Around Ambler Spotlight | Gwynedd Mercy University’s Annual Autism Conference

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May 2nd, 2019 | By Deana Clement

April was Autism Awareness Month, and Gwynedd Mercy University hosted its Annual Autism Conference, which continues to grow each year in both attendees and presentations.

According to the CDC, about 1 in 59 children are identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) based on estimates from the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network. Data from the PA Autism Census 2014 ranks Montgomery County as having the fourth highest concentration of autistic individuals receiving services in PA.

Now more than ever, it’s imperative for our community — educators, police officers, and leaders — to be properly educated and aware of how to best communicate and interact with the ASD individuals in our communities and beyond.

The Autism Institute’s 12th Annual Autism Conference at Gwynedd Mercy University was held on Saturday, April 6th. The Conference had more than 400 registered attendees and offered over 30 presentations and workshops such as:

  • Planning for Your Loved One with Special Needs: What Every Caregiver Needs to Know
  • Navigating the Special Education System: The Evaluation and IEP Process
  • Appreciating Autism: A Training for Law Enforcement
  • Autism and Interventions informed by Neuroscience
Photo | Gwynedd Mercy University’s Autism expert, Deborah Schadler, PhD, CPCRT, PRSE

We had a chance to speak with Gwynedd Mercy University’s Autism expert, Deborah Schadler, PhD, CPCRT, PRSE, who heads this informative conference each year. Her mission is to educate people and communities about Autism Spectrum Disorder. As the Director of Gwynedd Mercy University’s Autism Institute and a professional educator with more than 43 years of experience, Deb has extensive knowledge about ASD, including the latest research, best practices, and educational opportunities for autistic individuals.

The Autism Conference at GMU brings people together to collaborate and interface with research, administrators, teachers, attorneys and officers.

The Autism Conference started 12 years ago when pre-school teachers needed to understand children with special needs. From that beginning, with about 30 teachers in attendance, resource rooms were added and more information became available each year, giving educators the opportunity to interface with research, administrators and teachers and to collaborate and bring people together in this one-day conference.

Photo | Former GMU student who identifies on the spectrum and has a Master of Science in Neuropsychology talks about what people can do to support people with similar challenges such as his.

Schadler explains that Autism is a neurologically based disorder, not a psychological one, and hopes that people have a more intelligent response to working and interacting with people with Autism. She adds:

“My continued goal is to have the conference serve as a platform to meet the needs of, not only people on the spectrum, but the community at large as we develop as a society of meeting with success in individuals on the spectrum into our society.”

Schadler explains that Autism is a neurologically based disorder, not a psychological one, and hopes that people have a more intelligent response to working and interacting with people with Autism. Through informational and educational conferences such as this, these goals can be reached.