Educating Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Research-Based Principles and Practices

This edited book is both a comprehensive resource for practicing professionals serving children and youth with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and a graduate level text for preservice and inservice educators, psychologists, speech/ language therapists and other clinicians. Similar to a handbook in its comprehensive topical coverage, the text provides an overview of the field from an integrated cross-disciplinary perspective, describes the research-base supporting various educational practices related to children and youth with ASD, considers education at each developmental stage (from early intervention through transition to adult living), and highlights major educational and therapeutic needs of children and youth with ASD. In addition to describing the theory and research supporting current practices, it shows how the existing knowledge base can be used to explore promising new possibilities related to the field's many unanswered questions. Key features include:Comprehensive ' This is the first text in autism education to consider the history and current state of autism as a field in transition, the varied approaches and philosophies used to educate children and youth with autism, interventions used throughout the developmental cycle, and how inter-related disciplines interface in the treatment of autism.Cross Disciplinary ' Serving students with autism necessitates communication and collaboration among professionals from several disciplines as well as family members. These include speech/language therapists, psychologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and physicians. The editors have, therefore, brought together divergent perspectives, theories and philosophies in order to demonstrate that scientific evidence, rather than educational orientation, must determine which practices should be selected for use in particular situations.Research Based ' Whereas many existing texts advocate a particular type of treatment, this one recognizes that interventions must be selected and evaluated based on the scientific evidence of their effectiveness.Integrated Methodology ' This text also recognizes that different types of interventions lend themselves to different research methods. Therefore chapter authors consider findings from studies that employed single-subject designs, experimental large-scale studies, and qualitative methodology. The inter-relatedness of therapies and disciplines will be highlighted throughout.Expertise ' The volume editors are all highly visible researchers in autism and developmental disabilities. Likewise, each chapter is directed by a senior, highly accomplished author who is nationally recognized for his/her work in the topic being addressed.