Learners on the Autism Spectrum: Preparing Educators and Related Practitioners

This third edition is a foundational text that has been updated and expanded to prepare educators, therapists, and other care providers with vital knowledge and practical skills to support diverse learners on the autism spectrum. Covering an expanse of fundamental topics, this edited volume features new directions in research and practice that are essential to understanding the ever-changing field of autism. Along with new chapters from leading experts (including those who identify as autistic), this revision places greater emphasis on the intersection of neurodevelopmental differences with ethnicity, race, culture, language, gender expression, and socioeconomic experiences. The diverse disciplines and perspectives presented provide a foundation on how these students learn and how best to provide them with effective teaching, therapy, and social supports. This book equips readers with knowledge and skill to competently apply reflective and humanistic practices that prioritize the preferences, strengths, and values of autistic learners from all walks of life.

Pamela Wolfberg, Ph.D., is professor emerita at San Francisco State University where she coordinated autism spectrum studies and served on faculty in special education with the joint doctoral program at the University of California, Berkeley. Having originated the Integrated Play Groups model and founded the Autism Collective for Peer Socialization, Play and Imagination, she has an active international agenda leading research, training, and global outreach to advance social inclusion, play, and creative expression as fundamental human rights.

Kari Dunn Buron, MS, worked with autistic students in K-12 special education for over 30 years. She created an autism certificate program for educators at Hamline University in St. Paul, MN. Kari received her MS degree in behavior disorders and learning disorders from Illinois State University, where she was recently inducted into the Education Department Hall of Fame. Kari was one of the founding members of the MN Autism Network, a statewide group of educators, and is a past president of the Autism Society of Minnesota.