic and rigorous comparative data are not trusted. Anecdotes are the weakest form of evidence, but they are often the most persuasive. Even scientists can be moved by a telling anecdote that contradicts a mass of statistical evidence. Anecdotes must always be used with care, precisely because we are psychologically susceptible to them." 

Laurie Mawlam, to her credit does acknowledge the substantial gulf between the evidence in support of Son-Rise  compared to ABA although she provides no credible explanation for the lack of evidence in support of the Son-Rise Program®:

"Mawlam of the Autism Canada Foundation said she had a “wonderful” experience using Son-Rise with her son. “While the scientific studies for Son-Rise are nowhere as plentiful as traditional discrete trial [Applied Behavioural Analysis], it doesn’t necessarily mean the treatment is not valid. It may just mean the studies have not been done,” she says."

The fact that Laurie Mawlam had a "wonderful experience" is not evidence of the effectiveness of Son-Rise.  Her weak dismissal of the lack studies providing evidence for Son-Rise is very questionable since the program began its development in the 1970's. There was ample time for studies to have been conducted between then and 2000.  One of the leading reviews of the evidence basis in support of various autism interventions is the Maine Administrators of Services for Children with Disabilities  (MADSEC) Autism Task Force Report (2000). The MADSEC Report reviewed and assessed the evidence basis of the Son-Rise Program®:

"According to Levy (1998), the Son-Rise Program does not guarantee results. The approach is based upon “. . .becoming a student of the child’s world, observing, learning, assisting and supporting the child’s flowering in a loving and non-judgmental environment” (Levy, 1998).

The Son-Rise Program does not seek to provide the child with information, or to teach the child to master predetermined skills. Instead, the program views the child’s current level of performance as being the best that the child can do; if the child could do better, he would (eg, if the child could follow instructions, he would). The Son-Rise program emphasizes total acceptance of the child, and encourages him to become a more motivated and participating individual (Levy, 1998).

Discussion

There have been no peer-reviewed, published studies of The Son-Rise Program’s effectiveness or outcome statistics.

Son Rise: The Miracle Continues chronicles the experiences of Barry and Samahria Lyte Kaufman as they created a program to meet the needs of their young son, diagnosed with autism and an IQ under 30. According the Kaufman (1997), their son currently has a near genius IQ, and no traces of his original condition.

Conclusions

There have been no studies of the Son-Rise Program’s effectiveness. Researchers should consider investigation using research protocols. Professionals considering Son-Rise should portray the method as without scientific evaluation of any kind, and should disclose this status to key decision makers influencing the child’s intervention."

I added the bold underlining for emphasis.  Autism Canada prides itself on being the "PREMIER" source for autism information in Canada.  Its spokespersons, especially medical and other professionals, should disclose to parents attending their conferences and reading their web site  seeking assistance with their children's autism disorders the lack of strong scientific evaluation for the Son-Rise program.

Mawlam does not explain why no scientific studies were done between the 1970's and 2000 to evaluate the Son-Rise program's effectiveness.  By contrast the 2007 American Academy of Pediatrics publication   Management of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, affirmed 2010,  assessed the evidence of effectiveness of ABA:

"The effectiveness of ABA-based intervention in ASDs has been well documented through 5 decades of research by using single-subject methodology21,25,27,28 and in controlled studies of comprehensive early intensive behavioral intervention programs in university and community settings.29–40 Children who receive early intensive behavioral treatment have been shown to make substantial, sustained gains in IQ, language, academic performance, and adaptive behavior as well as some measures of social behavior, and their outcomes have been significantly better than those of children in control groups.31–4

The AAP report looked at a number of Developmental and Relationship intervention models including RDI and DIR but found limited studies and primarily anecdotal evidence.  No specific mention was made of the Son-Rise program.

