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This initial study used an equivalent-groups design to evaluate differences in story comprehension scores between children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their neurotypical (NT) peers using paper and iPad® storybooks. Fifteen children with ASD of ages 4–6 and 15 NT peers matched for receptive vocabulary age and gender met inclusion criteria. Across two individualized testing sessions, participants answered language abstraction questions about three formats of Pete the Cat stories (paper, iPad adult read, and iPad with the read-to-me feature activated) during shared storybook reading. When examining the entire group of participants, all children performed better with either type of iPad storybook compared to the paper book. The current study indicates storybooks on the iPad function in similar ways for NT children and children with ASD. Further, this research shows promise for using the iPad with young children during shared storybook reading. Directions for future research and implications for special education personnel are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction to the journal is presented that focuses on issues related to learning disabilities, including participation of people with learning disabilities in end-of-life care research, attitudes of support workers towards the affective and sexual lives of people with intellectual disabilities, and challenges concerning attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder that is often misdiagnosed in people with learning disabilities.

This research used an alternating treatment design to investigate the relative effectiveness of participant specific social stories delivered using two distinct formats (i.e., technology-based, paper/book), on increasing the frequency of initiations and responses of two adolescents with ASD. Visual analysis of baseline, intervention, maintenance, and generalization data results indicated the intervention increased the frequency of initiations and on-topic responses regardless of delivery format; however, calculation of Percentage of Nonoverlapping Pairs and TAU-U for both formats indicated variable levels of effectiveness for each condition, with ranges of 43-86% and 0.02381-0.76190 respectively. Finally, despite varied results, both participants preferred the technology-based social story format and parents of both participants agreed the social story intervention increased communicative skills.

This paper used Social Security Administration program data from 2005 to 2019 to examine national- and state-level changes in the number of new adult supplemental security income (SSI) awardees on the autism spectrum relative to awardees with intellectual disability and other mental health disorders. We identified three main findings: the number of autistic awards increased between 2005 and 2019 when awards for all other mental health disorders declined; roughly nine out of every 10 autistic adult awardees were between ages 18-25 years; there was variation in the growth of autistic awards across states. These findings support the need to consider geographic and age differences in SSI program participation among autistic adults and determine the underlying causes.

To present interdisciplinary teams (IDTs) as foundational to effective assessment for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This conceptual paper encourages IDTs by (a) presenting practice guidelines and research supporting effective IDTs; (b) describing vital team characteristics; (c) introducing a new model of teaming practices with a clinical case example; and (d) discussing IDT implementation barriers and recommendations specific to professionals supporting students with ASD. IDT members (e.g., school psychologists, teachers, behavior analysts, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists) should use assessment results to navigate goal-setting and intervention planning allowing students with ASD to benefit from several therapeutic and educational approaches. Skilled professionals support a student's educational trajectory, increasing the likelihood of meeting developmental and academic milestones, and, ultimately leading to better life opportunities.

School psychologists familiar with the autism evaluation process have an awareness of the complexity of this school-based process. This paper provides school clinicians with an introduction to a visual framework and descriptive language to think and talk about the complex students they evaluate in positive, nuanced, and accessible terms. This framework shifts the way in which school psychologists describe students during the autism assessment process away from the reductive language of deficits to the expansive language of describing individualized patterns of strengths and differences. The shift away from labeling behavioral deficits to describing patterns of behavioral differences leads to a positive narrative and creative ways to develop supports and interventions for students across age and ability levels. The use of this strength-based language supports parents, teachers, and students in their development of an individualized understanding of the diagnosis, promoting resiliency in the individual and in their support systems. Readers are provided with a student sample case to show how using this visual framework provides a way to describe individual students using a behavioral profile of strengths and differences, linking those profiles to positive behavior supports.

The intersection of children identified with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and children within the foster care system who have experienced trauma can complicate timely assessment and eligibility for special education services, creating health disparities for this group of students. As students with ASD are over three times more likely to be involved in the foster care system than typically developing peers, school psychologists must be equipped to assess for ASD in this population. The complex clinical presentation of students with ASD within foster care contributes to delays in identification and access to special education services. In particular, schools may struggle to disentangle the symptoms of ASD from the consequences of trauma exposure that often accompanies foster care placement. This paper reviews the relation between students in foster care and those with ASD, outlines the similarities and differences in developmental profiles of these students, and provides recommendations for school practitioners associated with assessment practices, prevention strategies to reduce the risk of trauma subsequent foster care placement for students with ASD, as well as needed advocacy efforts and future research.

Limited interventions exist that support student's school participation. This paper describes a theoretical model of school participation and the iterative process that led to the development of an intervention that aims to improve the school participation of students on the autism spectrum and their typically developing peers. Literature on autism, school participation and intervention research were integrated to develop a theoretical model. Focus groups, a Delphi study, online surveys, and reference group consultation helped to develop and refine the intervention. A novel school-based intervention was developed. The impetus to develop interventions with a strong theoretical rationale is discussed.

