Educating Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Everything you need to know to educate students with autism Every 20 minutes, another child is diagnosed with autism. Are you ready to meet this growing educational challenge? This authoritative guide for practitioners—early interventionists, teachers, school counselors and psychologists—provides practical strategies for addressing the unique needs of children on the autism spectrum and their families. Drawing on current research and evidence-based practice, the authors discuss the causes of autism and present methods for educating children and assisting their families in supporting the educational process. Each chapter focuses on a critical issue and offers solutions, including: Improving communication, social, generalization and self-management skills Designing instruction, intervention, and assessment Including families in developing goals and interventions Using students′ special interests to deliver instruction Understanding and preventing challenging behavior Evaluating practices to promote successful outcomes for students, families and practitioners Included are forms, charts, and activities to help practitioners and families fulfill learning programs. Educating Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders will give you insight and tools to make a difference in the learning and lives of students with autism spectrum disorders.

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgments About the Authors 1. Classification of Autism in Young Children 2. Early Detection and Medical Classification 3. Educational Eligibility 4. Writing Effective Educational Goals 5. Essential Components of Educational Programs 6. Designing and Evaluating Instruction Based on Student Skills and Responses 7. Evidence-Based Strategies for Teaching Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Skill Acquisition and Fluency 8. Evidence-based Strategies for Maintenance, Generalization, and Self-management 9. Evidence-based Practices for Communication Skill Acquisition 10. Evidence-based Practices for Social Skill Acquisition 11. Designing Instruction and Supports to Prevent and Decrease Problem Behavior 12. Maximizing Implementation of Evidence-Based Strategies in the Classroom Master List of Acronyms NASP References Index

About the Author :
Erin E. Barton, PhD, BCBA-D, is an Assistant Professor in the School of Education and Human Development at the University of Colorado Denver. She teaches courses in Early Childhood Special Education on evidence-based assessment and intervention practices for young children with special needs and their families. She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and has worked with children and families in school, home, and clinic settings. Prior to her current position, she was a special education teacher for the Chicago Public Schools where she taught young children with autism. Dr. Barton specializes in the education of young children with developmental disabilities in inclusive and naturalistic settings. Her research interests include early intervention and identification of young children with autism, behavioral interventions for including young children with developmental disabilities in general education classrooms, and professional development of early childhood special education teachers. She has published several papers on evidence-based practices for young children with autism. Also, she regularly provides professional development to programs, school, districts, and states on evidence-based, early intervention practices for young children with special needs and their families.

Review :
"The authors cover a wealth of information from methods for identifying the disorders to strategies for ameliorating learning and behavior problems associated with autism spectrum disorders. They focus on the importance of working with parents/guardians and caregivers to meet the needs of the children in their care. Recommended." -- Joyce Williams Bergin, Assistant Dean of the College of Education "Because the text offers so many practical tools, it will provide a distinctive contribution to education. I strongly believe ALL classroom teachers will benefit from the author's perspective and the usefulness of the materials in the book." -- Carol Aymar, Teacher "This book is a great tool for those who are new to the field and for parents looking for more information on a variety of topics. The book stays focused on those receiving treatment and best practices. The visual aids help illustrate and demonstrate ideas. The authors do a very thorough job in describing implantation techniques and tools for a variety of treatment options, making this book a great tool for parents and providers." -- Katherine (DeHart) Boone, Case Manager "This book provides educators with all the basics needed to educate a child with autism." -- Midwest Book Review, October 2012