Autism Society of AmericaFounded| 1965

|

Founders| Bernard Rimland,[1] Ivar Lovaas, Ruth C. Sullivan, and others
Legal status| 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
Headquarters| Rockville, Maryland, United States

Executive Chair

| Lori A. Ireland[2]

President/Chief Executive Officer

| Christopher Banks
Subsidiaries| Autism Society of America Foundation[3]

Revenue (2013)

| $2,396,020[3]
Expenses (2013)| $2,378,089[3]
Endowment| $50,000[3]

Employees (2013)

| 27[3]

Volunteers (2013)

| 20[3]
Website| www.autism-society.org

Formerly called

| National Society for Autistic Children[4]

The Autism Society of America (ASA) was founded in 1965[6] by Bernard Rimland[1] and Ivar Lovaas together with Ruth C. Sullivan and a small group of other parents of children with autism. Its original name was the National Society for Autistic Children;[4] the name was changed to emphasize that autistic children grow up. The ASA's stated goal is to increase public awareness about autism and the day-to-day issues faced by autistic people as well as their families and the professionals with whom they interact.[7] Although the group has promoted the pseudoscientific belief that vaccines cause autism in the past, it now affirms that there is no link between vaccination and autism.[8] In 2021, the ASA launched a new brand including a logo consisting of multicolor lines forming a fabric with a new slogan, "The Connection Is You".[9]

## Contents

* 1 Founders
* 1.1 Ivar Løvaas
* 1.2 Bernard Rimland
* 1.3 Ruth C. Sullivan
* 2 References
* 3 External links

## Founders[edit]

### Ivar Løvaas[edit]

Main article: Ivar Lovaas

Ole Ivar Løvaas (8 May 1927 – 2 August 2010) was a Norwegian-American clinical psychologist and professor at the University of California, Los Angeles. He is most well-known for his research on what was then called behavior modification to teach autistic children through prompts, modeling, and positive reinforcement. His method also had a history of using aversives to reduce undesired behaviors.[10][11]

Lovaas founded the Lovaas Institute and co-founded the Autism Society of America. He has also been considered a pioneer of what is now called applied behavior analysis due to his development of discrete trial training and early intensive behavioral intervention for autistic children.

His work influenced how autism is treated, and Lovaas received widespread acclaim and several awards for his work during his lifetime.[12]

### Bernard Rimland[edit]

Main article: Bernard Rimland

Bernard Rimland (November 15, 1928 – November 21, 2006) was an American research psychologist, writer, lecturer, and influential person in the field of developmental disorders who is known for promoting autism-related pseudoscience. In 1964, Dr. Bernard Rimland wrote a book, Infantile Autism, that convinced others working in the field that autism is a physiological disorder, not a mental or emotional problem.[13] Rimland was a founder of the Autism Society of America in 1965, but left to create the Autism Research Institute in 1967.[14] He later promoted several theories, which have since been disproven, about the causes and treatment of autism, including vaccine denial, facilitated communication, chelation therapy, and false claims of a link between secretin and autism.

### Ruth C. Sullivan[edit]

Main article: Ruth C. Sullivan

Ruth C. Sullivan was the first elected president of the Autism Society of America. She is also on the permanent honorary board of the society. Ruth Sullivan was founder and former Executive Director of the Autism Services Center, a nonprofit licensed behavioral health care agency that she founded in Huntington, West Virginia in 1979. It now provides services in four counties to families who have a family member with developmental disabilities. She retired from the Autism Services Center on November 1, 2007 at the age of 83. Sullivan assisted in the production of the 1988 movie, Rain Man, by serving as a consultant on autistic behavior, and Dustin Hoffman worked with Sullivan and her son Joseph, who is autistic, when practising for his role.

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b "Some Key Dates in Autism History". The Washington Post July 1, 2008. p. F5.
2. ^ "[1]". Autism Society of America. Accessed on March 26, 2021.
3. ^ a b c d e f "Form 990: Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax". Autism Society of America. Guidestar. December 31, 2013.
4. ^ a b Campbell, Susan. "A place for miracles? Institute offers option for autistic children". St. Petersburg Times. April 13, 1988.
5. ^ "[https://autismsociety.org/who-we-are/". About the Autism Society. Autism Society. November 15, 2021.
6. ^ "About the Autism Society". Autism Society. Retrieved 2019-02-25.
7. ^ "Autism Organizations". Autism Key. January 2011. Retrieved October 3, 2011.
8. ^ "Statement of the Autism Society of America on Vaccine Safety". Autism Society. Retrieved 2021-04-02.
9. ^ "Autism Society's New Brand Launch". 15 November 2021.
10. ^ Larsson, Eric V; Wright, Scott (2011). "O. Ivar Lovaas (1927–2010)". The Behavior Analyst. 34 (1): 111–114. doi:10.1007/BF03392239. PMC 3089401.
11. ^ Fox, Margalit (August 2010). "O. Ivar Lovaas, pioneer in developing therapies for autism, dies at 83". The New York Times. Retrieved 2018-06-18.
12. ^ SCCAP Award Winners: Division 53, (Retrieved 29 May 2018)
13. ^ Krause, Audrie. "Authority on Autism Speaks from Experience: Doctor Began Research After His Son Was Diagnosed with Disorder 30 Years Ago". The Fresno Bee. November 18, 1987.
14. ^ Carey, Benedict (November 28, 2006). "Bernard Rimland, 78, Scientist Who Revised View of Autism, Dies". New York Times. Retrieved 15 May 2014.