Providing high-quality services to autistic students and their caregivers requires interprofessional collaboration. This paper highlights the importance of collaboration between clinical and school settings to promote integrated and comprehensive care for autistic students and their caregivers. First, we present how autistic students are identified and diagnosed in school and clinical settings, with particular attention to how these processes impact access to services. Next, we present interprofessional collaborative practice (IPC) as a framework to facilitate increased collaboration between school and clinical providers working with autistic students. Key tenets of IPC that address barriers to collaboration and several examples of IPC are outlined. To assure readiness to engage in collaborative practice, we discuss graduate interprofessional education (IPE) as a means to train emerging professionals in IPC for autistic students. Finally, we highlight several examples of IPE training programs specific to autism and related developmental disabilities.

Adaptive behavior skills are often delayed in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and these behaviors are significantly associated with poor outcomes in adulthood, especially for autistic individuals that have no cognitive and/or language delays. Therefore, despite having the capacity to be self-sufficient, the vast majority of autistic adults fail to obtain successful levels of employment, independent living, and interpersonal relationships. Given that more than 60% of autistic individuals have intact cognition and language, adaptive behavior skills need to be appropriately assessed as part of the diagnostic process of ASD, and profiles of delays and deficits need to be accommodated throughout development. This paper provides guidelines for conducting adaptive behavior assessments as part of a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation for ASD, which is now considered standard practice. The history and definition of the construct of adaptive behavior are discussed, and considerations for the administration of various measures, interpretation of results, and translation of findings into intervention strategies are provided.

In public schools, Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) students are overidentified with autism (AU) but are underrepresented in other special education categories. Such patterns may be result, in part, from overaggregation of data from students representing diverse AAPI ethnic groups. Yet, professionals' implicit biases, limited cultural responsivity in evaluation and research, and structural and systemic racism also likely contribute to the pervasive AU disproportionality in school-based identification. To improve accuracy of AU identification and appropriateness of school services and programming, the current paper aims to enhance school psychologists' (SPs') awareness and knowledge about AAPI cultures and to improve their efforts in conducting culturally responsive evaluation with AAPI students suspected of AU. An overview of historical and current anti-AAPI issues and AAPI cultural perceptions of AU are provided. Then, through the lens of sociocultural theory and using a framework of cultural humility, specific suggestions for culturally responsive autism assessment approaches are offered for SPs working with AAPI students and their families.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is often linked with difficulties in triadic interaction or joint attention. This paper investigated the communicative competencies that children with ASD might have in these skills. We report findings from a pilot case study that focused on a school-aged child with ASD who interacted with his adult co-participants in various technology-enhanced contexts. The primary data consisted of video recordings that were analysed utilising mixed methods. Focusing on behaviours that were realised via the use of eye-gaze, we wanted to discover whether they would differ according to context. The results of this study show that the use of eye-gaze differed in the contexts studied. The communicative competence was revealed when the child's behaviours were not investigated in isolation but rather in relation to the context of their occurrence. This paper discusses the implications of the described context-situated view of competence and suggests widening the approaches of studies of ASD.

This paper reviews characteristics of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), possible causes of ASD, current demographic information, the effects on the individual with ASD and the family, as well as diversity and multicultural issues related to autism. Additionally, the paper provides pertinent information about students with ASD for both general education and special education teachers including a review of special education laws, pedagogical strategies, the individual education plan (IEP), the use of behavior plans, accommodations and modifications appropriate for students on the autism spectrum, assistive technology, and professional development.

Equipping students with ASD for a good life after high school is the overarching goal of secondary special education services and supports. In this paper, we review important elements of effective transition education for adolescents with ASD. First,we review recent findings related to the post-school employment, education, and independent living outcomes of young adults with ASD. Next, we describe a framework for addressing three important aspects of secondary schooling: rigor, relevance, and relationships. At present, an emphasis on promoting rigor, relevance, and relationships offers a promising approach for addressing the multifaceted needs of youth and young adults with ASD. Rigor, relevance, and relationships should not be viewed as distinct or competing priorities, but as essential, inseparable elements of comprehensive transition education for students with ASD. We conclude with research and policy recommendations for improving the impact of transition service delivery for students with ASD. [This paper was published in "Remedial and Special Education," (EJ1021027).]

