Issues of actualization of hidden potential and ongoing evolvement of learning capability have always been at the centre of my treatment approach. From the beginning of my professional work I strived to help individuals with disabilities to achieve increased ability, expand their cognitive functioning and assist them in acquiring better social knowledge and social skills. A core aspect of the Multi Focal Approach, which I started to develop in 1972, has been the realization that in order to affect change in the life, functional ability and conduct of individuals with complex disabilities we need to first attend to their emotional and psychological needs and expressions. The Multi Focal Approach which is implemented and practiced at MukiBaum Treatment Centres, is based on the primary realization and belief that by focusing on, and relating to the emotional and psychological aspects of the person rather than on solely attempting to change his or her behaviour, will result in improvement in the individual's self-image. Moreover, such emphasis will affect a deepening of the person's consciousness which will further enhance a more stable emotional and psychological ability, and improved overall functioning. While working on my PhD dissertation (1979) that put to clinical practice the Multi Focal Approach, and through the analysis of my data, I became aware of the impact sensory challenges have on the behaviour and learning ability of children and adult with various complex disabilities. I realized that focusing solely on the emotional and psychological aspects was lacking a third core element. As a result I added to, and included in my Multi Focal Approach the sensory core-focus as a third fundamental area of practice and therapy. It became clear to me that behavioural communication, in addition to being expressions of complications in the emotional and/or psychological personality aspects of a child or adult, are also expressions of challenges in the areas of sensory processing and sensory integration. I asserted that therapeutic interventions that focus on all three core areas (psychological, emotional and sensory) of the person's existence will result in an improvement in self- image and self-valuation. Such improvement will result in enhancement, enrichment and augmentation of the individual's quality of life thus enabling and strengthening the person's better overall functioning.

Years later, when I came across the concept of Human Capital I felt a need to explore whether it could provide me with a new way of conceptualization of sensory ability and its hidden potential. From my past work I knew that un-actualized potential has always been a central obstacle in the lives of people with complex developmental and other disabilities. As stated above I realized that in addition to the emotional and psychological areas of difficulties faced by many individuals with complex disabilities, there also exists in this multifaceted, handicapping condition an additional core area: that of the sensory system.

I asked myself whether the concept of "Capital" could provide us with new understanding and perception that would result in the development of new strategies to understand, intervene, treat and support the people we serve throughout their struggle to cope with their sensory challenges.

The Webster New World Dictionary (1997) defines Capital as: "wealth, in whatever form, used or capable of being used to provide more wealth....any source of benefit or assistance....the networth of a business amount by which the assets exceed the liabilities."

In the summer of 2008 I was able to defined sensory capital as: "The collective attitudes, skills and abilities within a person which contribute to a better organized nervous system in everyday life's context. It refers to the stock of sensory coping capacity, sensory skills, talents and unique capabilities embodied in an individual's ability to process and function within the world around us, and to perform day to day tasks.
Sensory Capital is the quality of the sensory assets an individual possesses, and the potential for those assets to be improved through therapy, education, and training. Actualization of the sensory capital promotes a more integrated functional sensory system.
The term Sensory Capital recognizes that sensory competencies are important and essential assets that assist in the development and growth of a person. The 'return' on any investment in sensory training, treatment, development, health and support is an improved quality of life." Baum

During the last little while my goal was to find a way to progress from the conceptualization stage of Sensory Capital to its operationalization. I wanted to create an intervention model that will assist us to practically implement in treatment the various possibilities and potentialities of the Sensory Capital concept and make it a treatment tool.

In this presentation I will reveal the intervention model I created with the hope that in the near future we will be able to examine its potentialities in practice and implement it in our work with the people we serve.

Within mental disorders, Intellectual Developmental Disorders (IDD), formerly mental retardation or intellectual disability, show the highest cost and burden for individuals, families and society. Furthermore, people with IDD have health conditions such as epilepsy, sensory impairment, respiratory problems, dental problems and incontinence, more often or more seriously than the general population. Although life expectancy of people with IDD is longer than in the past, it is still significantly shorter than in the general population.

Despite this, people with IDD are more likely to have untreated morbidity and less likely to experience health promotion and disease prevention activities. When accessing primary care they may encounter barriers to high quality care including communication difficulties, behavioral difficulties, and lack of special GP training.

The present paper reviews prevalence of physical diseases and their relation to mental health problems in people with IDD. Results suggest that high co-occurrence of mental and physical problems is a critical issue. IDD can be regarded as a model for studying the links between mental care and primary care. IDD can also provide a research model for possible biological, psychological, social and developmental factors that might account for the frequent link between physical and mental ill-health in the general population. Results also highlight that health systems are increasingly in need of a holistic approach and integration, covering all domains of health.

