Evidence-Based Practices and Treatments for Children with Autism

The passage of No Child Left Behind and the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act require educational practices to be based on scientific evidence (e.g., evidence-based practices). With respect to the education of children with autism, there are no comprehensive reviews that clearly prioritize those treatments and educational practices that are evidence based. One exception is Educating Children with Autism, (National Research Council, 2001), however, this book was heavily focused on treatments for preschool-aged children and is now outdated. With the increase in research conducted on treatments for children with autism, there is a need for a current synthesis of the treatment research with regard to evidence-based practices. The proposed book would be the first to present scientifically based guidelines for determining the strength of a treatment s empirical base and then to synthesize the available literature to underscore those practices that are empirically based. The proposed book is also unique in the diversity of its editors (e.g., from the fields of education, research, medicine, and psychology), ensuring that the result will be relevant to a broad audience.