About Us

The Family Support for Children with Disabilities (FSCD) Program, of the Alberta Government identified a need for an on-line learning resource that would be flexible and accessible for aides working across the province. FSCD provided a grant to Mount Royal University (MRU) to develop a website to meet that need. A Steering Committee was established and included representatives from the FSCD Parent and Stakeholder Advisory Committees, Alberta Education and Family Support for Children with Disabilities. This committee provided guidance and feedback throughout the development of the website.

Whether you have just ten minutes or several hours this website is a resource you can turn to for ideas and strategies to enhance your capacity as an aide to support children in their development. While no two children are alike, this site will help you determine how to increase a child’s motivation to develop adaptive behaviours, minimizing their reliance on challenging behaviours to meet their needs. The strategies are derived from evidence-based practice and research. The theory is explained, however if you are already familiar with it, it is easy to skip over.

This website is a collaborative effort led by two departments at MRU. The Project Leaders worked with community experts to develop core competencies, content, video and interactivities.

Project Leaders:

• Linda Fountain, Department of Social Work & Disability Studies (former Chair/Associate Professor). Current: Fountain Counselling & Education. lindafountainconsulting@gmail.com
• Joanne Baxter, Department of Child and Youth Studies, MRU

Content Consultant:

• Kim Ward, Associate Treatment Director, Society for the Treatment of Autism

Contributors and Developers

Project Leaders:

• Joanne Baxter, Associate Professor, Department of Child & Youth Studies, Mount Royal University
• Linda Fountain, Department of Social Work & Disability Studies, Mount Royal University

Content Consultant:

• Kim Ward, Associate Treatment Director, Society for the Treatment of Autism

Steering Committee:

• Community Members:
  • Ed Riediger (Co-Chair of the Provincial Stakeholder Advisory Committee for FSCD)
  • Brenda McInnis (Co-Chair of the Provincial Parent Advisory Committee for FSCD)
  • Marlene Shopland (Co-Chair of the Provincial Parent Advisory Committee for FSCD)
• Alberta Children and Youth Services:
  • Brian Boles,
  • Darcy Fleming
• Alberta Education:
  • Catherine Walker

Writers/Content Developers:

• Society for the Treatment of Autism, Team Leader: Kim Ward, Adele
• Gafka, Murray Gaetz, Brenda Wojtula, Sarah Everett
• LEAD, Arlene Klooster and Susan Robinson
• GRIT, Barb Reid and Joan MacDonald
• MRU: Joanne Baxter, Mitchell Clark and Linda Fountain

Instructional Development and Web Design:

• Media Learning Systems, Dr. Jonathan Ross

Video Production:

• Teaching & Learning Centre, University of Calgary
• Producer/Director: Fred Fountain; Camera/ Editor: Lawrie Edison
• Aides and therapists: Society for the Treatment of Autism, LEAD

Marketing Graphics:

• Creative Groove, Brenda Hanna

Project Assistants:

• Project and Financial Associate, MRU: Kim Blackwell
• Administrative Assistants, MRU: Lynda Martin and Anita Lawson
• Copyright and Project Assistant, Wendy Stephens Content Editor: Quo Vadimus Communications, Teresa Wong