If you are a member of the Autism Society of America you receive The Advocate that is published four times a year and reaches over 50,000 subscribers. This is now available online for subscribers. I have saved every issue of The Advocate. Issues include the creative corner, ASA News, letters to the Editor and Book Reviews, along with articles on related topics. Issues contain about 35 pages. You can join or renew online. The fees range from $15 for a student membership, $30 for Individuals, $40 for Families, Outside of US for $50, Professional Membership at $100. You also have the option of joining a local chapter.
I also subscribe to the Autism Spectrum Quarterly, which also publishes four times a year. The issues are February, May, August and November. Departments include Research Briefs, Research Newsdesk, Reviews, Cutting Edge. The articles cover everything from Autism Tissue Donation, Sexuality, Curriculum and Preparing for the College Experience. Issues contain about 50 pages. I enjoy reading the Bios for the columnists with my favorite being Common Stories from an Uncommon Parent. Alyson Beytein is the mother to three sons with autism, as well as being a poular speaker and parent/teacher trainer.
She is also the creator/moderator of the DVD "Family to Family: A Guide to Living Life When a Child is Diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder" published by Starfish Specialty Press.
Autism Spectrum Quarterly is $29.95 plus $5.00 for shipping and handling. International rates vary, but this is available in Australia, Canada, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa and the UK. subscription information that includes a PDF file with the order form to mail in. The label does not indicate when the subscription expires so I always have to send an email. Their covers are the nicest of all the magazines.
The Autism Perspective TAP Magazine is published four times a year. Starting with the Fall 2007 issue you can now read an eEdition online for free. The whole process is very easy and fast. You can still order previous issues at ten dollars each, going back to the first issue in 2005.
I bought an issue at the CAN walkathon and resource fair, Winter 2006 issue, which has 82 pages. This magazine has more content than the others and is published in Toluca Lake, California. There is a rate for Canada, Asia and Europe for back issues and yearly subscriptions.
There is a cover story, features and regular columns. Stephen Shore and William Stillman are contributing columnists. This issue I have includes an article on successful older people by Temple Grandin, sibling articles, programs for students within LAUSD, what are friends for, empathy, mentor network and the Miller method.
Spectrum Publications consists of six issues at $29.95 per year. The one downside is they have lots of personalities on their cover and not children, plus I cannot tell by the label when my subscription expires. In October/November 2006 for example the Spectrum magazine has Senator Santorum on the cover. That same issue for The Addvocate ran a cover issue of the Senator as well. Previous cover celebrities for Spectrum include Didi Conn, Chaka Khan, John Schneider, Gary Cole, Athletes against autism and the actors from The Shield. I would like to see more child friendly cover photos.
Spectrum is published out of New York and has several pages at the end for their Classified section. This is a great idea, but the majority of these advertisements and job openings are located in the New York Metro area.
I like how Spectrum has a toy and media section as well as a cooking section that has recipes. In every issue you will find the Calendar of Events that are often courtesy of Lenny Schafer Autism Report and the recipes are from a number of sources. These include gluten free pantry and simply vibrant foods.
Articles include travel tips using assistive technology, pop opera following the lives of autistic families, finding the best therapy, book reviews, living with Aspergrers by Stephen Shore, Susan Dey at the Heartspring School and Kim Coles and her nephew on the autism spectrum.
A quarterly newsletter for Familes of More Advanced Individuals with Autism, Asperger Syndrome, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder/Not Otherwise Specified is known as the MAAP. There are four volumes to the print newsletter that costs $22.00 per year. Parents, family members and those on the Autism Spectrum receive as part of their subscription The MAAP Networking Directory. This is a wonderful resource! MAAP has been around for over 20 years.
Back issues of MAAP are available at $8.00, an information packet for either Autism or Asperger's Syndrome is available for $5.00. Subscription Form for MAAP. You will find in each newsletter reviews, mailbox letters, FYI and conference information.