Autism characteristics and behaviours communicate that a system is in a state of "fear." In most instances, this state of "fear" is a result of a misinterpretation of sensory information by the brain, thrusting the system into a fight-or-flight response. Music, consisting of six basic elements, can address a variety of sensory issues through carefully targeted goals, applying particular music elements and interventions clinically to address physiologic aspects of the behaviour. This presentation discusses brain, sensory systems and physiologic information processing that guide clinical music and the application of music elements in treating sensory integration aspects of behaviours in Autism and many other diagnoses.

Many persons on the autistic spectrum experience sensory stimuli with such variation that it can either be completely causing extreme discomfort, or on the other hand, be undetectable, and/or be so distorted as to be useless. All of these situations can be overwhelming, and at times dangerous. The aim of this presentation is to enable susceptible individuals and those close to them to minimize the effect of or avoid such situations, thereby enabling those who have these sensitivities to take advantage of opportunities that might otherwise be too overwhelming to otherwise even consider.

Deafblind Ontario Services is an organization that provides intervention/support to adults who are congenitally deafblind. The combination of these sensory losses results in specific challenges in acquiring language, educational, vocational and social skills. Support is provided to these adults to live within their community through the provision of intervention, residential and other specialized services. All support and information must be deliberately taught and creatively presented to maximize each individual's potential for understanding. This is facilitated through "Intervention" provided by an "Intervenor". "Intervention" means to go between or to mediate between. The "Intervenor" mediates between the individual and his or her environment to enable him or her to communicate effectively with, and receive, non-distorted information from the world around them. This is facilitated through a "Total Communication Approach" which meets all sensory needs.

This will be an interactive/ demonstration "speed seeking" workshop focusing on how "Total Communication Approach" is facilitated while demonstrating a variety of methods specific to the visual and auditory needs of the individual, or tools utilized, to provide a consistent delivery of this. The workshop will involve five separate presentations at each display. Participants will have the opportunity to move around the room in a timed fashion (15 minutes at each table) and "seek" information from each presentation.

This workshop is an exploration of how the experience of a yoga posture can be influenced by the focus or elimination of different aspects of the senses. The main senses that apply to asana (yoga postures) are sight, hearing, touch (sensing, feeling). Participants will perform or observe basic yoga poses. Postures will be repeated with different points of focus.

When it comes to sight, we will look, use Drishti, which is a point of focus, or gaze point. What will happen when we eliminate the sense of sight? When it comes to yoga practice and what you hear, there is a debate on the effect of music used in yoga classes. Is music helpful or a distraction? How does the manipulation of the senses help you feel in the postures? Other senses to be discussed are balance, smell and temperature. Registrants are encouraged to participate, offer insight, and ask questions.

What makes an individual conquer the world? What has contributed to make humans the most developed species? How can cognitive functions develop sensation and perception categories that lead human thought to survive, develop, and transform the environment? All of these questions surface when we realize all of the difficulties that a child with a developmental disorder faces. Although disability is no longer seen as a private issue, it is still true that people with intellectual disabilities and developmental disorders require more than ramps to function independently in the world. Acknowledging sensory stimulation as a tool that enhances a diverse range of skills, this presentation will review several areas where indicators can be developed in order to measure the impact of early sensory intervention on Social Inclusion.

This presentation provides an overview of the interrelatedness of play and development and its relationship to understanding and meeting children's individual and sensory needs. Specific relational and play-based models of child development which serve as a framework within which to understand children's strengths and challenges will be outlined. Parents and professionals will be introduced to practical guidelines on how to adapt interactions and environments to create meaningful exchanges and learning experiences to scaffold each child's development. Resources for incorporating these principles into developmentally appropriate practice and for observing and supporting children's unique strengths, needs, learning and play skills will be recommended. In order to best support children's individual and sensory needs, professionals and parents can benefit from applying knowledge of play-based, relational, developmental models to their interactions with children. In this way, teachers, parents, caregivers and therapists can adapt their environments to scaffold the child's experiences and provide opportunities for interaction and learning. An introduction to development and play theory as well as practical resources for the application of theory to best practice will be presented. Participants will learn the benefits of applying knowledge of developmental and play principles to their work with individual children. The goal is to adapt the child's environment through developmentally appropriate practice to ensure we are supporting their individual and unique strengths, needs, learning style and play skills.

Resources will be recommended for observing and encouraging development, play and learning. The participants will learn: • about developmental, relational and play based models that positively impact our understanding of children's individual profiles, including sensory strengths and needs • about the importance of play and its relationship to development, learning and programming • about resources to create relational and meaningful interactions and environments to support the needs of individual children.