## External links[edit]

* Autism Society of America: home page

* v
* t
* e

Autism resources

* Autism
* outline
* spectrum

Awareness|

* Autism-friendly
* Autism Sunday
* Communication Shutdown
* World Autism Awareness Day

Culture|

* Autistic art
* Autism spectrum disorders in the media
* Fictional characters
* Films about autism
* Circle of Friends
* Neurodiversity

Accommodations|

* Sensory friendly
* KultureCity

Therapies

| Psychotropic medication (antipsychotics)|

* Aripiprazole
* Risperidone

|

Behavioral|

* Applied behavior analysis (ABA)
* Discrete trial training (Lovaas)
* Picture exchange communication system (PECS)
* Pivotal response treatment
* Positive behavior support
* Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
* Social skills training

Developmental|

* Floortime (PLAY Project)

Controversial|

* Auditory integration training
* Aversion therapy (Judge Rotenberg Educational Center)
* Chelation of mercury
* Facilitated communication
* Gluten-free, casein-free diet
* Hug machine
* Hyperbaric oxygen therapy
* Holding therapy
* Relationship development intervention
* Secretin
* Sensory integration therapy
* Son-Rise
* Vitamin B12

Related|

* ADHD medication
* Melatonin
* Occupational therapy
* Social Stories
* Speech therapy
* Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
* Structured teaching (TEACCH)

Centers

| Research|

| United States|

* Association for Science in Autism Treatment
* Autism Research Institute
* Autism Science Foundation
* Kennedy Krieger Institute
* National Alliance for Autism Research
* Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative
* Yale Child Study Center

|

United Kingdom|

* Autism Research Centre (UK)

* Conditions and research areas
* Researchers

Therapy|

| United States|

* Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD)
* MIND Institute

|

Schools|

* Alpine Learning Group
* Eden II School for Autistic Children
* ESPA College (UK)
* Exceptional Minds (USA)
* New England Center for Children
* Pathlight School (Singapore)
* Rebecca School
* Sunfield Children's Home (UK)
* TreeHouse School (UK)
* Western Autistic School (Australia)

Organizations

| International|

* Autism rights movement
* Wrong Planet

|

Americas|

| United States|

* Autism Network International
* Autism Science Foundation
* Autistic Self Advocacy Network
* Autism Society of America
* Autism Speaks
* Centro Ponceño de Autismo
* Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation
* Generation Rescue
* Interactive Autism Network
* Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee
* LENA Foundation
* National Alliance for Autism Research
* National Council on Severe Autism
* The Autism Community in Action

|

* Centro Ann Sullivan (Peru)
* Domus Instituto de Autismo (Mexico)

Asia|

* Action for Autism (India)
* Autism Resource Centre (Singapore)

Caribbean|

* Autistic Society (Trinidad and Tobago)
* Maia Chung Autism and Disabilities Foundation (Jamaica)

Europe|

| UK|

* Autism Anglia
* The Autism Directory
* Autism Awareness Campaign UK
* Autism Cymru
* Autism Plus
* Autistica
* National Autistic Society
* Sacar

|

* Specialisterne (Denmark)
* Aspies For Freedom

Oceania|

* Luke Priddis Foundation (Australia)

Literature

| Non-fiction|

* The Accidental Teacher: Life Lessons from My Silent Son
* Animals in Translation
* Aspergirls: Empowering Females with Asperger's Syndrome
* Autism's False Prophets
* Extreme Love: Autism
* Freaks, Geeks, and Asperger Syndrome: A User Guide to Adolescence
* In a Different Key
* Life, Animated
* Like Colour to the Blind
* Look Me in the Eye
* Mother Warriors
* My Autobiography
* NeuroTribes
* Nobody Nowhere
* Overcoming Autism
* The Reason I Jump
* Somebody Somewhere
* Son-Rise: The Miracle Continues
* Strange Son
* Switched On
* Unstrange Minds

|

Fiction|

* The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
* Dear John
* House Rules
* Mockingbird
* Saving Max
* Speed of Dark
* The Winter Journey
* With the Light

For younger people|

* Everybody Is Different: A Book for Young People Who Have Brothers or Sisters With Autism
* Ian's Walk: A Story about Autism
* Marcelo in the Real World
* Rage: A Love Story
* Rules

Journals|

* Autism
* Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
* Molecular Autism
* Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders

* v
* t
* e

Autism spectrum

Main|

* Causes
* Comorbid conditions
* Epidemiology
* Heritability
* Epigenetics
* Societal and cultural aspects
* Therapies

Diagnoses|

* Pervasive developmental disorder
* High-functioning autism
* Low-functioning autism
* Classic autism
* Asperger syndrome
* Pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified
* Childhood disintegrative disorder

Related conditions|

* Alexithymia
* Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
* Anxiety disorder
* obsessive–compulsive disorder
* Late talker
* Epilepsy
* Fragile X syndrome
* Hyperlexia
* Rett syndrome
* Sensory processing disorder
* Savant syndrome
* Intellectual disability
* Developmental coordination disorder
* Multiple complex developmental disorder

Related issues|

* Autism rights movement
* Neurodiversity
* Autism and LGBT identities
* TEACCH program

Controversies|

* Applied behavior analysis
* Facilitated communication
* Lancet MMR autism fraud
* MMR vaccine
* Rapid prompting method
* Thiomersal
* Chelation

Diagnostic scales|

* Gilliam Asperger's disorder scale
* Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule
* Autism Diagnostic Interview
* Autism-spectrum quotient
* Childhood Autism Rating Scale

Lists|

* Autism-related topics
* Fictional characters
* Schools

Accommodations|

* Sensory friendly

Authority control

General|

* ISNI
* 1
* VIAF
* 1
* WorldCat

National libraries|

* United States

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