Young students with ASD have instructional needs in social, communication, and learning skills that should be reflected in their Individualized Education Program (IEP). Research suggests that many of these goal areas present a challenge for special educators because of problems with measurability. The current study utilized an idiographic approach…

The heterogeneity of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) makes it difficult for school-based professionals to develop effective Individual Education Plans (IEP) for this group. Limited research exists on the quality of IEP programs for individuals with ASD. This article summarizes the results of a retrospective chart review from an outpatient…

The educational services available for fully included middle schoolers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the general education setting are not well known. Even less is known about how the executive functioning (EF) deficits of such youth are addressed in the classroom. The current study sought to identify the challenges, including EF, that…

Teaching mathematics to children with autism is an area with limited research evidence. In this study we developed a teaching manual based on Maths Recovery, a numeracy programme designed for typically developing children. Six children with autism participated in the study and received daily numeracy teaching over a 20-week period. Our aims were…

An Individualized Education Plan (IEP) is a multi-disciplinary, team-developed plan that is required for a child receiving special education services. IEPs are tools for setting objectives that are responsive to students with special needs. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) is a hierarchical…

Children with autism spectrum disorder demonstrate challenges in socialization that can interfere with their participation in common childhood activities and can persist or worsen if not addressed. The purpose of this study was to assess whether individualized education program (IEP) social goals could be targeted by a supervised paraprofessional…

In recent years, many psycho-educational technologies were studied to address the school-related difficulties encountered by students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, most of them remain individual-centered and do not consider the social environment. To fill this gap, this study reports on the user-centered design of a web-based…

Although expected to be equal partners in the special education process, parents of children with disabilities often struggle to participate in individualized education program (IEP) meetings. Specifically, Latino parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face systemic barriers occluding their participation and advocacy in IEP…

Background/Context: Federal laws require equitable access to education for students with disabilities through educational placement in the least restrictive environment (LRE). However, research has determined students with significant support needs (SSN) are overrepresented in segregated educational placements. Focus of Study: This study explores…

Background: Researchers acknowledge the importance of understanding how families of children with autism cope. Yet, little is known about the experiences of older parents of adults with autism. Materials and Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted with 16 older parents of adults with autism. Narrative analysis was used to gain insights into…

Students with autism and intellectual disabilities experience many transitions during their schooling, and a large body of literature is devoted to best practices in transition planning and support. The Taxonomy for Transition Programming 2.0 is a research-based model that provides best practice suggestions to guide the planning of various…

This study utilized hierarchical linear modeling analysis of a 10-year extant dataset from Rehabilitation Services Administration to investigate significant predictors of employment outcomes for vocational rehabilitation (VR) clients with autism. Predictor variables were gender, ethnicity, attained education level, IEP status in high school,…

The present study investigated parents' experiences in making educational decisions for their children with autism and their satisfaction with said outcomes. Parents completed a survey describing (a) their input in educational decisions, (b) satisfaction with school personnel, and (c) satisfaction with their child's school experience. Sequential…

Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are increasingly being educated in mainstream classroom environments. Commonly students commence their education in a segregated setting, transitioning to mainstream education after a process of skills development. For each student, transition is a unique and complex process. In NSW Australia, Autism…

Many speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are underprepared to serve children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), despite a growing need and increased expectation for ASD expertise. To understand this practice gap, 60 SLPs and 26 parents of children with ASDs were surveyed regarding SLP knowledge and competency. Of concern was that only about…