Juvenile delinquency is defined as a crime performed by a young person who is legally considered to be a minor. Research has shown that juvenile offenders come from all social economic levels. Regardless of whether such young offenders come from broken homes or from what can be considered as "good families" the offenses that these youth often commit are street crimes that include drug trafficking, sex offenses, extreme violence and so on. In Israel a goal that is part of this punishment process, in addition to the incarceration in a locked residential facility is also to focus on using this time to providing general education as well as teaching normative behavioural habits.

This presentation will focus on a 2 year project composed of 18 boys who had a rigid life routine, and the incorporation of a Snoezelen intervention into their daily lives (usually applied to a population of individuals with special needs).

The use of antipsychotic medications has been associated with metabolic side effects including weight gain, dyslipidemia and susceptibility of type 2 diabetes. Although it is difficult to separate the contributions of mental health illness, medication and lifestyle to the development of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, there is now evidence to support the need for ongoing assessment and monitoring of patients receiving antipsychotic medications. Therefore it is clear that early identification and treatment of individuals in high risk categories are important. Interventions will need to have realistic goals, be highly structured, offer early and intensive support and allow these supports to continue over time.

In emphasizing this need to improve the quality and balance of life and to monitor for the risks of Metabolic Syndrome for individuals living with a mental health illness, The Healthy Living Program (HLP) was developed. This eight week program encourages individuals to utilize self-management techniques and to provide knowledge for the participants on healthier behaviors and illness and helps them to overcome any barriers that they may be experiencing. This program provides an opportunity to educate its participants so that they can utilize interventions that reduce the vulnerability related to mental illness and enhance natural strengths in the individual and the community.

For individuals with developmental or intellectual disabilities, the consistent intake of balanced meals high in nutritional value is essential for overall well-being and often dependent on service providers. The population's specific and varied needs make the delivery, monitoring, and reporting of food consumption and eating habits quite challenging tasks.

This talk presents the findings, challenges, and methods of an applied research project evaluating the nutritional intake of individuals served at MukiBaum Treatment Centres. Along with outlining the change itself, the inputs and strategies will be examined and described, especially as related to the creative use of data in applied research.

The importance of quality of life outcomes at MukiBaum led the research team to explore and apply new methods of data gathering to not only assess nutrition but also to plan nutritional interventions, monitor progress and create sustainability. Data collection is on-going and is organized in three stages 1. Initial, baseline, assessment of nutrition; 2. Assessment of nutrition pre-intervention; 3. Assessment of nutrition post intervention. The data collection was planned in such a way as to promote engagement, interest, and active involvement from staff, supervisors and the people we serve.

Overall results show that significant gains have been made in the nutrition of the people served and the knowledge of staff regarding balanced meal preparation. These improvements are linked to the creative, sensory conscious, use of research data.

Individuals with a developmental or intellectual disability (DD/ID) tend to experience health problems more frequently, more severely and at an earlier age than the rest of the population. One such health concern is poor postural and musculoskeletal health.

The purpose of this study is to determine the risks to postural, musculoskeletal health in individuals with DD/ID attending a day program (specifically a vocational, workshop program) and to measure the impact of specifically designed interventions aimed at improving health in this area. The study is a part of MukiBaum Treatment Centres' Health and Wellness Program Applied Research Project consisting of several distinct projects related to holistic, overall wellness and quality of life for individuals with ID/DD and other complex diagnoses. The importance of the project has led to an international partnership with a similar program in Elwyn Israel, and data from this centre will also be presented.

The study has several distinct phases: pre intervention assessments of postural and musculoskeletal health risks in the environment, adaptation of furniture, introduction of in-depth training, and further environmental adaptations. Measures include professional assessments, photographic data, observations and interviews with individuals attending the program. Specifically, the first phase of the project (the impact of adapting furniture in a vocational, sheltered workshop program) will be examined.

Results will be presented regarding the impact of adapted furniture, the need for further training and the ways in which the international partnership has revealed commonalities and differences in the success of interventions based on postural and musculoskeletal health.

The study is on-going, and future directions will be discussed as well as ways in which the project will be expanded to other programs including the Sensory Program.

Expressive Art Therapy is a psychotherapeutic approach that uses the arts as its media. Through the various modalities, the person has the opportunity to get in touch with his/her inner world and is able to work through emotional challenges. Expressive arts therapy provides people with a means through which to express and communicate.