The 2008 Conference is being held in Indianapolis, Indiana on Wednesday and Thursday, October 1 and October 2, 2008, and is co-sponsored with the Indiana Resource Center for Autism a wonderful resource for articles and the first place I contacted when the diagnosis of autism was received in 1998. I still have many of those booklets and have given others to families over the years.
Exceptional Parent Magazine covers all special needs, has many regular departments like the Editor's desk, my favorite being Search & Respond, book notes, familiar faces, ask the Doctor, new products and special reports. Exceptional Parent is published monthly with the Resource Guide published each January.
Each issue contains two cards for products and services represented in the issue. I often have used this resource to learn about new products. The parent perspective is a great section to check out monthly as well. Subscriptions vary for International, Canada and US. You have the option for one or two year subscriptions.
I wrote a Review on Exceptional Parent seven years ago. The rates have not changed too much over the years. Subscriber information for magazine and resource guide.
Sensory Integration Focus is an International magazine dedicated to improving sensory integration. S.I. Focus is published four times a year. A one-year subscription is $28.00. The international rate for one year is $40.00. Back issues with the premier issue from Winter 2004 costs $7.00 each. The price is a bit steep for me so I purchased a single issue.
Issues contain a professional forum, from the bookshelf, home sweet home, stories of hope, the mother load and feedback. There is also the option to read Sample articles in PDF format.
Autism/Asperger's Digest is another publication I subscribe to. This is a division of Future Horizons, Inc. A subscription covers six issues at $49.95 in the US. A single issue can be purchased at $9.00. I highly recommend the May-June 2007 issue. I shared this specific issue with the Developmental Pediatrician when she was here for a home visit. I had her read through the interview Karyn Seroussi had with Dr. Arthur Krigsman on Gastrointestinal Issues in Autism and gave her a copy of the article. The Developmental Pediatrician was also interested in the cover story entitled, Toilet Training the Older Child. They offer a Trial Subscription for three issues at $24.95.
The International trial of three issues costs $29.95, a one-year subscription is $59.95. Renewal prices were lowered in 2007 for US & Canadian Subscribers. One year renewal is now only $34.94 for 1 year or 2 years at $69.95. In Canada one year renewal is 59.95 or 2 yers at 99.95.
The Autism Asperger's Digest Magazine has regular features each issue in the Newsbites that covers sensory smarts, aspie to aspie, sib talk, diet & nutrition. Two departments worth reading each issue are Autism: The Way I See It by Temple Grandin and Postcards from the Road Less Traveled by Ellen Notbohm.
Some of the articles have included - Find the perfect Speech Therapist, Which Intervention method is best, Hidden Helpers at School, Traveling with a Spectrum Child, Ten Tips for Teachers and Doing Your Social Best.
The Autism Asperger Publishing Company has great books and a newsletter. They have Events all over the country.
Lookup up Autism is an International Monthly 40-page Newsletter.
Use Visual Strategies - Workshops and newsletter
A print publication entitled Tools for Inclusion from Institute of Community Inclusion and The Inclusion Notebook are resources I have saved.
Classroom Strategies
Different Roads to Learning
Integrations
PECS workshops
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Woodbine House
Thinking Publications
AGRE Newsletter
National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities
Beach Center on Disability at the University of Kansas
NJ Center for Outreach and Services for the Autism Community
I highly recommend parents to do a search on Ebay for autism magazines to try out a single issue beforehand on any magazine. I have sold Exceptional Parent magazines from years past to newly diagnosed families. You might also try subscribing to magazines with a few other parents to share the burden of the cost. Support groups could do the same thing and make issues available for all members.
Autism Quiz
Promoting Autism Awareness
Toys to consider for Christmas
Educational Autism Tips for Families 71 page resourceful ebook for families entering the school system with a recent autism diagnosis. Find out what issues take place over the course of a school day and meet these challenges head on.
