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The topics listed are individual websites that can be accessed by members of The American Academy of Special Education Professionals (AASEP). If you are not a member of AASEP, and would like to join AASEP, click on the following link: Join AASEP to Register .

Members of AASEP, please login  (member login and password) to have full access to all the information and other websites links, in our database.

Click Here to go to AASEP's comprehensive overview of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). For numerous other links related to this topic, refer to the variety of topics below.

• ABA Resources for Recovery from Autism-Behavioral intervention (ABA) is a teaching method to help children with autism and related disorders develop to their maximum potential. Links to research, service providers, support groups, curriculum, and legal and special education information
• ABA approach to Autism-The Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies offers a section of their web site to educating parents and other interested persons about the ABA approach.
• Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and Autism: Much publicity has recently surrounded the Applied Behavior Analysis approach to the treatment of Autism. But what exactly is ABA? How do you know if an intervention program works? Read more...

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• Suggested modifications - For students with Autism Spectrum Disorders: strategies and general principles for planning interventions for students with Autism.
• Classrooms that work - There are as many educational techniques and settings that work for kids with PDD-NOS or atypical PDD as there are children with these diagnoses. There are some settings that have a marked record of success, however, and that parents would love to see replicated.
• Maladaptive behavior and PDD - Pervasive Developmental Disorders: Effective Teaching Strategies: various adaptations and treatment strategies used in classrooms to accommodate those with learning difficulties as a result of pervasive developmental disorders.
• Curriculum planning for an inclusive classroom - Many general educators believe that they need specialized strategies to teach students with disabilities.For most professionals using an inclusive pedagogy will simply involve expanding strategies and approaches already used in the classroom. While there is no recipe for expanding these strategies and approaches, a few simple guidelines can help educators plan lessons appropriate for the inclusive classroom.
• Classroom environment and educational programming-preschool: general modifications and accommodations when dealing with preschool children with Autism.
• Classroom environment and educational programming-middle and high school: general modifications and accommodations when dealing with middle and high school students with Autism.

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• Understanding autism in adults: Understanding autism can be very difficult, even for individuals with personal experience living with it as a part of them. These resources are designed to give you a deeper understanding of autism in adults.
• Transition to the world of work: first hand experience from a professor involved with students with Autism transitioning from school to the world of work.
• Choosing the right job:Jobs need to be chosen that make use of the strengths of people with autism or Asperger's syndrome. Both high and low functioning people have very poor short-term working memory, but they often have a better long-term memory than most normal people.
• A parent's support group: dedicated to raising awareness of services and supported living arrangements needed for the entire spectrum of adults with autism through developing and implementing educational programs
• Adults on the Autism Spectrum: Children grow to be adults and adults have different needs. There are many adults on the autism spectrum in our society and over the next few decades those numbers will grow substantially. Meeting the needs of those adults will determine how successful their lives are.
• Autism community resources by state: an excellent state by state listing of available community resources for adults with Autism.
• Adolescents and adults with Autism: a complete resource directory, advice and support phone contact, books and articles from The National Autistic Society.

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• Comprehensive list of advocacy sites: a list of over 75 state and national advocacy resources for children with autism and disabilities of other types.
• Articles on advocacy: Successful advocacy depends on having accurate information and knowing how to use it. There are four sections in the Advocacy Library:  Advocacy Articles: FAQs- Letters to Wrightslaw, Newsletter Archives, and Advocacy Tips
• Advocacy tips: general tips to follow in becoming your child with Autism's advocate.
• Autistic advocacy: a good review of topics and articles on Autism advocacy.
• Autism community-Dedicated to sharing ideas on alternative living arrangements for autistic people.
• Autism Network International-An autistic-run self-help and advocacy organization for autistic people.
• Autism Information-Provides information to parents, doctors, professionals, tutors, caregivers, and anyone interested in learning more about autism and autism spectrum disorders.
• Autism Community-Community for parents, caregivers and educators of people with autism.
• Autism support community: Support community for parents and families, news, photo-art gallery, information and interactive features.
• Autism Advocacy-Positive support and information regarding autism, pdd, asperger's and all disorders under the spectrum. Siblings, spouses, ABA and other therapies, IEPs, Beginner's Guide to Autism, message board and online club.
• Autism and self-advocacy-Developing self-advocacy for people living with Autism.
• Autism and families-A nonprofit organization dedicated to providing information and advice to families of More advanced individuals with Autism, Asperger's syndrome, and Pervasive developmental disorder (PDD).

