From the SEARCH Founding Director:
Welcome to the SEARCH website! Although we have designed this with the needs of parents and families in mind, we expect that teachers and other professionals who are directly or even indirectly involved in education and autism will find it useful.
There are three main purposes of this site:
#1
It has been designed to help you "search" for Support-Education-Advocacy-Resources-Community-Hope in an easy and direct way. As you explore the site, you will find hundreds of pages of information. Much of this has been gathered from the most reputable educational and scientific sites that provide information on autism. We have, in some cases, modified, edited or added to this informational base (but only on sites that give the user permission to do so.)
Beginning with the newly completed Resource Guide to autism services in the Inland Empire, we have developed an interactive database, so that you can easily find what you are looking for and see where it is cross-listed with other resources. With appropriate future funding we can expand this state-wide as well as nation-wide.
Please note that all of our service will be available in both Spanish and English.
#2
SEARCH is "the" educational site for information on evidence-based practices in autism. Our goal is to help parents select and find evidence-based educational treatments for this child with autism spectrum disorder, and to differentiate those from unsubstantiated treatments. We understand that, following the diagnosis of autism, families have many years of uncertainty and in their "search" for services. Thus, the information provided here is organized according to a lifespan approach to educational treatment and services.
Toward this end, the SEARCH teams is actually developing courses for parents and teachers on the meaning of "evidenced-based," and how to make the appropriate decisions for an individual child and his or her family. In time, and after appropriate research efforts, findings will be made available on this website.
#3
We aim to evaluate your experience using the SEARCH website, as this is an evolving process. In order for us to target your own needs, we ask that you communicate with us. On this site is a very brief survey (it takes only 1 or 2 minutes to complete) that will enable you to give us feedback that we can use.
On our part, we will be sure to provide information on local community happenings in autism, current events, and major new articles that parents (and even teachers) might want to know about.
Finally, we are grateful for your support. The SEARCH model is unique to the University of California system. We have a small core staff, and the weight is carried primarily by the SEARCH Fellows, either UCR graduate research assistants of funded fellows by private grants, donations, or research projects. The Fellows receive regular doctoral level training for a Ph.D. in Education, while also providing a direct service to the community of families and autism. This service can consist of clinical training, consultation to school districts and agencies, or the running of parent groups (in both Spanish and English.)
Thanks to all of you who have contributed your experiences and your expertise. We dedicate this site to all the special families who will benefit from it.
Jan Blacher, Ph.D.Professor, Graduate School of Education
Founding Director, SEARCH