Impact Feature Issue on Supporting Success in School and Beyond for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders

This document has been archived because some of the information it contains is out of date.​

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are reported as the sixth most commonly classified disability among young people receiving special education services in American schools, and it has been estimated that as many as 500,000 young people in the U.S. (birth to 21 years) have an Autism Spectrum Disorder (CDC, 2006; www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/asd_common.htm). There is still much to be learned about ASD – about the causes; the best ways to identify ASD in early childhood and begin early interventions; and the best ways to support the academic, social, and vocational success of students with ASD. In December 2006, President Bush signed into law an act that, among its provisions, includes allocation of funding for further research on the frequency and causes of ASD, as well as research to improve screening tools and interventions. As that and other research adds to our current knowledge, educators, families, and individuals with ASD will have more information to use in making decisions that support the development of the full potential of each student with ASD. While that work of seeking to better understand ASD continues, there are some things that have been discovered so far that are important in supporting success in school and beyond for students with ASD. It is those insights that we share in this Impact.