A Summary of Current Best Practices for Educating Autistic Children

A key characteristic of Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is their heterogeneity. Autistic children have an extensive range of functional ability, behavioral issues, family situations, individual needs and idiosyncratic interests, making generalizations about intervention and treatment all but impossible. In addition, autistic children may have co-occurring disorders such as mental retardation and language disorders, so that educational planning must be further individualized to treat a constellation of disabilities. Currently, education is the primary form of treatment for autism, including the education of parents and teachers. Research indicates that earliest possible intervention (generally, upon diagnosis) is ideal.