A  January 2014 article in the Canadian Medical Association Journal  Autism spectrum disorder: advances in evidence-based  practice  compared the evidence base of support for ABA and contrasted it with non ABA autism interventions (Son-Rise Program again was not specifically  mentioned):

 "A recent overview of meta-analyses60 found significantly enhanced outcomes associated with early intensive ABA-based treatment (typically for 2–3 yr) in four of five included meta-analyses (effect sizes 0.30 to > 1); these findings have since been bolstered by a sixth meta-analysis.61 Gains appear to be greatest in verbal intelligence quotient (IQ) and language communication domains,62,63 for children with stronger pretreatment skills, if treatment is started earlier,64 and with greater intensity or duration of intervention. 60–62,64 These gains achieved in various domains have been summarized in a recent Cochrane review.63 Although the overall quality of evidence is low, it is the best evidence available. A recent study in Ontario reported predictors of outcome that account for some heterogeneity in treatment response.65

A recent RCT supported the efficacy of ABA-based intervention in toddlers by showing improvements in IQ, adaptive skills and diagnostic classification.37 Models vary, notably by how ABA principles are implemented, but everyday contexts (e.g., free play v. “tabletop”) and activities based on the child’s interests (v. therapist’s agenda) have advantages, including greater generalization of learning.66 Questions remain about which forms and intensities of treatment are most effective for which children. 

Research on non-ABA–based treatments is sparse and shows limited efficacy.67 Translation of evidence-based intervention into community practice is being evaluated, including in Canada.68 A key question is whether effective high-quality programs can be less costly and more sustainable; the findings from Nova Scotia are promising.38 Studies of the effectiveness of treatment programs for older children, youth and adults with ASD are scarce. Benefits have been reported for structured teaching practices, including ABA based interventions, for a wide range of skill deficits and maladaptive behaviours.58"

The studies and reviews of the solid basis of evidence of ABA effectiveness as an autism intervention span several decades while Son-Rise has almost no evidence in support of its effectiveness.  Laurie Mawlam enjoyed the Son-Rise experience with her autistic child which says nothing at all about the results for her child.  Son-Rise paints its program in feel good language and testimonials and tries to diminish ABA using the "robotic" mis-characterizations of ABA.  

Fortunately many Canadian parents of autistic children have fought for evidence based autism interventions.  It has not been an easy fight and the need to continue that fight persists with a patchwork quilt of autism interventions still existing from province to province.  Unfortunately governments and costs are not the only obstacles to obtaining early evidence based autism intervention.  Unfortunately there will always be those professionals and parents who abandon evidence based principles and who are of great help to politicians and civil servants looking for excuses to avoid providing effective evidence based ABA interventions for children with autism disorders. 

Autism Canada appears to be pulling out all the stops in "Changing the Course"   away from evidence based   autism programs. 

Sometimes "Changing the Course" is not a good thing.

Why ABA for Autism? Because Children with Autism Disorders Deserve Evidence-Based Intervention and ABA Meets That Standard

Autism Canada Foundation, a Canadian autism charity,  promotes itself as "The PREMIER Resource for Information on Autism Spectrum Disorders" but  typically downplays the importance of evidence support for ABA as the Premier autism intervention while promoting interventions with less substantial  evidence bases as determined by study and  credible authorities.

 Why criticize Autism Canada Foundation an autism charity? Why ABA for Autism? Why Evidence Based Intervention?  Because, as stated by Couper and Sampson in the Medical Journal of Australia 11 years ago,  ineffective therapies, while they may be immediately harmless, waste the child's valuable therapy time and parents' money.  Delay in implementing effective treatment may have a negative impact on the child's ultimate outcome.  ABA is the only intervention to date that meets the evidence based standard in every credible review, a fact downplayed by the Autism Canada Foundation.

ABA has for many years been confirmed by study and credible authorities as  the most substantially evidence based effective autism intervention.  If parents choose to try other methods they should in fact make informed choices. Autism Canada is a charitable organization which will be staging an autism conference this October called Changing the Course of Autism 2014.  The brochure highlights RDI and the Son-Rise program but makes no express mention of  Applied Behavior Analysis.  

As the following credible reviews indicate RDI and Son-Rise are not supported by the same level of evidence of their effectiveness as ABA ( I can't find any authoritative review mentioning any level of evidence  support for Son-Rise).   What the Autism Canada conference attendees are unlikely to be informed is that when it comes to autism therapies it  is not a close call - ABA was and remains the most substantiated, evidence based, effective autism intervention. 