It offers them a safe avenue through which they can relate to their thoughts and feelings in a safe and creative way. Such a process lends to an expansion of the ability to create, re-create, shape, reshape, construct, and deconstruct. It presents the person with an instrument to find a meaning that signifies the purpose of being. This type of a process is universal to each human being including people with complex disabilities such as the people we serve at MukiBaum Treatment Centres. Expressive arts therapy touches us on the competency of expression, and enables us, among other things, to enhance the development of expressions. Expressive Arts Therapy recognizes that we naturally experience and relate to our environment on a non-verbal level through sound, movement and image. Pre-language communication takes the form of vocalizations, gestures and image making. As such, emotional or psychological disturbing events are experienced on this non-verbal level. Thus, Expressive Arts Therapy offers us a common familiar language with which to describe, express and communicate.

The combination of low skill, high sensibility, multi-focal approach, and quality of life enables the process of expressive art therapy to establish a foundation for the true colour of disability. It provides an opportunity for developing a more satisfactory meaning for the person who is involved in the therapeutic process.

Working with the people we serve is an adventure. Explaining to other people about it causes a bit of a challenge. Unfortunately, people who are not familiar with people served and do not know them well often say to me, as a therapist "what is the point in such work?" I feel that the reason why they are asking stems from the wrong impression that there must be a right answer to the question of gaining happiness and hope in our life.

Historically our society developed this rigid, clear and concrete line between those who seem to be able to find ways to improve their life and others who are perceived as incapable of doing so. That is the perception is that the disabilities that people have, by definition, are blocking all of their options to find the path and will take them through that journey. And again I am asked: "What can you offer the people you work with that will make a difference?"

In this workshop I would like to give an opportunity to participants who while being curious about this issue are also interested to take the risk of letting go of their stereotypes while experience a new way of looking of this issue. Participants will experience activity in a similar setting to the one I offer to the people we serve. For the experience we will use psychodrama which is a powerful modality that can be accessible to all.

The research literature into family life is demonstrating some of the major challenges facing parents when there is a child with a disability. Those challenges are often increased when there is a child with multiple and emotional disabilities. Although we are becoming increasingly aware of many of the practical issues, the availability of recent family quality of life data from a variety of sources provides insight, through quantitative and qualitative material, into the personal and related effects for family members. While these are often seen as side effects, here they are examined as major issues confronted by members of the family.

Challenges can give rise to major stresses for individuals and families but these are affected by a person's resilience. So the question is how can resilience be boosted? Issues which need to be considered in this context are sensory issues such as reaction time, and the overall impact on all the senses and how these are dealt with. Such stressors affect our perceptions and therefore our behavioural reactions. The impact may cause us to over or under react to sensation and sensory input. Such stressors affect our perceptions and therefore our behavioural reactions. The impact may cause us to over or under react to sensation and sensory input. Becoming aware of how we behave and how we respond is an important first step in our ability to adjust. It influences how we interpret what people say to us; do we stop listening or hearing and do we ignore visual cues we get? Do we negate tactile input? Do we become fatigued by the flood of sensory stimuli? Do we withdraw as a result so we become highly selective to all sensations not just consciously but unconsciously? Most importantly, how are our hopes and wishes impacted over the short and long term?

The presentation examines, in some depth, the nature of these personal challenges and experiences and their implications for both individual family members and the family as a whole. Further, we look into the nature of the effects on relationships within the family and the emotional experiences of family members and the potential ramifications in all aspects of their life. We also focus on how senses and sensibilities are affected and experienced. It is argued that these aspects are rarely dealt with as pressing, but are looked at as natural expressions of feelings and sensations. However, even if we agree that it is important to deal with concrete practical issues in life, the emotional and physical experiences and sensations which individuals face need to also be understood and appreciated in greater depth.

This presentation discusses some of the challenges and argues for a much broader and empathetic approach, not just when a family reaches a crisis point, but well before, so understanding and enlightened support can be provided to stabilize and enhance the quality of individual and family life.

Outcomes of sensory training in persons with intellectual disability and a comorbid pervasive development disorder: an experience of ecological sensory training in residential setting.

Persons with intellectual disability and comorbid pervasive developmental disorders in residential settings have complex medical, psychiatric and neurological needs that go beyond the limits of care provision in family or community setting. Despite these complexities, these persons have opportunities to improve their quality of life in residential setting. The presentation aims to give a ray of hope based on our experience.

We studied life stories and clinical records of 10 individuals with dual diagnosis (intellectual disability and pervasive developmental disorder) who moved into accommodation at ASP Charitas in Modena. We examined diagnosis at entrance, psychotropic drug medication, treatment and rehabilitation planning. Personal narrative reports are used to evaluate the outcomes on the basis of symptom presentations, medication levels, and improvements regarding adaptive functioning and participation. Individuals took part in sensory training in an ecological setting (a riverside fitness course) as a part of the rehabilitation program.

Narrative reports of workers reveal positive behaviour changes in participants caused by the sensory training; these behaviour improvements have made it possible to employ other traditional treatment and educational methods like TEACCH. Positive outcomes result in reductions of symptom presentations and medication as well as enhancements in social and family participation.

