Autism Spectrum - Publications and Reports
Human Rights and Non-discrimination
Persons with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Identification, Understanding, Intervention (2008) from Autism Europe presents evidence-based data derived from European and international research. The paper includes an easy-to-read version.
Link is an online magazine published by Autism Europe. It offers an overview of AE's activities, as well as the latest developments in ASD.
Autism-Europe Document on Quality of Services for Persons with ASD (2007) is a paper prepared in the context of the European Social Fund programming for 2007-2013, which includes a priority to reinforce social inclusion of disadvantaged people, including people with disabilities.
Assessment, Diagnosis, and Clinical Interventions for Children and Young People with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A National Clinical Guideline (2007) published by the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) reviews evidence concerning different types of ASD treatments.
Autism Research Review International, published by the Autism Research Institute (ARI), is a quarterly newsletter, covering biomedical and educational advances in autism research. ARI conducts and fosters scientific research designed to improve the methods of diagnosing, treating, and preventing autism.
Autism Overview: What We Know (2005), prepared by the National Institutes for Health, is a fact-sheet for parents and families that describes data related to ASD and NICHD-supported research on the topic.
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) is an information page about ASD on the website of the National Institutes for Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA. It includes the "red flags" for autism.
Autistic Spectrum Disorder - What It Means (2002), available on TeacherNet, provides detailed information about ASD including Good Practice Guidance.
Autistic Spectrum Disorders: Good Practice Guidance (2002), produced by the United Kingdom's Department for Education and Skills, aims to raise awareness and standards of support for children with ASDs. It is organized in two parts. Part I (Guidance on Autistic Spectrum Disorders) offers an introduction on the nature of ASDs and the principles of good provision for children with ASDs. Part II (Pointers to Good Practice) helps service providers to develop provisions for children with ASDs based on the collective experience of practitioners.
The Autism Increase: Research Needed on the Vaccine Connection (2002), on the Autism Research Institute website, is an excerpt from the testimony presented to the US Congress House Committee on Government Reform. The hearing was prompted by growing concerns about possible connections between vaccines and autism.
Autism Digest is an online magazine published for the autism community since 1999. It prides itself on providing real-life information for meeting real-life challenges of living with ASD.
The article Genetics, Autism, and Priorities (1997), on the Autism Research Institute website, recapitulates the argument on the biological nature and a strong genetic component of ASD.
Effectiveness of the Picture Exchange Communication System as a Functional Communication Intervention for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Practice-Based Research Synthesis (2008) is an article that verifies the effectiveness of the picture exchange communication system (PECS) for improving the functional communication skills of individuals with ASD. The abstract is available free of charge.
Functional Communication Training: A Review of the Literature Related to Children with Autism (2006), by G. Richmond Mancil, examines functional communication with children diagnosed with ASD, and makes recommendations for practitioners and researchers. The abstract is available free of charge.
Functional Communication Training (FCT), by the Association for Science in Autism Treatment (ASAT), is based on the hypothesis that problem behavior such as tantrums may be a form of communication, and recommends functional communication as an appropriate strategy for reducing challenging behaviors and increasing communication skills for children with autism.
Functional Communication Training: A Contemporary Behavior Analytic Intervention for Problem Behaviors. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities (2001) describes functional communication for students with autism. FCT involves teaching alternative communication strategies to replace problem behaviors. The article reviews the conditions under which this intervention is successful, and compares the method with other behavioral approaches. It concludes that FCT is an empirically validated approach to positive behavioral support for challenging behavior. The abstract is available free of charge.
Early Intervention
The Social Role of Imitation in Autism: Implications for the Treatment of Imitation Deficits (2008), by Brooke Ingersoll, reviews the importance of imitation in typical development, focusing on the social function of imitation and its role in the development of social skills. The limitation of the current teaching of imitation is that it targets only the learning function of imitation. The author describes a new imitation intervention designed to teach the social use of imitation in young children with ASD.
Specific Behaviors Seen in Infants Can Predict Autism, New Research Shows (2005), in Mental Health News, discusses mechanisms developed by scientists to pinpoint behavioral specifics in infants as young as 12 months and to predict whether a child will develop autism.
Early Intervention in Autism (2005), by Christina M. Corsello, PhD, emphasizes the need for early intervention for children with autism. It reviews existing intervention programs and empirical studies on such programs, with a particular emphasis on the birth-to-three age group. The article is in Infants and Young Children.
In Autism, New Goal is Finding it Soon Enough to Fight it (2004), by Anahad O'Connor, discusses new studies that could identify subtle signs of autism and provide therapeutic intervention at the earliest possible age. One of the checklists discussed in the article is available at: http://www.firstsigns.org/.
