Learners on the Autism Spectrum: Preparing Highly Qualified Educators and Related Practitioners

Kari Dunn Buron, MS, worked with students on the autism spectrum in K-12 special education for over 30 years. She created an ASD certificate program for educators at Hamline University in St. Paul, USA, MN. Kari received her master's of science degree in behavior disorders and learning disorders from Illinois State University, USA, where she has been inducted into the Education Department Hall of Fame. Kari was one of the founding members of the MN Autism Network, a statewide group of educators, and is a past president of the Autism Society of Minnesota, USA. She has spent over 20 years working with the Autistic Society of Trinidad and Tobago, where she continues to travel annually to volunteer in homes and schools. In 1995, Kari developed Camp Discovery, a summer camp for youth with ASD Level 1. In 2003, she received a fellowship that allowed her to study social cognition and ASD from an international perspective. Kari is the co-author of The Incredible 5-Point Scale and Social Behavior and Self-Management. She is the author of When My Worries Get Too Big!, A 5 Is Against the Law!, A 5 Could Make Me Lose Control, and most recently, an early chapter book for children entitled Adalyn's Clare. Kari serves on the professional advisory boards for the Autism Society of Minnesota, USA, Minnesota LIFE College, USA, and the Autism Asperger Digest.

Pamela Wolfberg, PhD, is professor of the Autism Spectrum Graduate Certificate and Related Studies at San Francisco State University, USA and faculty advisor for the joint doctoral program in special education with the University of California, Berkeley, USA. For three decades her life's work has centred on the unique needs of individuals on the autism spectrum in the areas of socialization, play and imagination, and inclusion in peer culture. As originator of the Integrated Play Groups (IPG) model and co-founder of the Autism Institute on Peer Socialization and Play, she leads research, training, and development efforts to establish inclusive peer socialization programs worldwide.