Being a family carer can be rewarding but can also lead to mental and physical exhaustion as well as feelings of social exclusion and isolation. Research has shown that the use of the Internet and online forums can provide an immediate place to find information and reassurance and that forum use can be an empathetic place to share experiences and seek emotional support. This article details a systematic literature search of research on carers of people with intellectual disabilities and/or autism using the Internet. A thematic synthesis of the resulting papers identified that online forums give carers a sense of agency by providing a place to go for informational support that may not be elsewhere. Carers also enjoyed the safe community of solidarity and emotional support that online forums provide. An important finding is the lack of published papers in this area with the inclusion of just eight papers.

Autism is associated with a range of costs. This paper reviews the literature on estimating the economic costs of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). More or less 50 papers covering multiple countries (US, UK, Australia, Canada, Sweden, the Netherlands, etc.) were analysed. Six types of costs are discussed in depth: (i) medical and healthcare service costs, (ii) therapeutic costs, (iii) (special) education costs, (iv) costs of production loss for adults with ASD, (v) costs of informal care and lost productivity for family/caregivers, and (vi) costs of accommodation, respite care, and out-of-pocket expenses. A general finding is that individuals with ASD and families with children with ASD have higher costs. Education costs appear to be a major cost component for parents with children with ASD.

This paper outlines, through a transnational discourse between partners in Egypt and the UK, an overview of the literature on the definition and features of autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) with associated learning needs and health conditions as applied to children and young people in Egypt. As a low- to middle-income country, Egypt has a poor and underdeveloped health, education and social service to support children with ASD and very little research has investigated this phenomenon. This paper adds to the discussion through the shared knowledge and practice in the educational curriculum of children with ASD in Egypt.

We examined the role of social motivation and motor execution factors in object-directed imitation difficulties in autism spectrum disorder. A series of to-be-imitated actions was presented to 35 children with autism spectrum disorder and 20 typically developing children on an Apple® iPad® by a "socially responsive" or "aloof" model, under conditions of "low" and "high motor demand." There were no differences in imitation performance (i.e. the number of actions reproduced within a fixed sequence), for either group, in response to a model who acted socially responsive or aloof. Children with autism spectrum disorder imitated the high motor demand task more poorly than the low motor demand task, while imitation performance for typically developing children was equivalent across the low and high motor demand conditions. Furthermore, imitative performance in the autism spectrum disorder group was unrelated to social reciprocity, though positively associated with fine motor coordination. These results suggest that difficulties in object-directed imitation in autism spectrum disorder are the result of motor execution difficulties, not reduced social motivation. [This paper was presented at the 2016 International Meeting for Autism Research.]

This paper engages with the medically established view that individuals with autism are not capable of play or being imaginative. This paper resists this idea by reflecting on psychobiographical research conducted on the life of Temple Grandin. By re-witnessing creative experiences in her life, dialogue surrounding the imaginative capacities of individuals with autism is initiated. Through this dialogue the authors examine the relationship between research and practice and how this may be relevant to individuals with autism spectrum disorder participating in applied theatre.

Non-autistic people is frequently described as best positioned to provide support to autistic people. But what could autistic peer support, where the support actor is another person with autism, mean? The aim of this paper is to explore different meanings of development and peer support at an autistic-only work place in Sweden. The analyses in this paper is based on data from a field work among a group of autistic self-advocates in Sweden. The group is working together in a three-year autist led project aiming at supporting young adults with autism with life strategies and with peer-to-peer mentoring as well as educating employers about autistic abilities. In the group ideas of an alternative autistic development to be nurtured and supported by autistic peer support is brought forward. Support to autistic people has to be based on understandings on autistic functionality and ways of developing and learning. This includes support in executive function, formulating goals and future aspirations, support in to get to know your abilities, embrace and cherish your strengths and interests, and get to know your difficulties including strategies to manage them, without reinforcing a sense of failure.

A shift in paradigm for pre-professional training as suggested in this paper focuses on the practica experience component. General Physical Education (GPE) has been recognized as a direct service; professionals in physical education (PE) and Adapted Physical Education (APE) must deliver instruction and services to students with and without disabilities in the least restrictive educational environments. These environments are often shared with professionals from other "related service areas," such as physical and occupational therapy, music therapy, and therapeutic recreation. In pre-professional preparation programs, most PE and APE students are trained to deliver direct service. Rarely are they trained alongside pre-professionals from related service professions. General pre-professional training on collaborative educational and related service delivery needs to be emphasized, especially when a lecture/lab format is implemented. Lecture/lab formats include a dedicated practica experience recognized as motor clinics. Instructional training of pre-professionals to deliver coordinated service during practica prior to real-world teaching environments will greatly enhance student preparation and program outcomes. The traditional model for many of the undergraduate- and graduate-level pre-professional training programs in GPE/APE follows the paradigm of lecture and practica experiences. But a shift to more collaborative training is needed. The paradigm shift recommended in this paper is centered around APE and GPE pre-professionals experiencing hands-on training opportunities for students with disabilities using an interdisciplinary approach during practica experience.