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• Asperger's Disorder: throughout the life span- Diagnosis and multimodal treatment of Asperger's Disorder in different age groups.
• Asperger's Syndrome links- An informational page with links.
• Asperger's Syndrome, by: Lars Perner, Ph.D.-Brief introduction to this condition on the high functioning edge of the autistic spectrum and links to other resources.
• Asperger Syndrome Coalition of the U.S.-The Asperger Syndrome Coalition of the U.S. is a national nonprofit organization committed to providing the most up-to-date and comprehensive information on Asperger Syndrome and related conditions
• Asperger Syndrome Videos - Videos to help people who support individuals with Asperger Syndrome, on the high functioning end of the Autism spectrum
• A resource site for Asperger's Syndrome
• The Asperger Room-Contains information, news, message board and more from Ben a 22 year old UK male with Asperger's Syndrome.
• Families of Adults Afflicted with Asperger's Syndrome (FAAAS) -A support group that is aimed at the families of those afflicted with Asperger's Syndrome. Especially those whose relative has not been correctly diagnosed until they are well into adulthood.
• NINDS Asperger Syndrome Information Page-Asperger Syndrome information sheet compiled by NINDS, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
• Online Asperger Syndrome Information and Support -Includes research papers, support groups, clinicians, research projects, educational resources, message board/chatroom, and contributions from individuals and families.
• Asperger Syndrome- A resource for people with Asperger's, their families and professionals who work with them.
• What is Asperger Syndrome? - Asperger syndrome is an autism spectrum disorder, a group of conditions that include autism and other disorders with similar symptoms, such as problems with language and communication, and repetitive or restrictive patterns of thoughts and behavior. People with Asperger syndrome have autism-like problems in areas of social interaction and communication, but have normal intelligence and verbal skills.  Asperger syndrome is usually thought to be the mildest of the autism spectrum disorders.

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• Purpose and procedures: Considering the heterogeneity of characteristics associated with autism spectrum disorders, it is not surprising that questions often arise about how best to evaluate children with this diagnosis.
• Lists of tests: a very thorough list and explanation of tests used to assess children with Autism.
• Diagnostic and assessment instruments: The following instruments are used by educators, clinicians, and researchers to assess children suspected of, or previously diagnosed with, a pervasive developmental disorder.
• Lists of tests used in assessment: a list of tests often used to assess children with Autism
• Screening tests for autism:Screening tests for autism are often used if there is a heightened concern about possible autism, or as part of a general assessment of a child's development. Screening for autism is often done prior to a more specific in-depth assessment for autism.

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• Good overview:This article will discuss how various modes of technology (including technology designed as augmentative communication systems), can be used for children with autism
• Assistive technology and augmentative communication: selective links to assistive technology and augmentative communication resources for children withAutism and other disabilities.
• Autism, speech, and assistive technology:a first hand account of the trials and tribulations of an individual with Autism and assistive technology.
• Curriculum wide integration: The Center for Technology in Education (CTE), a partnership of Johns Hopkins University and the Maryland State Department, is developing a hybrid paradigm that involves infusing technology-based instructional and behavioral supports into existing curriculum activities to help promote gains in communication, social skills, academics, as well as to increase the children's overall involvement in classroom activities.
• High tech assistive technology strategies: There are two "high"-tech strategies which have proven very effective in focusing on various skill areas for children with autism: video taping and computers.
• Case study-literacy needs and assistive technology: the use of assistive technology with a young child who has literacy problems and also has Autism.
• Assistive technology sites: a thorough list of assistive technology sites
• Extensive site with over 250 assistive technology websites: this is a wonderful and comprehensive list of the various assistive technology sites.