Narrative recall of personal experience is critical to the formation of personal identity, fundamental to the process of decision making, and is one of the main ways in which people make and sustain friendships over the lifespan. For people with severe communication difficulties, this kind of anecdotal storytelling is extraordinarily difficult. Evidence suggests:

• Staff and families tell stories ABOUT people with high support needs, but not WITH them
• Lives are dominated by routines, so there are few reportable experiences. This reduces the likelihood of recall, limits the potential for social
  learning and leads to a lack of motivation to tell
• Experiences that could be made into stories pass unnoticed or are told only by staff.
• Social networks are restricted, so there are few people interested in hearing a story.

An ongoing aim at our institution has been to establish innovative biological markers and early effective intervention for children with intellectual disabilities (ID), especially autism, Rett syndrome, attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD), and adolescents with psychological impairment. We introduce sophisticated biological markers, and the efficacy of new therapeutic trials. We also emphasize the importance of children's sleep conditions for parents or caregivers.

To evaluate the development of visual cognitive function and establish a screening method for children with Asperger's disorder (ASD), and juvenile onset schizophrenia (JOS), we examined exploratory eye movements (EEM) in 24 healthy subjects, 29 patients with ASD, and 24 patients with JOS using an eye-mark recorder. A total of 137 children diagnosed with ADHD, age 6 to 12 years, participated and evaluated the efficacy of a summer treatment program (STP) during 2005-2009. The salivary cortisol awaking response level was investigated to evaluate the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis in children with AN. To investigate the changes of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in AN before and after weight gain, we examined resting rCBF using IMP-SPECT and statistical parametric mapping (SPM). To investigate the role of plasma ghrelin, novel biological markers in patients with autonomic nervous system and somatic growth dysfunction, we measured plasma ghrelin in 27 patients with Rett syndrome (RTT) and compared results with the controls. We sought to establish the utility of a sleep log and actigraphy studies in healthy children and reported the importance of sleep disturbances in patients with autism, Angelman syndrome, mitochondrial diseases and other ID.

EEM recorded by an eye-mark recorder is a useful tool for estimating the development of visual cognitive function and a useful screening method for ASD and JOS. We found that most children with ADHD showed positive behavioural changes in multiple domains of behaviour and cognitive functions using CogState during an STP. Relatively increased rCBF in the bilateral parietal lobe and limbic lobe including the posterior cingulate cortex were observed after weight gain in AN. Plasma levels of total and octanoly-ghrelin were significantly lower in patients with RTT. Handy actigraphs were reliable and useful for the evaluation of sleep disturbances in patients with ID.

EEM recorded by an eye-mark recorder and SPM SPECT were useful tools for evaluating visual and cognitive development. SPM SPECT reflects cerebral blood flow changes and impairment in children. The salivary cortisol awaking response is useful for evaluating stress in patients with AN. STP is a useful intervention in children with ADHD. Ghrelin reflects the autonomic nerve dysfunction and may be a novel biological marker in patients with RTT. Objective sleep evaluation is important and useful in patients with ID and their family.

The sensory experience of individuals with early onset profound deafness clearly differs to that of hearing individuals. Indeed, a lifetime without hearing may provoke large changes in the brain's processing of sensory information. For example, in profound deafness, the auditory cortex processes information from non-auditory signals, especially from peripheral (i.e. non-central) vision. This additional visual processing in deaf adults leads to more sensitive peripheral vision and the area within which deaf adults perceive visual change appears enlarged by up to 154% compared to hearing adults. Within this area deaf adults notice visual changes significantly faster than hearing adults. Deaf individuals use peripheral vision to monitor the environment for potential change and danger and 'tune in' to peripheral changes whilst focusing on intense visual information such as reading speech.

These supra-normal visual abilities in deaf individuals however are not present in early childhood, and young deaf children (age 5-8 years old) do not perform as well on peripheral vision tasks as hearing children when the task is made very sensitive. Thus supra-normal peripheral vision is not identifiable until after peripheral vision has matured and a deaf advantage is first noticed by early adolescence. Typical development appears supported by the integration of senses, and development of one sense in the absence of another may lead to a slower yet eventually more sensitive system. The effect of signed language is also important as it makes use of peripheral vision. Individuals communicating in a signed language hold their gaze to one another's faces and eyes whilst perceiving hand movements peripherally. Peripheral vision in hearing adults can be enlarged by frequent use of sign language, though not to the degree found in deaf adults, and no differences are found in the vision of those deaf adults who use sign language and those who do not.

