Research collaboration visit with Linda LeBlanc, PhD, Trumpet Behavioral Health, USA

Abstract

The international participation of the Laboratório de Aprendizagem Humana, Multimídia Interativa e Ensino Informatizado (LAHMIEI) research group, at the Department of Psychology and Special Education of UFSCar, has been increasing throughout the years and, currently, it has been playing an important role in the collaborative work between Brazilian public universities and universities around the world through grant and scholarship awards by FAPESP, CNPq and CAPES. As an indicator of the potential of this international participation we mention the Seminário Internacional de Pesquisa do LAHMIEI, which is in its fifth edition. The I Seminário had Dr. Richard Saunders, from University of Kansas. The II Seminário had Dr. Thomas S. Higbee, from Utah State University - Logan as the invited speaker. The III Seminário had Dr. Edmund J. Fantino and Stephanie Stolarz-Fantino, from University of California - San Diego. The IV Seminário had Dr. Caio Miguel, from California State University - Sacramento as the invited speaker. During this year, we had the VI Seminário with Dr. Joseph Pear, University of Manitoba, who co-advised one of our students (Marileide Oliveira) for a one-year scholarship (CAPES and CNPq). Currently, the international participation of the LAHMIEI research group has been greatly noted through the São Paulo School for Advanced Science (ESPCA): Advances in research and treatment of autistic behavior, supported by FAPESP. The conference was held from January 9th to 13th of 2012 and received researchers and students from Brazil and from all over the world who met to discuss the contemporary advances in research and treatment of individuals with autism. One of our invited speakers was Dr. Linda LeBlanc, from Universidade de Auburn - Alabama, USA. LeBlanc, Ph.D., BCBA-D, MI Lincesed Psychologist is a professor of psychology at Auburn University and the director of its applied behavior analysis graduate program. Her current research and clinical interests include the behavioral treatment of autism and developmental disabilities across the lifespan, verbal behavior, and technology-based interventions. Dr. LeBlanc is a current associate editor of Education and Treatment of Children and Behavior Analysis in Practice, and a former associate editor of the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. She also serves as Director of Research and Clinical Services at Trumpet Behavioral Health and as a member of the Board of Directors of the Association of Professional Behavior Analysts. For the VII Seminário we aim to apply for financial support due to continue international participation of the LAHMIEI research group and to develop research in collaboration with Dr. Linda LeBlanc. The invitation is justified, firstly, because of the contributions of Dr. Linda LeBlanc to the area and, hence, because it will make possible to the LAHMIEI research group to attend to research activities in collaboration with the referred professor. The research projects Dr. Linda LeBlanc will be consulting in on during his visit are listed in the attached file "Description of Research Projects". The required funding will allow Dr. Linda LeBlanc to participate in the following activities: (1) submission of articles, written in collaboration, to international journals; (2) data discussion and design of new projects to be conducted in collaboration; (3) advice for the projects related to the related areas, and conducted by the researchers of LAHMIEI; (4) lectures for graduate and undergraduate students of the Psychology and Special Education programs as well as other interested students. (AU)