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• Autism: What do I do? - This video is designed for parents of a child just diagnosed with autism who want a no nonsense, step-by-step roadmap for medically necessary autism treatment. This is the "how to" video to set up science-based treatment, presented in a clear and straightforward way.
• Embracing Play-Teaching Your Child with Autism - Teaches parents how to keep a child with autism engaged through what comes naturally to most children---play. Playing is the doorway for a parent and young child with autism to connect and communicate. And this video gives parents a way to open that doorway.
• Autism and the New Law - This video, hosted by Anthony Edwards (ER), is aimed at parents of and professionals who work with autistic children who need to know how the Advancement of Pediatric Autism Research Act, a subtitle of the Children's Health Act of 2000, will affect them.
• A partial list of audiotapes on Autism
• The Regional Autism Services Program - A cooperative activity of the Department of Education and  Child Health Specialty Clinic offers audio tapes on loan to interested persons who provide service to individuals with autism spectrum disorders.
• Extensive list - A very long list of audio and video tapes
• Selected list - A short but excellent choice of video tapes on all aspects of Autism
• Video and film documentaries
• Variety of subjects - A list of video tapes and DVD's on all aspects of the Autism Spectrum Disorder.

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• Autism discussion group-Autism Educators discussion group is open to practitioners involved in the education of children with ASD who share two perspectives: firstly, that the world-view of people with autism is one that deserves to be respected and valued; and secondly, that no single teaching approach or technique is appropriate for teaching most or all children with ASD. The aim is to exchange practical teaching ideas and experiences.
• Efficacy of Autism treatment- The Center provides information about autism to parents and professionals, and conducts research on the efficacy of various therapeutic interventions. Much of our research is in collaboration with the Autism Research Institute in San Diego, California.
• Teaching Social skills to children with Autism-Teaching Social Skills to children with autism This hands-on manual provides information on using ABA approaches, and social skill checklists to develop comprehensive and systematic strategies to teach social skills.
• Home-based child centered programs for Autism- The Autism Treatment Center of America? teaches parents and professionals caring for children and adults challenged by Autism, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD), and all other developmental difficulties how to design and implement home-based/child-centered programs enabling their children to dramatically improve in all areas of learning, development, communication and skill acquisition.

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• Facing Autism: Giving Parents Reasons for Hope and Guidance for Help - This is one mother's account of coping with her son's autism. Within two months of his diagnosis, Ryan began intensive Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and with his mother tackled other related issues, including immune deficiency, food intolerance, and obsessive-compulsive behaviors.
• Reports From My Life with Autism - A high-functioning autistic, Grandin presents linked articles on her life and her work as an animal scientist.
• Toilet Training for Individuals with Autism and Related Disorders
• Let Me Hear Your Voice: A Family’s Triumph Over Autism - A vivid and uplifting story of how a family pulled not one but two children out of the torments of autism--and into a normal life.
• A Medical Treatment Guide for Autism Spectrum Disorder - This book written by an experienced clinician that gives a step-by-step treatment guide for parents and doctors based on the understanding that ASD is a complex biomedical illness resulting in significant brain malnutrition.
• Unraveling the Mystery of Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorder: A Mother’s Story of Research and Recovery - Though the theory has not yet been proven, author Seroussi says, research now suggests that autism may be an autoimmune disorder triggered in rare cases by an infant's measles-mumps-rubella immunizations. Convinced that the inability to digest certain proteins was contributing to her son's condition and that his autism was related to his reaction to MMR vaccines, Seroussi eliminated suspect foods from his diet; he made such dramatic improvement that, by age four, he was functioning normally.
• Activity Schedules for Children with Autism: Teaching Independent Behavior - A thorough introduction to autism, covering diagnosis, assessments, history, prognosis, and methods of education.
• My Friend with Autism: A Coloring Books for Peers and Siblings - A coloring book to help peers and siblings understand autism and Asperger's Syndrome.
• Autism: What do I do? - This video is designed for parents of a child just diagnosed with autism who want a no nonsense, step-by-step roadmap for medically necessary autism treatment. This is the "how to" video to set up science-based treatment, presented in a clear and straightforward way.
• A Treasure Chest of Behavioral Strategies for Individuals with Autism - A resource manual that provides theory and the best practices in behavior management with individuals with autism. It is an easy reference for using behavioral interventions.
• Educating Children with Autism - Educating Children with Autism outlines an interdisciplinary approach to education for children with autism. The committee explores what makes education effective for the child with autism and identifies specific characteristics of programs that work.
• Overcoming Autism - Clinician Koegel (cofounder of the Autism Research Center at the University of California Santa Barbara) and novelist LaZebnik (Same As It Ever Was), mother of an autistic boy, team up "to show you how intelligent, well-planned early interventions... can improve the symptoms of autism enormously."
• Embracing Play-Teaching Your Child with Autism - Teaches parents how to keep a child with autism engaged through what comes naturally to most children---play. Playing is the doorway for a parent and young child with autism to connect and communicate. And this video gives parents a way to open that doorway.
• Enzymes for Autism and other Neurological Conditions - Enzyme therapy is one of the fastest emerging successful alternatives for people on the autism spectrum as well as other neurological conditions. Reports of significant improvements in health, pain reduction, language, food tolerance, socializing and other benefits emerge daily.
• Solving Behavior Problems in Autism - A practical approach to recognizing the complexity of behavior management for students with autism spectrum disorders and other students with communication and behavior challenges. Continuing the approach of supporting communication with visual strategies, this book contains many problem solving techniques.
• The Everything Parent’s Guide to Autism - Author Adelle Jameson, the mother of an autistic child and an active participant in the autism community, speaks directly to parents and explains exactly what they can expect after diagnosis, the range of treatments and therapies available, and where to go for advice—both medical and emotional.
• Autism and the New Law - This video, hosted by Anthony Edwards (ER), is aimed at parents of and professionals who work with autistic children who need to know how the Advancement of Pediatric Autism Research Act, a subtitle of the Children's Health Act of 2000, will affect them.
• Inclusive Programming for Elementary Students with Autism - This book discusses the benefits of inclusion, as well as offering exercises and programs that make inclusion comfortable for the child with autism, his teacher and fellow students.
• List from TEACCH Program - List of professional book resources on autism
• Non-fiction books - List of non-fiction books on autism, listed by title
  