The association of autism and seizures was mentioned in one of Kanner's early descriptions of autism in 1943. However, it was not until the 1980's when it was realized that epilepsy occurred with a significantly greater incidence in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) than the general population. However the real increase in incidence has been both over and under stated. The reason for the wide range of reported occurrence (5-45%) is related to the reality that there is great difference in children with autism and the studies used different methodologies. This presentation will focus on several questions: What is the incidence of electroencephalographic abnormalities in individuals with ASD? What is the incidence of seizures and epilepsy? What is the relationship of epilepsy to regression in individuals with autism? What is the evidence that treatment affects the EEG and symptoms of autism? The potential relationship of sensory systems to seizures in ASD will be explored.

A randomized, controlled, single-blinded, between group study of 24 participants with moderate to severe dementia was conducted on a geriatric psychiatric unit. All participants received pharmacological therapy, occupational therapy, structured hospital environment, and were randomized to receive multi-sensory behaviour therapy (MSBT) or a structured activity session. Greater independence in activities of daily living (ADLs) was observed for the group treated with MSBT and standard psychiatric inpatient care on the Katz Index of Activities of Daily Living (KI-ADL; P=0.05) than standard psychiatric inpatient care alone. The combination treatment of MSBT and standard psychiatric care also reduced agitation and apathy greater than standard psychiatric inpatient care alone as measured with the Pittsburgh Agitation Scale and the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms in Alzheimer's Disease (P= 0.05). Multiple regression analysis predicted that within the multi-sensory group, activities of daily living (KI-ADL) increase as apathy and agitation reduced (R2 = 0.42; p = 0.03).

These data suggest that utilizing MSBT with standard psychiatric inpatient care may reduce apathy and agitation and additionally improve activities of daily living in hospitalized people with moderate to severe dementia more than standard care alone.

This presentation describes a research project that explores the roles that lower cost, handheld touch-technologies may play in the classroom instruction of children diagnosed on the autism spectrum. In this study we explore and assess the roles that handheld touch technologies can play in the communication and sociality of children with communicative disorders, with a primary emphasis on non-verbal autistic children. The project began in November 2009 and is scheduled for completion in December 2011. We are focused on using the iPod Touch devices and a range of applications, including iCommunicate and Proloquo2Go. In phase 1, while there were gains in communication for all participants ranging from mild to significant improvement, for 9 of the 12 students during the five-month study period significant gains were made in the area of communication. One of the more rewarding consequences of introducing the iPod Touch into the classroom was in the area of social interaction. Observations were made about the heightened level of engagement that students with ASD exhibited when using applications with haptic feedback.

Join Stephen in his autobiographical journey from the nonverbal days as he relates his life to the many challenges facing people on the autism spectrum. Some of the areas discussed include classroom accommodation, teaching of musical instruments, as well as issues faced by adults such as relationships, self-advocacy, higher education, and employment.

The session ends with a short audience activity demonstrating what it feels like have autism and to struggle through some of the challenges surrounding communication and socialization.

In this presentation Barbara describes her daughter Sarah`s transition through childhood to adulthood with the constant need to keep sensory awareness and activity at the forefront of Sarah's very limited world. Now Sarah has left school and begun a new life of profound enrichment and community integration with the expert support of Jane, an intervenor for the deafblind. Between them, Jane and Barbara have Sarah blazing new trails as a community service volunteer while learning new skills to express her intentions, understand her world and - literally - find her feet!

On April 21, 2004 I had just walked into to a sandwich shop when an explosion of gunfire erupted. The bullets severed my spine and I spent nearly 9 months in hospital. Life was already challenging with a severely disabled daughter. In telling my story I will speak about my life prior to the injury, how it changed and how deeply it impacted me and my family.

With hard work and determination I have been able to take something so tragic and turn it into something positive.

I could write a book about what life in a wheelchair is really all about. On the surface, someone can see the basic challenges in reaching for items, being cautious of every sidewalk crack, being unable to participate because of the lack of accessibility, but alongside these challenges are the deeper, tougher issues I deal with daily. As someone who was able bodied for 45 years, being suddenly wheelchair dependent is beyond overwhelming. How society often looks at me and treats me are really the most difficult of challenges. I have been blessed with resilience, courage and strength in order to manage and cope with all these challenges. And it is because of my faith and resilience I have been able to move forward. Part of my moving forward includes a charity I founded in 2005 called Louise Russo W.A.V.E. (Working Against Violence Everyday). As the founder of W.A.V.E we work diligently at inspiring youth and members of the community to take action, make positive choices and initiate projects that will make their schools and communities a safer place to live, learn and play.

I approach life with a sense of humor and a strong sense of belief in myself. "Just Believe" gives me the strength to move forward each day and see the world through a different lens.

Coming Soon.

