In 1999, the Government of British Columbia developed a provincial
Autism Action Plan. As part of this plan, the Ministry of Education
made a commitment to provide schools across the province with a
resource on the topic of students with autism. Teaching Students With
Autism: A Resource Guide for Schools fulfils the ministry’s commitment.
The resource guide is based on work done by Saskatchewan Education
for its resource, Teaching Students With Autism: A Guide for Educators,
and on contributions from teachers, consultants, and parents in B.C.
Teachers and other educational staff in our schools face the challenge
of planning and implementing effective education programs for all
students, including students with autism. This resource guide is
intended to support educators in this process. There is an abundance of
recent research and excellent materials developed for teachers and other
service providers who are supporting children and youth with autism
and their families. Because of the volume of available material, this brief
resource guide cannot begin to cover all of the ideas about teaching
students with autism; however, the guide attempts to describe the key
ideas and teaching methods. Teachers who want more suggestions can
use the many references in the text and in the resource section to find
more comprehensive information on autism research and instructional
techniques.
Teaching Students with Autism: A Resource Guide for Schools is divided
into the following chapters:
• What Is Autism?—the nature of the disorder and how it is diagnosed
• Characteristics of Autism—the effects of autism and general
educational implications
• Planning Support for Students With Autism—roles of people
involved in planning and suggested elements of individual
education plans (IEPs)
• Teaching Students With Autism—more detailed suggestions for
instructional approaches and strategies for classroom
management, communication development, and social skills
• Managing Challenging Behaviour—suggestions for developing a
behaviour plan and strategies for supporting behaviour change