• Non-fiction by topic - List of non-fiction books on autism, listed by topic links
  
• Fiction - List of fiction books relating to autism, listed by author
  
• Children’s autism books - List of children's books relating to autism, listed by author
• Autism resources-bibliography - An extensive list of books and articles on autism
  
• Journals and periodicals - List of journals and periodicals dedicated to autism
• Journals that often carry articles on autism - A list of journals that often carry articles on autism
  
• Selected articles - A list of selected choice articles on autism
• Diagnostic and assessment references - A list of references for diagnosing and assessing autism
  

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• Autism and PDD research at the Yale Child Study Center
• Want to know how to evaluate research studies? - A tract written to serve as a resource for parents of children recently diagnosed with autism.
  
• When Autism Strikes: Families Cope with Childhood Disintegrative Disorder - The children chronicled in this book share a common affliction. Born healthy and happy, they lose their minds to a mysterious disorder for which there is no known cause or cure. Fortunately the disorder is rare, but more children may be affected every day, on every continent.
• The World of the Autistic Child: Understanding and Treating Autistic Spectrum Disorders - This book is written for parents but should also be required reading for professional workers who see autistic children or adults, especially for its insights into parents' experiences of this strange, frustrating but fascinating condition.
• Helping Children with Autism Learn: Treatment Approaches for Parents and Professionals - This book will be of great interest to teachers, parents, and clinicians in their efforts to facilitate the learning of the child with autism. It draws on the large, and increasing, body of work generated in recent years.
• Autism and Childhood Psychosis - Autism and Childhood Psychosis is Frances Tustin first book and the original statement of her views on autistic states of mind and the genesis of varieties of childhood psychosis. In it, she tackles problems of diagnosis as these relate to therapeutic intervention.
• Psychophysiological Aspects of Autistic Disorders - The neurological, neurochemical, and neurotransmitter level differences as well as genetic influences associated with autism have been studied extensively in the last two decades. The varied findings from research offer hope for better understanding, effective treatment, and, perhaps, cure of this pervasive developmental disorder.
• Empirically Supported Comprehensive Treatments for Young Children with Autism - Given the high-intensity needs of children with autism and the lifelong costs, both human and financial, associated with this disability, there has been a continuing search for effective treatments for the various symptoms associated with autism.
• The Protective Shell in Children and Adults - We shall come to realize that the protective shell develops as the result of people with autism being in the compulsive grip of overintense 'flight' reactions -- 'fight' reactions not being part of the repertoire of these passive children.
• Emotional Development in Atypical Children - Without an understanding of emotional development in children with disabilities we are unlikely to either understand fully the causes of their difficulties or to ameliorate these difficulties.
• Parent Education for Autism: Issues in Providing Services at a Distance - Providing effective support services for families of children with autism is a growing area of concern. Individual and system-level risk factors that are associated with having autism could result in poor outcomes. Positive behavior interventions that address individual and family needs could potentially ameliorate these risk factors.
• A Profile of Gifted Individuals with Autism: The Twice-Exceptional Learner - With or without savant brilliance, high-functioning individuals with autism can demonstrate a range of gifts (i.e., intellectual, musical, artistic, and visual) similar to those displayed by learners who meet gifted criteria.  Increasingly, researchers are becoming aware that these high-functioning individuals with autism are also identified as gifted and talented.