Talking about aging automatically creates in us an association with being old. The reality is, however, that the process of aging begins at the moment we are born and continues throughout our life. It is somewhat natural for young people to not associate the process of aging with themselves. They do not think about this process as a continuous aging process. Rather, for them this process is synonymous with being old. For older people, growing older causes a change of perception and becomes the marker of the changes associated with the process of becoming old.

Individually and collectively, in society, when we think about the changes that occur when we get older we often focus on changes such as physical health and cognitive ability that are linked to more noticeable diminished functional ability. We rarely speak about our sensory experiences and the emotions that are associated with them.

In this presentation I will review both the changes that all of us are accustomed to linking with the aging process. However, I will particularly focus on sensory changes that are less noticeable and on the sensory experiences of aging that are associated with them.

We will explore: What does it mean when objects become fuzzy because I cannot see clearly anymore? How do I feel when I cannot understand what I see on TV unless I increase the volume so that my auditory perception will be able to get the sensory input it requires for me to be able to process what I hear? What is my sensory experience when I wake up in the middle of the night covered with sweat because my hot flashes disturb my sleeping? What happens when I try to get up and find myself walking diagonally because my body does not seem to "know" that I am not vertically erect? Or what is my experience when I fall without what seems to be an "apparent" reason? And most importantly, how do I feel when I suddenly become aware and realize that my senses are not as sharp and adaptable as they were "just" a while ago and as a result my ability to process sensory information I receive from the environment is diminished together with my functional ability? These are important questions I explored through personal interviews with individuals who were both with and without disabilities.

In this lecture I will present the stories the interviewees told in their personal interviews and their account of the sensory experiences associated with the aging process they had in the various stages of their lives.

Oddly the discussion regarding sexuality and people with disabilities seems to never get past 'Plumbing 101'. Topics like sex education, masturbation and boundaries are important, true, but they tend to reduce sexuality to 'things we do with our genitals'. Sexuality is about much more – much, much more. It is about how we love, how we relate and how we feel in our own skin. This keynote is about 'above the belt' sexuality. About love and loneliness, about relationship and reciprocity. Have you ever wondered why sexuality and disability is so controversial? This keynote will suggest that the controversy isn't about bodies and babies, it's about love and equality. Sexuality is about genitals, of course it is, but there is a real danger in forgetting that it's also about the heart and about the soul. What's love got to do with it? Pretty much everything.

This evocative presentation will use music and photos to reveal Beth Harry's experience of learning to be a mother to a uniquely vulnerable but gifted child. Reading excerpts from her memoir, Melanie - Bird with a Broken Wing - Beth will share the soaring excitement she and her daughter experienced as they grew wings together with the help of caring professionals, the love of family and friends, and the instinctive drive to create meaning in life.

Asperger syndrome (AS) is increasingly diagnosed in individuals at all life stages in Canada. This presentation will highlight the opportunities and challenges of living with AS across the lifespan and these will be illustrated by reference to the current clinical trends seen at The Redpath Centre in Toronto. Considering that many of the challenges that individuals and their families face are related to a lack of services, practice research and clinical expertise in Canada, development of knowledge translation strategies, clinician and consumer-informed research, transformative policies, and cross-sector collaboration will be discussed.

Theory of Mind (ToM) refers to a cognitive process which allows an individual to ''place him/herself'' in the other person's ''mind,'' so as to comprehend the latter's cognitive and emotional status and to predict his/her behaviour and emotional response to a particular situation. ToM is necessary for everyday interaction among individuals and accounts for such human traits as empathy, compassion, and deceit. It is also particularly important in the relationship between a healer and his or her client, as well as in the God– human relationship. Recent research in the area of neurosciences has identified a specific brain ''system'' responsible for ToM, and has described how these functions may be affected in certain neuropsychiatric conditions. In this presentation, we discuss the definition and neurobiological substrate of ToM. In addition, we discuss the cognitive steps important to achieve an ''accurate'' theory of mind, its relevance to ''self-knowledge,'' and its limitations. We also review some of the data concerning abnormalities and ''distortion'' of ToM in neuropsychiatric disorders and aberrant human behaviour.

Typically, we experience the world around us as an integrated whole--our perceptions match our feelings and our behaviour is consistent with our interpretations. But this is not the experience of an individual with schizophrenia. Thoughts, perception and reality may not mesh at all. Images appear that should not be there. Voices from nowhere impinge upon your daily life, often telling you what to do. Your thoughts seem quite coherent to you, but are totally meaningless to other people. What is like to live in this world? What is it like to have your mind split apart?

Dr. Atkinson will discuss the world of an individual suffering from schizophrenia and try to give you the experience of being in a mind that doesn't make sense. Along the way, we may find that the mind is actively creating reality for us all the time. The processes that construct our world are not all that different from those that contribute to schizophrenia.

