Educating Children with Autism

by National Research Council, Catherine Lord, Committee on Educational Interventions f, et al.

Book Overview

Autism is a word most of us are familiar with. But do we really know what it means?

Children with autism are challenged by the most essential human behaviors. They have difficulty interacting with other people--often failing to see people as people rather than simply objects in their environment. They cannot easily communicate ideas and feelings, have great trouble imagining what others think or feel, and in some cases spend their...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0309072697
• ISBN13: 9780309072694
• Release Date: October 2001
• Publisher: National Academies Press
• Length: 323 Pages
• Weight: 1.51 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

I've Read it Three Times!

Yes, it's true. I've read this book three times since I first obtained it back in 2004. Autism was a serious weakness in my game at that point so I knew that I had to improve my knowledge base. I first heard about it from a superintendent with whom I interviewed who identified it as one of the publications in the field that everybody was reading. I definitely was not disappointed by what I found. Time and again it has strengthened me and assisted me in my work. It's a sound gospel upon which to draw--particularly in lieu of what can only be described as an autism craze that's sweeping the country. More and more physicians are diagnosing (over-diagnosing?) the disorder at present, and this tome is just the medicine that diagnostians need. It offers great statistics and research along with--in Chapter 16--solid suggestions for assisting the afflicted and their families.

One of the Best

I have many resources on the subject of teaching autism, but this book is one of the best I have found. I highly recommend it. This book gives research-based information for identifying learning difficulties in children with autism and strategies for teaching these students.

A very detailed report on specific educational interventions

This book is based on a report of research conducted by a committee of select members from the National Academies. While it does appear quite techincal, it provides a good resource for anyone attempting to put toghether a good educational program for their autistic child. It's a must have book for knowing what needs to, and can be, put into a child's IEP. If you are using an attorney or advocate to put together your child's IEP, make sure they have a copy of this book.

Absolutely Essential Reading

The National Research Council is actually a sub-organization of the National Academy of Sciences. This book is absolutely essential for anyone planning to educate a child with autism. The stellar cast of contributing scholars is top flight and the scope of the book and its specific recommendations are essential reading for anyone, especially administrators trying to meet state-of-the-art education standards, working with autistic children. The various sections on the range of issues confronted in serving autistic children can be read independently or from start to finish, although I recommend that the entire book be read completely. The Conclusions and Recommendations are extensive and surprisingly detailed. The references are solid and cover the range of the available information in the legitimate literature. UPDATE 11/04/03: I have now had the opportunity to provide workshops on this report and work with professionals in the southeastern US for the past 2 years in making practical sense out of the recommendations. I continue to be amazed at the comprehensive nature of the areas covered and the recommendations. I have had feedback from parents, educators, and professionals that is uniformly positive about the value of this reference as a guide to improving the services to children with ASD. UPDATE 8/16/05: This continues to be the touchstone for what works, what doesn't, and how people should approach treatment and evaluations for children on the autism spectrum. I recently presented its contents at an advocacy workshop and I remain amazed at how few people are aware of this work - let alone have not read it. Its the single best source of information on the science available.