• Meeting the Needs of Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders in the Early Years - Parents and early years professionals need to know that a child has an ASD because this enables them to suspend their normal intuitive understanding of behaviour and try to work out what that behaviour means for this particular child.
• Early Intervention for Children with Autism: Parental Priorities - It has been recognised for some time that early intervention for children with disabilities should not only focus on child outcomes but must also recognise the integral role families play in the development of their child
• Teaching Daily Living Skills to Children with Autism through Instructional Video Modeling - Research on video modeling has typically utilized either competent peer models or self-models engaging in criterion performances. Although both methods have demonstrated utility in achieving skill acquisition, each has potential disadvantages. The current research utilized a multiple probe design across tasks and replicated across participants in order to demonstrate the efficacy of an instructional video modeling technique to teach functional living skills to three children with autism.
• Beyond Sight Words: Literacy Opportunities for Students with Autism - A discussion of literacy opportunities for students with autism
• Music Therapy for the Autistic Child - Music therapy cannot cure such conditions as autism and mental handicap but it can alleviate the negative behaviours when the child is involved in interactive music-making with the therapist. So that the music therapist can meet the child on his or her own terms spontaneously, much of the music is improvised.
• A Passion to Believe: Autism and the Facilitated Communication Phenomenon - In this volume Dr. Twachtman-Cullen presents an in-depth analysis of facilitated communication (FC) in the context of the larger movement it represents. Understanding the essence of the controversies, Dr. Twachtman-Cullen continually reminds the reader of the most central issues. Her penetrating analysis of FC is reasonable, logical, and compelling.
• Using Relationship-Focused Intervention to Enhance the Social-Emotional Functioning of Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders - Relationship-focused (RF) intervention is a general approach to developmental intervention that encourages parents to use responsive interactive strategies (e.g., take one turn and wait; follow the child's lead) during routine interactions with their children.
• When Autism Strikes: Families Cope with Childhood Disintegrative Disorder - In his classic description of the autistic syndrome, Leo Kanner ( 1943) originally suggested that children with autism were born with the disorder. Subsequent research has modified this impression. It is clear that most children with autism do exhibit problems in the first year or year and a half of life, but a small group of children develop autism, or something very similar to it, after what appears to be 1 or even 2 years of normal development.
• Genetic Studies of Autism: From the 1970s into the Millennium - The replicated evidence from both twin and family studies undertaken in the 1970s and 1980s indicated both strong genetic influences and the likelihood that they applied to a phenotype that was much broader than the traditional diagnostic category of autism. Medical and chromosomal findings also indicated genetic heterogeneity. Advances in molecular genetics led to genome-wide scans of affected relative pair samples with a positive log of the odds to base 10 score for a location on chromosome 7. The major remaining research challenges and the likely clinical benefits that should derive from genetic research are considered in relation to both current knowledge and that anticipated to emerge from research over the next decade.
• Does DSM-IV Asperger's Disorder Exist? - Much controversy exists regarding the definition of Asperger's syndrome or disorder, both in clinical practice and in research studies. Further, there is not yet agreement that Asperger's disorder is indeed separate and distinct from high-functioning autism. This paper provides an historical review of the origin and evolution of Asperger's syndrome, and a study attempts to investigate the validity of Asperger's disorder as defined by DSM-IV.
• Asperger Syndrome: The Emerging Challenge to Special Education, in Exceptional Children - Nine-page article addressing the need and for a focus on Asperger Syndrome in the special education arena.
  
