Chapman Lights It Up Blue for World Autism Awareness Day

April 2, 2014 is the seventh annual World Autism Awareness Day. WAAD, which aims to increase awareness about people, especially children with autism.  Autism is a neurodevelopmental disability that affects approximately 1 in 100 children. Autism affects girls and boys of all races and in all geographic regions and has a large impact on children, their families, communities and societies. The prevalence is currently rising in many countries around the world.

Help bring awareness and join Chapman University and the College of Educational Studies, Chapman Ability Project, and Families And Schools Together, as we Light it Up Blue. Last year more than 7000 buildings in more than 90 countries were lit up in blue to show our worldwide connection and commitment in raising autism awareness and working toward effective education, interventions and support services.

In support of autism awareness Chapman’s Attallah Piazza Fountain and Beckman Hall will be lit with blue lights for the month of April. On Wednesday April 2^nd, wear blue to support World Autism Awareness Day, stop by the College of Educational Studies’ Communication and Sciences Disorders (CSD) and Counseling and School Psychology (CSP) hosted informational booth in the piazza, and at 12:00 p.m. join us in the Attallah Piazza for a group photograph so we can show the world how Chapman Lights It Up Blue!

The College of Educational Studies is dedicated to educating students on autism disorders through the Communication Science Disorders and Speech Pathology (CSD), Special Education, and School Psychology programs.  These programs train future educational professionals on best practices in working with students with autism spectrum disorders.

Students in the CSD and Speech Pathology program will learn how to assess and treat persons with developmental or acquired communication disorder, such as articulation disorder, child language disorder, and autism spectrum disorder.  Students in the CSD program can focus their study emphasis in either a school based setting, or a medically related condition.  The school-based setting emphasis prepares candidates to assess and treat preschool through high school students with communication disabilities that adversely affect their academic success.  The medically-related conditions emphasis focuses on the conditions of voice disorder, neuro-physiological syndromes, dysphagia (swallowing), and stroke rehabilitation, and any injury or illness that results in speech language impairment. Speech-language pathologists work in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, community clinics and private practices.  In addition, the Counseling and School Psychology (CSP) Program prepares School Psychologist to work collaboratively with other educational professionals in evaluating the educational needs of students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD).  School Psychologists support the creation and implementation of evidenced based academic, behavioral and mental health interventions and services.

The College of Educational Studies has been approved by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) to offer the Educational Specialist Credential in Moderate and Severe Disabilities. Students receiving an Educational Specialist Credential will be able to teach, and make adaptions for students with autism spectrum disorders within grades K-12 and adults up to age 22.  The Education Specialist Programs prepare candidates to serve as special education teachers in K-12 public schools in primarily, inclusive, resource, and when necessary, special day class settings.  The Education Specialist Credential (Special Education) programs are embedded within the Master of Arts in Special Education program, although the Master of Arts in Special Education can be completed without obtaining a teaching credential.

The Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) Program in School Psychology and MA in School Psychology allows student candidates who wish to work as school psychologists with children from preschool through high school. The curriculum teaches a variety of tasks including assessment for intervention, mental health counseling, behavior management and consultation with teachers and parents. The Ed.S school psychology program at Chapman is fully approved by the National Association of School Psychologists