The US Surgeon General, the MADSEC Maine Administrators of Services for Children with Disabilities (Maine Autism Task Force) Report (2000 revision),  American Academy of Pediatrics, Management of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, and a recent article in the Canadian Medical Association Journal all confirm ABA as the most effective autism intervention (specific treatment necessary for associated medical conditions - eg. seizures, gastro intestinal).  And as Couper and Sampson wrote ... Children with autism deserve evidence based intervention:

1. Couper and Sampson - Children with autism deserve evidence based intervention.

Children with autism deserve evidence-based intervention  

Jennifer J Couper and Amanda J Sampson

Med J Aust 2003; 178 (9): 424-425.

Jennifer J Couper and Amanda J Sampson, in the 2003 editorial in the MJA, reviewed some of the evidence in support of the effectiveness  of behavioral interventions for autism. The authors stressed the importance of an evidence based approach to autism interventions:

"While ineffective therapies may be harmless, they waste parents' money and the child's valuable therapy time. Furthermore, the delay in implementing effective treatment may compromise the child's outcome." 

- [Bold Highlighting Added - HLD]

Couper and Sampson reviewed the evidence at that time (2003) in relation to behavioral treatment for autism:

The early intervention that has been subjected to the most rigorous assessment is behavioural intervention. There is now definite evidence that behavioural intervention improves cognitive, communication, adaptive and social skills in young children with autism. In 1987, Lovaas showed apparent recovery, persisting into adolescence, in nine of 19 young children who received an intensive home-based intervention based on applied behavioural analysis, a scientific method of reinforcing adaptive and reducing maladaptive behaviours.5,6 Subsequent studies also showed that behavioural intervention caused significant, albeit somewhat lesser, gains.7-11 This has modified the orthodox view that autism is always a severe, lifelong disability. Criticisms of the adequacy of the design and power of these studies are being addressed by the multisite Lovaas replication Early Autism Project. The first US site has released data (Wisconsin Early Autism Project).12 Again, after three to four years of intensive applied behavioural analysis intervention, about half the preschool children with autism acquired near-normal functioning in language, performance IQ and adaptability. Ninety-two per cent of intervention children acquired some language. Control children who received special education showed no gains in IQ or adaptability.12

2. American Academy of Pediatrics - Management of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, (2007, reaffirmed 2010)

The American Academy of Pediatrics article Management of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Scott M. Myers, MD, Chris Plauché Johnson, MD, MEd, the Council on Children with Disabilities (2007), reaffirmed (2010):

"Applied Behavior Analysis

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is the process of applying interventions that are based on the principles of learning derived from experimental psychology research to systematically change behavior and to demonstrate that the interventions used are responsible for the observable improvement in behavior. ABA methods are used to increase and maintain desirable adaptive behaviors, reduce interfering maladaptive behaviors or narrow the conditions under which they occur, teach new skills, and generalize behaviors to new environments or situations. ABA focuses on the reliable measurement and objective evaluation of observable behavior within relevant settings including the home, school, and community. The effectiveness of ABA-based intervention in ASDs has been well documented through 5 decades of research by using single-subject methodology21,25,27,28 and in controlled studies of comprehensive early intensive behavioral intervention programs in university and community settings.29–40 Children who receive early intensive behavioral treatment have been shown to make substantial, sustained gains in IQ, language, academic performance, and adaptive behavior as well as some measures of social behavior, and their outcomes have been significantly better than those of children in control groups.31–40"

 3. Australasian Society for Autism Research - A Review of the Research to Identify the MostEffective Models of Practice in Early Intervention for Children with AutismSpectrum Disorders - (2012)

As with every other major research review of the effectiveness of early autism interventions only ABA, applied behavior analysis, received the highest rating: E  - Established/Eligible based on evidence.

 4. Canadian Medical Association Journal, Autism spectrum disorder: advances in evidence-based practice (2014)

 An article in the January 13, 2014 issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal, Autismspectrum disorder: advances in evidence-based practice, confirms what American authorities have told us for decades, from the US Surgeon General to MADSEC and the American Academy of Pediatrics, ABA still represents evidence based, effective best treatment practice while "Research on non-ABA–based treatments is sparse and shows limited efficacy.":

" Autism spectrum disorder: advances in evidence-based practice "What treatments and interventions are available, and are they effective?

 The goal of existing interventions is to facilitate the acquisition of skills, remove barriers to learning and improve functional skills and quality of life.

