The Help Group to Share Expertise with 600 Educators
at Lecuture Series in Tokyo and Osaka

Experts in the education of Asperger’s Disorder and high-functioning autism from The Help Group will visit Tokyo and Osaka from August 23 through August 26 to present seminars on educating children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to an estimated 600 Japanese educators, mental health workers, speech and language pathologists and occupational therapists. The Help Group will be represented by Dr. Laurie Stephens. The Help Group’s Director of Autism Spectrum Disorders Programs, and Pamela Clark, Director of Schools

The visit at the invitation of Dr. Keiichi Takeda, visiting professor, Osaka Medical College's Center for Learning Disabilities, Professor Emeritus of Osaka Kyoiku University, and President of the Japan Association for Special Educational Needs, is designed to help address Japan’s new legislation through the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (the equivalent of the U.S. Department of Education), which mandates that educational services be provided to students with Asperger’s Disorder, high-functioning autism, ADHD and learning disabilities beginning 2007. Japan currently has programs and funding in place for children with severe learning disabilities and autism, but does not offer classes to children with milder forms.


Dr. Keiichi Takeda
It is estimated that Japanese education in this field is 30 years behind that of the United States,” said Dr. Takeda. “There are many things we can learn from The Help Group, which had the foresight to address this population and today is one of the leading U.S. experts in the education of children and adolescents with Asperger’s Syndrome, learning disabilities and ADHD. We would like to develop a curriculum for our Japanese specialists, which include annual visits to The Help Group facilities to further augment their study.” Dr. Takeda has been proactive in educating his colleagues as preparations are underway in Japan’s schools working with these populations.

The August seminars in Japan will explore how to provide education, social skills training and behavior management to young children with Asperger’s and high functioning autism. In addition they will address general autism education for preschool and elementary settings, summer camps for social development and transition programming for older students with autism.

“It’s very exciting to be able to share The Help Group’s expertise with Japan’s educators and other professionals,” said Dr. Barbara Firestone, President and CEO, The Help Group. “I applaud our colleagues in Japan for their commitment to developing comprehensive programs to students with these special needs. “


The Help Group’s programs for Japanese educators began in August 2005 when a small group of experts led by Dr. Takeda visited the campus. Since that time, 100 specialists from Japan have traveled to The Help Group for its lectures since the relationship was established last year. In addition to the lectures to be presented in Japan, thirty five educators are due to visit in late August for a two day seminar focusing on ASD and to observe a social skills summer camp designed for children with these disabilities.

Consul Yuko Kaifu, Tom Komp, Dr. Keiichi Takeda, Dr. Barbara Firestone

At the forefront of this field, The Help Group’s established its Village Glen School 10 years ago to serve students with Asperger’s Disorder and high-functioning autism at a time when Asperger’s Disorder was considered a new diagnostic category and little information was available about the most effective ways to educate these children. The school offers a full curriculum that follows the academic state standards while incorporating daily social skills lessons and positive behavioral strategies in the highly structured and supportive environment. Today, Village Glen is recognized as a model of excellence both nationally and abroad.







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