Autism Spectrum Disorders: family-school partnerships.

Autism Spectrum Disorders refer to a complex group of related disorders marked by impaired communication and socialization and by a limited (and often unusual) range of interests. Although sometimes not diagnosed until school age, autism develops early in life and is a life-long condition with implications for education, social development, and community adjustment.

Autism became an eligibility category for special education services in 1991. Since that time an enormous amount of research has been conducted regarding identification and effective interventions for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. The good news is that information learned over the years has resulted in a broader definition of autism and many …