Contributing Authors
The following is a list of those who have contributed to the content of Polyxo.com. If you would like your name to appear here, and have something that you would like to contribute to Polyxo.com, please contact me.
Jason M. Wallin -- Site Founder
Jason Wallin is currently an undergraduate student, majoring in Psychology and Primate Behavior and Ecology at Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Washington. At Central, Jason volunteers with the Chimpanzee and Human Communication Institute, the home of Washoe, the first non-human to use elements of a human language, and her family.
Prior to his enrollment at CWU, Jason worked as a special education paraeducator for the Oak Harbor School District and as a private consultant/therapist in Oak Harbor, Washington for seven years. In that capacity he has had the opportunity to work with a number of children with autism and other disabilities, and has spoken at district workshops on Social Stories, Applied Behavior Analysis, and Discrete Trial Training. Jason began Polyxo.com in February 2001, as an extension of these workshops. It has since been well-received by parents and professionals from many areas of the world.
Ms. Beck is a Special Education Teacher with 22 years of experience. She currently teaches in a self-contained middle school classroom and is a member of the TEACCH training team that is sponsored through Texas Region 19 Education Service Center.
Dr. Brian S. Friedlander is a licensed psychologist who is currently on sabbatical from the Chester Township Public Schools, Chester, NJ where he has been a school psychologist for the past sixteen years. Dr. Friedlander also maintains an assistive technology practice, which provides assessments, workshops and individual training in the area of assistive computer technology. He is an adjunct faculty member at the College of St. Elizabeth and at Lesley University, where he teaches courses in educational technology. Dr. Friedlander is also the co-author of the forthcoming book, Engaging the Resistant Child Through Computers: A Manual to Facilitate Social Emotional Learning, Maurice J. Elias, Ph.D., Brian S. Friedlander, Ph.D and Steven E. Tobias, Psy.D; New York: National Professional Resources, 2001. Dr. Friedlander maintains a private psychology practice in Long Valley, N.J. Dr. Friedlander is the moderator for the Asssitive Technology Listserv. Those interested in subscribing can send a message to: attechnology-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Melissa has been a special education teacher for seven years, the first few with upper elementary-aged children with multiple disabilities and emotional/behavioral problems and currently with Kindergarten and first grade children for the North Tonawanda School District in Buffalo, New York. Melissa can be contacted at mgaldys@yahoo.com.
Michele Gardner and the staff of the Flemington-Raritan Autism Program
Cris Lovendahl, M.A., CCC-SLP is a Speech-Language Pathologist who specializes in Autistic Spectrum and Related Disorders. Cris has established three integrated, collaborative businesses focusing on clinic-based, home-based, and school-based needs. These are SpeechKids, Play Partners, and The Classroom Connection. She may be contacted at: cris@speechkids.net.
Amy McGinnis has been working with children with autism at the Variety Club in Worcester, PA for 8 years. She has spent the past 3 years working privately as an ABA therapist. Amy is currently enrolled in a 5 year Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program at Alvernia College in Reading, PA. She can be contacted at: Amy4382@aol.com.
