Abstract

Early intervention is now accepted as essential in helping children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) to cope with the future demands of daily living, education and long-term independence. Choosing the most suitable intervention strategy is difficult because there are a large number of theories, including TEACCH, Floor-time and ABA, and each child with autism presents differently. In this book, the authors argue that theory must be combined with data in order for it to be used effectively in developmental intervention. Aimed at professionals, as well as parents who want to be more involved in their child's development, the authors explain how to write basic developmental goals, how to collect data and analyse it and how to use the results of analysis to inform the next round of intervention decisions.

A useful CD ROM provides a shortcut to setting up forms and guidance in their completion.

Jill Fain Lehman has been a researcher in the cognitive and computer sciences for twenty years. As a Senior Research Scientist at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA, she has authored more than forty publications. She is the owner of KidAccess, Inc., a company dedicated to using cognitive science to support cognitively impaired children. Dr Lehman is also the mother of a child with ASD. Rebecca Klaw has worked for more than twenty years with exceptional children. She currently serves as a consultant to families with children with autism, as a teacher to professionals on issues related to ASD, and as the clinical supervisor for the Center for Autism at Pressley Ridge Schools in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
This book contains a comprehensive guide to gathering data and how to present it in a manner that is easily accessible to all those who may wish to interpret the results. The chapters are carefully thought out and the subjects covered range from Identifying Goals to Collecting the Data. Within the book are exercises that allow the reader to attain a practical experience of the methods being outlined, and therefore gain a deeper understanding of the text. This is a comprehensive self-teaching guide to data handling, but is not overwhelmed with professional jargon and therefore accessible to all those involved in intervention programmes.
Peach

This is an excellent book that encourages a more systematic approach to addressing student's learning needs. Although the authors focus on children with autistic spectrum disorders, the book is useful for intervention with any group of individuals.'

Contents: ***** Readability: ***** Value: *****

Dr Vicky Slonims
"Things to Remember" are helpfully listed at the end of chapters and there are exercises to test the reader's understanding.
Education Otherwise
This substansial publication is aimed at education and care professionals, and parents or carers. It provides both a framework for and step-by-step guide to setting developmental goals, measuring progress, and how to analyse results with the aim of moving on to the next round of intervention. This self-contained and practical guide and workbook should be of interest to many.
Care and Health
I would recommend this book to all professionals who work with children on the autistic spectrum and who have responsibility for target setting. I believe that it would be an invaluable resource for the comprehensive list of goals and chapters on target setting and data collection.
Support for Learning