National Autism Expert Helps MCC Kick Off Its Autism Spectrum Disorders Institute

This past weekend, Susan Senator, the author of Making Peace with Autism: One Family's Story of Struggle, Discovery and Unexpected Gifts, helped launch MCC's Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) Institute, delivering a stirring speech to a crowd on the college's Bedford campus.

Senator's articles on parenting, special needs, autism, politics and life in general convey moments of struggle and resolution, self-doubt,and understanding.  Her work has appeared in a variety of publications, from educational journals to the New York Times.  For more information about her, visit her website at www.susansenator.com

The event, which was coordinated by Nancy Tyler Higgins, MCC's Chair of Education and Human Services, was targeted to professionals working in public and private settings, paraprofessionals in preschool and elementary classrooms, parents of children with ASD, regulatory disorders or developmental disabilities, and family and community members interested in helping children with ASD.

Developed by MCC's Education Department in conjunction with Community Education and Training, the ASD Institute offers a series of monthly training sessions, January through June, to provide caregivers, parents, preschool teachers, classroom assistants and paraprofessionals with the information, training and access to resources needed to work effectively with children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and regulartory disorders.  There is still room in the February-June sessions.  For more information about the Institute, contact Nancy Tyler Higgins at 781-280-3563 or via e-mial at higginsn@middlesex.mass.edu