Educator's Guide to Autism Spectrum Disorder: Interventions and Treatments

Identify the best interventions to fit the unique needs of each learner with autism

Whatever your role―general or special education teacher, school counselor, therapist, behavior analyst, administrator―you undoubtedly interact with learners with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and are committed to helping them succeed and thrive.

This easy-to-use accessible guide summarizes more than 75 interventions and rates each based on the most recent evidence of effectiveness and safety.

Features include:

• A summary of interventions and treatments from a comprehensive variety of domains organized into 11 categories, including behavioral interventions, visual supports, social and emotional skills training, and physiological interventions, as well as interventions that have the potential for causing harm
• An evidence-based five-point scale that clearly rates each intervention’s effectiveness for specific learners
• Guidance for working with colleagues and families to choose and implement the most promising treatments

Written by educators with decades of experience and expertise in a variety of settings, many of whom are also Board Certified Behavior Analysts, this comprehensive guide is an indispensable resource for all those who serve students with ASD.

Sonja R. de Boer is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst-Doctoral (BCBA-D) and obtained her Ph.D. in special education and psychology and research in education at the University of Kansas, with an emphasis on early intervention for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Richard Simpson was her advisor through her doctorate program. She has approximately 30 years of experience working in early childhood special education, early intervention services, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), with students with disabilities, and specifically children with ASD. For children with ASD, she has designed and supervised in-home intervention programs (ages 0-10), preschool programs (ages 3-6; both intensive ABA and inclusive preschools), as well as elementary school educational and behavioral programs (ages 5-12).