Early Intervention Lessens the Impact of Autism (2004), published in Science Daily, presents findings of a research project that showed that with early intervention about 40 percent of children with autism can speak fluently by the age of 9, and only 14 percent of children are unable to speak, contrary to fears that 50% of children with autism will never speak.
Autism Now Diagnosed Early: Therapy for Toddlers Makes ‘Huge Difference' (2003), by Kim Painter of USA Today, highlights developments in early intervention for children with autism. The article explains that researchers are learning more about the earliest signs and gaining confidence in the value of early, intense therapies that systematically teach children everything from eye contact to play skills to conversational techniques. The article is available from Early Childhood Michigan.
Resolution ResAP (2007)4 On the Education and Social Inclusion of Children and Young People with Autism Spectrum Disorders, issued by the Committee of Ministers of The Council of Europe, recommends that Member States adopt legislation and policies to mitigate the effects of the disorder and to facilitate social integration; improve living conditions and promote the independent living of individuals with ASD, by providing equality of opportunity and appropriate educational interventions.
Classroom Design Improves Education for Children with Autism (2007), published in Science Daily, states that education standards for children with ASD can be improved by better class-room design, but not enough attention is given to their needs. The article presents a research project that engages autistic children in schools using digital technology.
Autism Europe Recommendations on Education (2006), by Autism Europe, provides national educational authorities with recommendations on inclusive education for children with learning disabilities.
Special Education: Children with Autism (2005) is a briefing report by the American Government Accountability Office (GAO) for the staff of the Subcommittee on Human Rights and Wellness of the Committee on Government Reform of the US Congress House of Representatives.
Learning Styles of Students with Autism (2004), by Gary B. Mesibov, PhD, suggests techniques for working with students with ASD in the classroom. The article is available from bridges4kids.org.
The article Effective Education for Autism (2004), by Lea Winerman, reviews the efforts of psychologists to help schools struggling with limited budgets and increasing enrolment to educate children with ASD.
The paper Who is Qualified to Oversee Intensive, Comprehensive Behavioral Programming for Young Children with Autism/PDD? by Dr. Gina Green, PhD, published on the Autism Education website reviews state-by-state registration procedures and norms for certifying/licensing applied behavior analysts. In the absence of official standards, it sets out a list of formal training and competencies required for such professionals.
Brookes Publishing publishes resources on early childhood, early intervention, inclusive and special education, developmental disabilities, learning disabilities, communication and language, behavior, and mental health.
Human Rights and Non-discrimination
The article Confronting Discrimination Against Loved Ones Who Have Autism (2008) reviews several incidents of discrimination against people with ASD that made media headlines and ended up in court in the USA. It also contains a list of organizations that can be contacted in cases of discrimination against persons with autism.
On Diversity, Equality, and Stereotypes is an article by Donna Williams, a leading consultant on ASD, who has the condition herself. The article presents her perspective on the diversity of autism spectrum disorders, and cautions against stereotyping based on any one individual's condition.
The questionnaire EU-Wide Autism-Europe Survey into the Discrimination of Persons with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in the Context of Education and Health (2007) addressed the forms of discrimination to which persons with ASD are subjected to in access to schooling and appropriate care.
The article Autistic Distinction (2004), by Kathleen Seidel, published on neurodiversity.com was written on occasion of the court case Gayle Fitzpatrick and Charles Rankowski vs. Town of Falmouth. The author ponders misunderstanding and ostracism of people with ASD, based on their neurological/cognitive differences.
Code of Good Practice on Prevention of Violence Against Persons with Autism (1998), developed by Autism Europe, explores the risk factors connected with autism, and presents a list of concrete recommendations aimed at the prevention of violence and abuse against persons with autism.
Declaration on the Rights of People with Autism (1996), adopted by the European Parliament, is based on the Charter of Rights (1992) developed by the Autism Europe, and reaffirms basic human rights and inclusion of people with ASD.
Other Resources
International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD), 10th Revision (2007), by the World Health Organization, is an international standard diagnostic classification for all medical purposes, including analysis of the health situation of population groups, monitoring health problems, and so forth, in relation to other variables, such as resource allocation, quality standards and guidelines.
International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), by the World Health Organization is a classification of health and health-related domains, including body functions and structure, and a list of domains of activity and participation. It also includes a list of environmental factors.
Autism: An Epidemic is Finally Acknowledged (2006), by James Ottar Grundwig, a father of an autistic child, is an emotional plea to the US medical authorities to recognize the scope of the problem given the dramatic increase in numbers of children diagnosed with ASD.
Study: A New Drug May Aid Autistic Children (2002), by Shankar Vedantam, brings attention to an antipsychotic medicine that could help control tantrums, aggression, and self-injurious behavior in children with ASD.