 Behavioural interventions

  Current best practices for preschool-aged children with ASD include a focus on improving language, cognitive and adaptive skills using applied behaviour analysis (ABA) techniques.58 Applied behaviour analysis refers to the application of empirically derived learning principles(i.e., the antecedent–behaviour–consequence contingency) to produce meaningful changes in behaviour.59 Such strategies are carefully engineered and implemented through a variety of approaches (e.g., discrete trial teaching to more naturalistic learning contexts) to teach skills and reduce problem behaviour. Applied behaviour analysis interventions can be provided in a variety of settings (e.g., home, specialized treatment centres, specialized or public schools) by a range of front-line therapists, ideally supervised by a psychologist or board-certified behaviour analyst who specializes in ASD.

 A recent overview of meta-analyses60 found significantly enhanced outcomes associated with early intensive ABA-based treatment (typically for 2–3 yr) in four of five included meta-analyses (effect sizes 0.30 to > 1); these findings have since been bolstered by a sixth meta-analysis.61 Gains appear to be greatest in verbal intelligence quotient (IQ) and language communication domains,62,63 for children with stronger pretreatment skills, if treatment is started earlier,64 and with greater intensity or duration of intervention. 60–62,64 These gains achieved in various domains have been summarized in a recent Cochrane review.63 Although the overall quality of evidence is low, it is the best evidence available. A recent study in Ontario reported predictors of outcome that account for some heterogeneity in treatment response.65

 A recent RCT supported the efficacy of ABA-based intervention in toddlers by showing improvements in IQ, adaptive skills and diagnostic classification.37 Models vary, notably by how ABA principles are implemented, but everyday contexts (e.g., free play v. “tabletop”) and activities based on the child’s interests (v. therapist’s agenda) have advantages, including greater generalization of learning.66 Questions remain about which forms and intensities of treatment are most effective for which children.

 Research on non-ABA–based treatments is sparse and shows limited efficacy.67 Translation of evidence-based intervention into community practice is being evaluated, including in Canada.68 A key question is whether effective high-quality programs can be less costly and more sustainable; the findings from Nova Scotia are promising.38 Studies of the effectiveness of treatment programs for older children, youth and adults with ASD are scarce. Benefits have been reported for structured teaching practices, including ABA based interventions, for a wide range of skill deficits and maladaptive behaviours.58" [Highlighting added - HLD]

Hopefully conferences such as the Autism Canada Foundation 2014 conference are not seeking to change the course of autism intervention away from evidence based interventions toward largely  anecdotal approaches.  Hopefully attendees and those who access the conference information will be informed of the importance of evidence based support for autism interventions and the level of credible evidence in support of ABA effectiveness, a level of evidence support which remains unmatched by ANY other behavioural, social or educational intervention.

Inclusion Done Right: Conor at Leo Hayes High School Resource Centre

Pictures above and below: Inclusion done right at Leo Hayes High School Resource Centre

Pictures courtesy of Steve at the LHHS Resource Centre

Inclusion done wrong is inclusion as advocated by Gordon Porter of the CACL and NBACL, and the current Conservative government which has very close ties to Mr Porter and the NBACL.  According to them inclusion  means that ALL children, including those with severe disabilities like my son Conor MUST be educated in the regular classroom.  This is a philosophical belief held by Gordon Porter and those who follow, in a cult like fashion, his teachings.  It is a belief system but it is not an evidence based system.  It actually results in harm to some children including some children with severe autism disorders and intellectual disabilities, some of whom are actually removed from the school system to be educated at home.   I have fought against this non evidence based, belief system since Conor has been in grade 2 when the challenges for him to receive education in a regular classroom resulted in daily self injurious behavior especially biting of his hands and wrists.

