About the Book
*Winner in the Education/Academic category of the 2011 Next Generation Indie Book Awards*
*Shortlisted for the 2011 NASEN Award 'The Special Needs Academic Book'*
With a focus on best practice and the importance of early diagnosis, this book provides a practical and scientifically-based approach to the assessment and diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome and autism spectrum conditions.
This book offers a balance of conceptual, practical and empirical information designed to bridge the research-to-practice gap in identifying, assessing, and treating school-aged children with autism-related conditions. Assessment tools and intervention strategies will support school-based professionals in:
· identifying and assessing young people with high-functioning autism spectrum conditions
· developing and implementing classroom-based intervention programs
· initiating a dialogue between parents and teachers
· accessing community resources
· promoting special needs advocacy.
With illustrative case studies, FAQs, quick reference boxes, and a glossary, this accessible guide will appeal to teachers, counsellors, psychologists, social work practitioners and students.
Table of Contents:
Acknowledgements. Preface. Foreword by Diane Twachtman-Cullen.1. Introduction and Overview. 2. Best Practice in Screening. 3. Best Practice in Assessment. 4. Case Examples: Jeremy and Sally. 5. Best Practice for Intervention and Treatment. 6. Best Practice in Special Needs Education. 7. Future Directions and Conclusion. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). Glossary of Terms. Glossary of Acronyms. Appendix A: The Autism Spectrum Quotient-Children's Version (AQ-Child). Appendix B: Childhood Autism Spectrum Test (CAST). Appendix C: ASD Assessment Worksheet. Appendix D: Observation Checklist. Appendix E: IDEA Disability Categories. Appendix F: A Summary of DSM-IV-TR. Criteria. Appendix G: Sample IEP Goals and Objectives. Appendix H: Resources for Further Infomation.. Index to Best Practice Recommendations. About the Author. References. Index
About the Author :
Lee A. Wilkinson, PhD, is a scientist, researcher, and practitioner. He is a certified school psychologist, chartered educational psychologist, chartered scientist, and certified cognitive-behavioral therapist. He is also a university educator and teaches graduate courses in psychological assessment, clinical intervention, and child and adolescent psychopathology at Nova Southeastern University, Florida.
Review :
This book is recommended for Educational Psychologists, Teachers and Educators. Its language is accessible, its content clear and practical. The book should be essential reading for mainstream teachers, particularly those working in specialist ASD provision.
A Best Practice Guide to Assessment and Intervention for Autism and Asperger Syndrome in Schools continues to be a gold standard autism resource for parents and practitioners... It is an essential guide and valuable resource for practitioners in psychology, general and special education, counselling, social work, and for graduate and pre-service students... Highly readable and comprehensive, this book sets the standard for those working with students with autism and Asperger syndrome. This book makes also an ideal text or guide for graduate-level training courses in psychology and special education, and has become a widely used resource.
Dr Wilkinson has created an outstanding blend of academic research and practical application in a text that is so clearly written it is a pleasure to read for professionals and parents alike. His book concisely illustrates best practices in screening, assessment, treatment and special education services... This book fills an important need that has existed for years. Dr. Wilkinson has created an indispensable resource that should definitely be in each school's professional library.
As the prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders continues to expand, this book is a critical addition to any school library. It is no longer possible for school systems to ignore or continue to deal with developmental delays in piecemeal fashion and Lee Wilinson has put together an excellent comprehensive manual to guide school personnel in addressing these issues... As a school social worker who worked in the public school system with special needs children for seventeen years this book would have been a very helpful tool for all school based professionals to access. With the rising incidence of children being diagnosed on the Autism spectrum, this guide should be required reading for all direct service providers who work with children in the school setting. On behalf of the Autism community I extend a sincere thank you to Lee Wilinson for this impressive and most valuable resource!
This well organized and well written book, intended for the use of professionals in schools working with the Autism population, offers recent research on the assessment and intervention processes.... The focus of this useful book is empirically-based and best practices as opposed to speculation or subjective theories. It will appeal to educators as well as parents who want to become well-informed.
The coverage of important and relevant topics is thorough and provides targeted information for individuals interested in learning more about this class of childhood disorders... this book presents readers with an excellent overview of autism and Asperger syndrome. The author has expertly formatted the book and each chapter so that the reader is provided with an excellent resource of recent and relevant information pertaining to screening, formal assessment, and interventions with individuals in this population... it is believed that many school-based professionals will be able to make use of this excellent resource.
The uses and limitations of a variety of methods from psychometrics to observational assessments are clearly presented. Case studies give the reader exemplars of a range of assessments and the implications for learning in a highly readable way. Key issues are provided in summary boxes. Interventions include a detailed guide to promote skills in self-monitoring in the learner. In summary, this is an accessible book, of benefit to all those involved in the assessment and support of students with ASD.
This is a very accessible book which will be of interest of therapists, teachers, psychologists and academics working in the field of autism.
In the preface the author promises to "provide the reader with a balance of conceptual, practical, and empirical information," and that is exactly what readers will find throughout this comprehensive and well-documented treatise on assessment and intervention for children with autism spectrum conditions...The children, referenced throughout the book, later serve as illustrative examples of how to apply best-practice techniques to the identification and assessment of children on the autism spectrum. As such Dr. Wilkinson provides readers with a well-designed and easy-to-follow blueprint to guide application in the school setting. The book is exquisitely organized, making it an easy-to-access reference guide as well as a comprehensive text book and training manual...Along the way, Dr. Wilkinson makes a strong and convincing case for adopting a dimensional, as opposed to a categorical approach to autism spectrum conditions, given that the former focuses on adaptive functioning which will serve the child well over the long haul, in contrast to the latter approach which focuses o the descriptive and ore immediate elements of behaviour... Leaving no stone unturned, Dr. Wilkinson goes beyond assessment procedures to examine some of the scientifically base and controversial interventions in ASD... Dr. Wilkinson has made an enormous contribution to the field by comprehensively and systematically illuminating not only what needs to be done, but also how to go about doing it. That "recipe" alone would be worth the read, but he goes on to supply the actual "ingredients" (in the form of both formal and informal assessment procedures and instruments) that, when properly applied, can "serve up" intervention protocols that are based upon the documented needs of children with autism spectrum conditions. Clearly, this is a very important book, destined to become a classic in the field!
This book provides a complete source for parents, educators, researchers and clinicians seeking information related to assessment and interventions available for individuals (mostly children) diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)... Parents will benefit from reading this book as it exposes a variety of issues to consider when seeking assessment and treatment for their children. Educators and clinicians can make use of the detailed case examples as those may be applicable to their work environment... One of the main things I appreciate in the book is the constant reminder of wide spectrum of functioning and strengths individuals on the spectrum present with.
The book is exquisitely organized, making it an easy-to-access reference guide as well as a comprehensive text book and training manual...Dr. Wilkinson has made an enormous contribution to the field by comprehensively and systematically illuminating not only what needs to be done, but also how to go about doing it. That "recipe" alone would be worth the read, but he goes on to supply the actual "ingredients" (in the form of both formal and informal assessment procedures and instruments) that, when properly applied, can "serve up" intervention protocols that are based upon the documented needs of children with autism spectrum conditions. Clearly, this is a very important book, destined to become a classic in the field!
