Autism is a spectrum disorder characterized, in part, by core social communication skill deficits. Consequently, educators seek to develop interventions that address these and closely related skills, such as literacy. Accordingly, this article focuses on basic issues that pertain to designing and implementing appropriate educational programs that address the literacy needs of one segment of the autism spectrum: individuals with the disorder who have been characterized as being low functioning. Issues include the following: appropriate definitions of literacy for this population, historical approaches to this population's literacy instruction, opportunities for literacy skill development within an instructional program based on recommended evidence-based practices, and ongoing impediments to appropriate literacy instruction and practical solutions.