• Advanced Abnormal Child Psychology (Chap. 17 "Pervasive Developmental Disorders: The Spectrum of Autism") - This chapter of an established textbook on abnormal child psychology provides an in-depth overview of autism.  See Chapter 17.
  
• Teaching Children with Autism through Task Variation in Physical Education, in Exceptional Children - Many researchers have compared the influence of constant practice and distributed practice methods on students' acquisition of motor skills. In constant practice, only one experimental task or activity is presented per session.  Distributed practice typically includes rest pauses or alternate skills learning between practice trials. Physical educators and coaches have successfully used both forms of learning with students without disabilities.  This article discusses the the applications to autistic children.
• Teaching Children with Autism Conversational Speech Using a Cue Card/Written Script Program - This study assessed the efficacy of a written script/cue card program to teach verbal, literate, children with autism conversational speech skills.
• Verifying Teacher Perceptions of the Potential Communicative Acts of Children with Autism - These children may have limited speech and lack other formal or conventional means of communication, but some of them do appear to acquire informal and idiosyncratic behaviors that are used to communicate basic regulatory functions such as requesting and rejecting. Their informal prelinguistic acts might consist of facial expressions, body movements, and idiosyncratic gestures.
• Computer-Presented Video Models to Teach Generative Spelling to a Child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder - Examines the use of computer video models and video rewards to teach generative spelling to a child with an autism spectrum disorder.
• Teaching Social Interaction Skills in the Integrated Preschool: An Examination of Naturalistic Tactics - A variety of interventions have been developed to improve the social and communication skills of young children with autism.
• Using Video Modeling to Teach Complex Play Sequences to a Preschooler with Autism - The identification of efficient teaching procedures to address deficits in imaginative play skills, which are commonly seen in children with autism, is a challenge for professionals who are designing treatment programs. In the present study, video modeling was used to teach play skills to a preschool child with autism.
• The Effects of Trainer-Implemented Enhanced Milieu Teaching on the Social Communication of Children with Autism - It is clear that for language intervention to be effective with children who have autism, it is important that (a) the intervention begins early; (b) the intervention targets the social use of language, not just the content of language; and (c) the intensity and duration of the intervention are sufficient to support the acquisition and generalized use of new skills.
• Effects of Videotape Instructional Packaging on Purchasing Skills of Children with Autism - In this research, students were trained to make simple purchases and to produce social responses at a school cafeteria and at a convenience store. Generalization probes were conducted in the community settings. For each subject, training in only one setting failed to produce generalization to three community probe stores. Later, generalization training (videotape modeling and answering questions) was introduced and resulted in generalization to the three community stores for all subjects. Purchasing skills were maintained over a 2-week period.

• General article including causes: It has been over 50 years since Dr. Leo Kanner, a psychiatrist at Johns Hopkins University, wrote the first paper applying the term 'autism' to a group of children who were self-absorbed and who had severe social, communication, and behavioral problems. This paper provides a general overview of the complexity of this developmental disability by summarizing many of the major topics in autism.
• Excellent overview of various theories of autism: Some experts believe there are bio-chemical reasons for autism; others suspect that it is a psychiatric disorder. Some believe that a combination of the wrong foods and too many antibiotics and environmental toxins can damage the colon and lead to physical and behavioral problems, including autism.
• General article including causes from the National Institute of Mental Health: All these disorders are characterized by varying degrees of impairment in communication skills, social interactions, and restricted, repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior.
• Search for autism’s roots: A marked rise in the number of people diagnosed with autism sparked controversy over the safety of certain vaccines. As the furore dies down, Kathleen Wong talks to researchers seeking the real causes of this unsettling condition.
• Excellent overview: everything you ever wanted to know about Autism.
• Genetics and autism: The first thing Dr. Cook wanted to clarify about genetics is that, finding genetic evidence of autism does not mean that that person's fate is sealed.
• Theories and causes: There is no theory of the cause of autism which everyone has found convincing. There may be multiple causes. Thus we will review some of the proposed causes.