Inclusion done right is what Conor has received since our concerns were made known to the school system in Grade 2. The local school authorities could see the evidence for themselves on his hands and wrists and Conor was, and has been accommodated, since then..  Conor receives his ABA based instruction in a separate room in a neighborhood school, Nashwaaksis Memorial grade school, Nashwaaksis Middle School and Leo Hayes High School.  Conor is based in the Leo Hayes High School Resource Centre an excellent accommodation for the needs of many students with diverse conditions requiring accommodation. In that environment he has a number of adults who have both the aptitude and the interest in accommodating the needs of children with various extra needs. On trips to grocery stores in our neighborhood, and at the local theatre among other places, Conor has been greeted joyfully by the friends he has made at the LHHS Resource Centre.  Conor enjoys time in the school gym, in the controlled parking lot area where the chalk fun took place and where a basketball hoop offers Conor some extra fun.  Most of all Conor goes with other students from the Resource Centre to the swimming pool at his old middle school.  Conor loves, loves, loves the swimming pool and has social opportunities during activites he loves to do.

The assistants who work at the LHHSRC come to know Conor personally and understand his strengths and his limits.  He participates in some of the activities organized by the Resource Centre and not in some others. The Centre does consult with us with respect to activities chosen for Conor.  The LHHS Resource Centre team, often with the assistance of Best Buddies, has provided Conor with some very enjoyable activities which invoved him socially with other students both those at the Centre and those in Best Buddies and others who are kind enough to offer their time and attention. 

Conor has benefited greatly from the LHHS Resource Centre model of inclusion and the fine people who make it work.  The self injurious biting of his hands while forced into a regular classroom is long gone.  Conor loves the Resource Centre, a message I have provided to Gordon Porter at the STU Human Rights Inclusion symposium at the Crowne Plaza two summers ago.  It is a message, and evidence, which he chooses to ignore. Gordon Porter and the current government may not look at the evidence but open minded rational people can see the evidence in Conor's face in the pictures accompanying  this comment.

The Leo Hayes High School Resource Centre is a model of inclusion done right, one which accommodates, based on the evidence, the specific needs of individual students with extra challenges.  If you don't believe  me look at my happy Conor in these pictures.

Autism Research Progress To Date In Two Words: Lovaas, ABA

Research to date benefiting persons suffering from autism disorders can be summed up in two words: Lovaas, ABA. The work done by Dr. Ivar Lovaas has been applied successfully for decades as reported by the US Surgeon General's office (1999) and by the American Academy of Pediatrics (2007), reaffirmed (2010):

The effectiveness of ABA-based intervention in ASDs has been well documented through 5 decades of research by using single-subject methodology21,25,27,28 and in controlled studies of comprehensive early intensive behavioral intervention programs in university and community settings.29–40 Children who receive early intensive behavioral treatment have been shown to make substantial, sustained gains in IQ, language, academic performance, and adaptive behavior as well as some measures of social behavior, and their outcomes have been significantly better than those of children in control groups.31–4

American Academy of Pediatrics, Management of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

New Brunswick is a Canadian (and North American) Leader In Early Autism Intervention and School Autism Services

New Brunswick is a Canadian, and North American,  leader in early autism intervention and school autism services.  I do not doubt that that statement is enough to prompt a retort from many jurisdictions.  New Brunswick is not one of the wealthiest jurisdictions in Canada, let alone North America, but the fact is that New Brunswick has had publicly provided early ABA autism intervention to the extent of 20 hours per week for ages 2-5 for several years.  700-800 education aides and resource teachers also  received the same UNB-CEL Autism Intervention training.  

These services have been provided by both Liberal and Conservative governments.  The drive to put these services in place resulted from intense, persistent and well organized parent advocacy.  Above all we had the advantage of guidance from local autism experts.  The UNB-CEL program that provided these autism services was able to do so in both of New Brunswick's official languages, French and English, even though the French language Université de Moncton chose not to participate in developing the program.  Ultimately NB was recognized as a leader in provision of early intervention by Dr. David Celiberti of the Association for Science in Autism Treatment.  

Over the past year several international and local experts, listed in the attached letter from Nicole Gervais, Executive Director, have developed an on line program which has provided ABA based autism training to NB teachers and aides. They did so in conjunction with the NB government's new, combined Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. The predecessor Department of Education's officials had long felt that paying the UNB-CEL for the autism training was too expensive and were clearly annoyed that the program resulted from parent advocacy, professional advice and direct political initiative. Officials including the Director of Student Services moved to assert control over autism programs in the Education Department, even going so far as to threaten me with legal notice to stay out of a meeting between the Department and ASNB at which autism training was discussed. Nonetheless senior department officials essentially claimed ownership of the program developed by UNB-CEL and have, over the past year, developed the in house departmental training program described in Ms Gervais letter:

I am very impressed with both the international and local autism expertise involved with developing the program and I have to believe that this program will bode well for New Brunswick children and youth with autism spectrum disorders. Many of the concerns which I raised in a  recent letter to NB autism officials, and raised several years ago, as an Autism Society New Brunswick representative, when advocating for provision of UNB-CEL autism training for resource teachers and aides are dealt with in this program as described. Given the recognized expertise of those who developed the UNB-CEL program further I am certain that the program itself will be excellent.  