Come prepared with your artist's palette to create a masterpiece working with children and adults with complex neurological challenges. Paul Hyman, president of Brain Fitness International shares a rich tapestry of experience. This one-of-a-kind learning opportunity includes:

• A sampling of tools and techniques integrating mind/body approaches: Brain® Gym, Trager®, Touch For Health, Bal-A-Vis-X, Stress Management Techniques, Play Therapy, Therapeutic Recreation, and more.
• BFI Treasure Chest of toys/teaching aids designed to improve functionality, using a movement-based, multi-sensory approach.
• Photocopy ready handouts to use immediately with tips and application strategies.

The purpose of this presentation is to present the HANDLE® paradigm, its basis in neuroscience, and illustrate how this extremely gentle movement based intervention can promote efficiency and functionality, and in turn, decrease emotional and physical stress. The Gentle Enhancement® therapeutic intervention directly promotes a more integrated functional sensory system through neuroplasticity and synaptogenesis.

Further objectives are to present how HANDLE's® Learning Foundations Assessment Tools® assess and evaluate an individual's sensory competencies, and inefficiencies, and how Practitioners then formulate individualized Gentle Enhancement® Therapy Programs. This presentation will demonstrate some HANDLE® activities, within the paradigm of Gentle Enhancement®.

The egg is one special cell with the potential to give all the structures in the developing embryo the marvel of our senses. We know how the brain organizes itself through life, creating different connections between the neurons as a result of experiences and interactions with the environment. Children grow up surrounded by different kinds of stimuli and environments, with constant information from the senses. With this information and experiences, the child's brain is nurtured, developing cognitive abilities, sensory capital, motor skills, language and social functions.

Children with disabilities do not have the same opportunities and experiences as children without disabilities, especially in developing countries where children with more complex disabilities and multiple disabilities, usually do not have access to a proper education. Many times they remain in constant isolation and sensory deprivation, with few human contacts and without the possibility to learn, and enjoy the different manifestations of life, friendship, and art.

This workshop is about Quality of life, feelings, corporal expression, sensorial and cognitive experiences and the opportunity to express emotions, enjoy music and rhythm, feel the power of colors and their combinations, and to mix different textures and materials to give better sensorial experiences, with profound repercussions in the life of people with multiple disabilities and their families. No matter the physical or cognitive limitations or the economic situation, this workshop is about teaching children with severe learning difficulties and their families how we can use vision, hearing, proprioception, vestibular information, and our sense of touch, smell and taste to integrate our senses and brain in a celebration together.

Bone Medicine is a gentle approach to healing, using methods of movement, meditation and hands-on-care to wake up the body and come into partnership with its inherent intelligence, wisdom, and spirit. When the body is relaxed, we are free flowing and the joints move with ease accompanied by a lightness of being. When we are tense and held or held back, the skeleton tightens and presses too closely together; creating stiffness in the joints and a heaviness in the body and mind. Our skeleton is filled with body memories that are stored in the form of feelings, thoughts, images, kinetic memory, genetic codes, and ancient wisdom. Through the practice of Bone Medicine a doorway into this greater knowing becomes available which can free our body and mind, and reveal our natural gifts and passion for life.

The Skeleton Dance - This is a free-flowing, non- directive, light-hearted approach to movement and fitness. The movement can be done standing up, sitting, or lying down. The joints can be mobilized or immobilized depending on the needs of the body in the moment. The purpose of The Skeleton Dance is to release tension, increase flexibility, promote creative self expression and renew the vital life energy in the body.

Deep Bone Meditation - This guided meditation process introduces you to your bones from the inside out. While travelling through your skeleton one bone at a time you will witness the wisdom that the body is ready and willing to reveal.

Filling The Body With Energy - The body will feel heavier in the places where we are tense. On occasion the body may need extra time to relax because of emotional trauma, injury, or general stress on the nervous system. Essentially this aspect of the hands-on-care helps to raise the vibration in the body; often people report feeling a lightness of being.

Activating Points of Energy- The initial focus in this stage is on the joints. The practitioner directs the energy from the finger tips to the edges of the bones, and in between the bones, to activate the inherent light in the joints, and connect the lines of light that flow from joint to joint throughout the limbs.

Cleaning Off The Bones – In this stage we bring our finger tips onto the bones and ask the bones to gently release that which is held. This will allow the past to literally fall out of the body. As we move into states of deep relaxation the bones may shift slightly while the body naturally adjusts and restores balance on all levels.

There are various stages to Bone Medicine; however, the stages are not necessarily performed in any specific order. The most effective approach is to come into partnership, listening deeply to the body, and responding in accordance with the level that the body is willing and ready to expose and share.