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• General article including characteristics: Many autistic infants are different from birth. Two common characteristics they may exhibit include arching their back away from their caregiver to avoid physical contact and failing to anticipate being picked up (i.e., becoming limp). Read more.
• Common characteristics: The symptoms and characteristics of autism can present themselves in a wide variety of combinations, from mild to severe. Although autism is defined by a certain set of behaviors, children and adults can exhibit any combination of the behaviors in any degree of severity.
• Excellent overview: contains an excellent section on characteristics of Autism.
• Characteristic behaviors: a lengthy list oif characteristics of Autism

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• Childhood disintegrative disorder-Overview - Childhood disintegrative disorder is a condition occurring in 3- and 4-year-olds who have developed normally to age 2. Over several months, a child with this disorder will deteriorate in intellectual, social, and language functioning from previously normal behavior.  
• Criteria and clinical features - This rather rare condition was described many years before autism (Heller, 1908) but has only recently been 'officially' recognized. With CDD children develop a condition which resembles autism but only after a relatively prolonged period (usually 2 to 4 years) of clearly normal development
• Overview - A very thorough overview of childhood disintegrative disorder.
• Symptoms - Although apparently rare the condition probably has frequently been incorrectly diagnosed.
• The DSM diagnostic criteria for CDD - the criteria from The Diagnostic and Statitistical Manual on the diagnosis of childhood disintegrative disorder.
• Contrast DSM D with the other PDD disorders - Doctors are divided on the use of the term PDD. Many professionals use the term PDD as a short way of saying PDDNOS. Some doctors, however, are hesitant to diagnose very young children with a specific type of PDD, such as Autistic Disorder, and therefore only use the general category label of PDD. This approach contributes to the confusion about the term.

• Autism Organizations: Given the CDD is one of the disorders along the autism spectrum, with symptoms quite similar to autism itself, you may also find useful information, assistance, and connection to local resources at any or all of the autism-related organizations.

• Educating students with Autism: As was said above, it's very difficult to locate information specific to CDD, let alone material about educating students with this rare disorder. Since CDD is one of the disorders along the autism spectrum, with symptoms quite similar to autism itself, appropriate educational interventions will be those similar to what's used when educating students with autism.

• Is there more than one type? : Several related disorders are grouped under the broad heading "Pervasive Developmental Disorders" or PDD
• Types: Individuals who fall under the Pervasive Developmental Disorder category in the DSM-IV exhibit commonalties in communication and social deficits, but differ in terms of severity.
• Pervasive developmental disorder: The diagnostic category pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) refers to a group of disorders characterized by delays in the development of multiple basic functions including socialization and communication.
• Excellent overview: Several related disorders are grouped under the broad heading "Pervasive Developmental Disorder" or PDD-a general category of disorders which are characterized by severe and pervasive impairment in several areas of development
• Overview of Asperger’s Syndrome: Asperger Syndrome is a neuro-biological disorder named for a Viennese physician, Hans Asperger, who in 1944 published a paper which described a pattern of behaviors in several young boys who had normal intelligence and language development, but who also exhibited autistic-like behaviors and marked deficiencies in social and communication skills.
• Autistic savant: The autistic savant is one of the most fascinating cognitive phenomena in psychology. "Autistic savant" refers to individuals with autism who have extraordinary skills not exhibited by most persons.
• Autism and Aspergers- Index of online information and resources on autism and asperger's symdrome. In addition to the list of links, the site has a FAQ memo and a bibliography.
• Autism Spectrum Disorders-Full article on the full spectrum of autistic disorders, and how to sort them out.

