Child Psychology, Audiology & Speech Pathology, Occupational Therapy, Special Education, Developmental Psychology 

Much of the literature on autism consists of research reviews, recipes to resolve a single problem, or a narrow range of issues. Unraveling and applying this information with any flexibility is difficult for the practitioner who is faced with everyday challenges. In Understanding the Nature of Autism, author Janice E. Janzen examines the spectrum of autism, describes deficits and strengths and providing practical information and strategies. Her goal is to lead teachers and caregivers to a deeper understanding and recognition of the potential of those with autism. This valuable and insightful, 450-page manual can be considered a primer in autism and is an excellent resource for training parents, teachers, and program personnel. Revealed in its contents: *Part 1 establishes the foundation for understanding autism and its impact on learning and thinking. *Part 2 addresses assessment and evaluation issues. Strategies are provided for solving common problems and eliciting relevant information. *Part 3 presents guidelines for making decisions and planning positive educational programs and support systems. *Part 4 provides a base for planning interventions and introduces a set of strategies to address the most common deficits and problems of those with autism. *Part 5 integrates information from previous chapters and applies it to the process for teaching a broad range of new skills. *Part 6 summarizes the processes and strategies and addresses some potentially serious problems. Anecdotes, examples, and an extensive case study illustrate the principles and concepts. Numerous figures, reproducible recordkeeping forms, and a glossary of terms further aid the reader. - from Amzon