I am much less assured though by the in house elements of the program, particularly the evaluation of the candidates practicum completion, in the context of a collective bargaining environment where the parties conducting the evaluations are representatives of the employer in the collective bargaining relationships with NBTA and CUPE Local 2745 representing the teachers and aides respectively.  I have 30 years experience as a labour lawyer in New Brunswick and federally. I have also been very active as an ASNB representative on autism education issues over the past dozen years. On these issues I do not defer to the Department autism experts or to their in house legal advisers.  There will be grievances filed if any aides or teachers fail their evaluations with resulting pressures on those conducting the evaluations.

CUPE Local 2745 in particular has been averse to even supporting autism training for the aides they represent for fear that older aides would be unable to complete training and their ability to utilize their seniority for preferred assignments would be compromised.  As an ASNB president I had invited and met with the then CUPE Local 2745 President to discuss autism training for TA's (Education Aides) at a breakfast meeting at Bolden's Cafe in Fredericton.   She was totally disinterested in my suggestion that CUPE support parents in advocating for autism training for teachers and education aides.  Her successor, the current CUPE Local 2745 President, Sandy Harding, has been much more openly hostile to our efforts advocating for autism trained education aides in their bargaining unit. 

Notwithstanding my concerns over the in house elements of the program I do recognize the considerable expertise both of the international and the local experts involved in the development of the program and that expertise bodes well for New Brunswick children and students ... particularly if the Department officials have the will to properly evaluate those who take the training.  If education officials can stand up to CUPE 2745 pressure and provide honest, accurate evaluations of autism course participants New Brunswick will continue as a North American leader providing early autism intervention and autism school services to ALL students not just those who can afford specialized instruction or live in Fredericton where evidence based intervention and autism instruction have historically been embraced.

Conor Countdown Continues In Support of FLEXIBLE, EVIDENCE BASED Inclusion

The Conor Countdown continues, as Conor gets up each day at 6 am and changes the number reflecting the number of days until school resumes.

My son Conor, and his autism disorder disability,  have been well accommodated in schools here in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada.  He has benefited both from the assistance of education aides and resource teachers trained in the UNB-CEL Autism program and by placement, at our request, outside the regular classroom for his ABA based instruction.

 His placement is not segregation in the sense of the racial segregation which once prevailed in the American south.  His placement reflects the fact that Conor's autism based sensory sensitivities and need for predictable routine, coupled with his individualized learning style and instruction methods require a quieter learning environment. 

In the regular classroom, early in Conor's education,  he bit his hands every single day until he was removed to a quieter location where the self injurious biting ceased. Now in high school his individualized instruction continues but he has many, many opportunities for socialization at the Leo Hayes High School Resource Centre with other students with special needs, in common areas and activities like school outings, visits to the cafeteria and ... Conor's favorite by far ... in weekly visits to the Nashwaaksis Middle School swimming pool. 

Conor loves his flexible, evidence based schooling so much that the summer, with no school, is a difficult time for him.  We do our best to help him during this period and Conor does his best to help himself.  One of the activities that helps him get through the summer break is the "Countdown".  Each day, every day, at 6 am Conor gets up and changes the number on his board under the question "How Many Days Until School?"  He can see the number getting smaller each day, he can take steps each day to make the number smaller reducing his anxiety and frustration.

Conor's self injurious biting while placed in the regular classroom was a vote against the extreme, non evidence based "regular classroom for all students" philosophy. Now, during the school year Conor packs his lunch bag every night and puts it in front of the side door to the driveway and Dad's car. During the summer Conor does his "How many days until School" countdown.  Both activities are strong compelling statements from Conor in support of the flexible, evidence based, inclusive education he has received at school since being removed from the regular classroom.