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• Treatment and education: While there is no cure for autism, there are treatment and education approaches that may reduce some of the challenges associated with the disability. Intervention may help to lessen disruptive behaviors, and education can teach self-help skills that allow for greater independence.
• Effective approaches: Evidence shows that early intervention results in dramatically positive outcomes for young children with autism. While various pre-school models emphasize different program components, all share an emphasis on early, appropriate, and intensive educational interventions for young children.
• Lovaas Institute: The UCLA Model of Applied Behavior Analysis was created and developed in the Psychology Department of UCLA under the direction of Dr. O. Ivar Lovaas. It is based on extensive clinical experience and more than 40 years of scientific research.Institute for Applied Behavior Analysis- ABA
• All about TEACCH
• Educational methods: There are a number of methods & techniques used in the education of autistic children. Many professionals use a variety of combination of methods. Some professionals attempt to identify an individual student's learning style and modify curriculum and materials to suit the student's learning style.
• Recommendations for students with high functioning autism: 19 great and fully explained strategies for working with children with Autism.
• Learning styles: Parents and professionals are well aware of the difficulties children with autism have in many educational settings. In response they have developed alternative programs and intervention strategies. Although some of these have been useful, most emphasize remediating behavioral difficulties to improve educational functioning. Another aspect of the problem, however, has received less attention: the specific learning needs of this unique population
• Guidelines for mainstreaming: With the momentum for (mainstream) inclusion of children with special educational needs and the growing realisation that it may not always be in the best interests of children with autism or Asperger syndrome to be grouped together in classes, it is likely that many children at the higher functioning and more verbal end of the continuum of need, who might previously have attended specialist schools, will now be educated in their local, mainstream schools.
• Social behavior: One of the most characteristic symptoms of autism is a dysfunction in social behavior. Numerous reports written by parents and researchers have described this problem, and it is thought by many to be the key defining feature of autism. The social problems can be classified into three categories: socially avoidant, socially indifferent, and socially awkward.
• Stimulus over selectivity: Stimulus overselectivity is a term used to describe a phenomenon whereby a person focuses on only one aspect of an object or environment while ignoring other aspects. Many autistic individuals appear to have this 'tunnel vision.' This phenomenon was first described in 1971 by Lovaas, Schreibman, Koegel and Rehm at U.C.L.A.
• Attention and behavior problems: One reason why some autistic individuals engage in behavior problems is to obtain attention. That is, they may have learned that by ‘acting up,’ they will receive some form of attention (i.e., reinforcement). Even though the attention given to them may be negative, such as a caretaker saying ‘Stop that,’ the child may still interpret the interaction as positive.
• Music therapy and language: Since autistic children sometimes sing when they may not speak, music therapists and music educators can work systematically on speech through vocal music activities.
• Sensory integration: Children and adults with autism, as well as those with other developmental disabilities, may have a dysfunctional sensory system. Sometimes one or more senses are either over- or under-reactive to stimulation.
• Teaching tips: Good professionals helped me to achieve success. I was able to overcome autism because I had good professionals. At age 2 1/2 I was placed in a structured nursery school with experienced professionals. From an early age I was taught to have good manners and to behave at the dinner table. Children with autism need to have a structured day, and professionals who know how to be firm but gentle. QA first person account.
• TEACCH and Autism-Frequently asked questions about autism from TEACCH.
• Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and verbal behavior: ABA generally assumes that appropriate behavior – including speech, academics and life skills – can be taught using scientific principles. ABA assumes that children are more likely to repeat behaviors or responses that are rewarded (or "reinforced"), and they are less likely to continue behaviors that are not rewarded.
• Introduction to discrete trial: The discrete trial is the primary teaching method for a number of the behaviorally-based interventions used in teaching children with autism. In fact, Discrete Trial Training (DTT) is often synonymous with Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), though that is a practice that should probably be discouraged, as they are two very different beasts.
• Complimentary approaches to the treatment of Autism: While early educational intervention is key to improving the lives of individuals with autism, some parents and professionals believe that other treatment approaches may play an important role in improving communications skills and reducing behavioral symptoms associated with autism. These complementary therapies may include music, art or animal therapy and may be done on an individual basis or integrated into an educational program.
• Behavioral and communication approaches to the treatment of Autism: The behaviors exhibited by children with autism are frequently the most troubling to parents and caregivers. These behaviors may be inappropriate, repetitive, aggressive and/or dangerous, and may include hand-flapping, finger-snapping, rocking, placing objects in one's mouth, and head-banging. Children with autism may engage in self-mutilation, such as eye-gouging or biting their arms; may show little or no sensitivity to burns or bruises; and may physically attack someone without provocation.

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