*Highly Commended in the Popular Medicine Category of the 2011 BMA Medical Book Awards*The Autism Spectrum in the 21st Century is the definitive guide to the autism spectrum, introducing the reader to key concepts and developments in diagnosis, psychological and biological research, theoretical models, evidence-based intervention, educational strategies and family issues. The book charts how developments in theory, research and practice have shaped, and continue to shape, the evolving concept of autism which is at the core of this field.The book explores:� Diagnostic principles and practice and their implications for prevalence� Psychological functioning in autism, including sensory-perceptual, cognitive and socio-cognitive processes� Genetics and brain function in autism, and the neurobiological basis for autism spectrum conditions� The range of therapeutic approaches available, including behavioural, communication-based and 'biological' interventions and their evidence base � Educational implications, the options for individuals and families and the issue of inclusion� How autism affects the family unit� Overarching issues and challenges for research, practice and peopleThe Autism Spectrum in the 21st Century is essential reading for anyone personally or professionally interested in the autism spectrum, such as individuals on the spectrum and their families, students and researchers, clinical practitioners, teachers, social workers and healthcare professionals.

Placing a student on the autism spectrum in a busy classroom with a pair of noise-cancelling headphones and an aide to deal with the inevitable meltdowns is often done in the name of 'inclusion', but this is integration and not inclusive. How can teachers and schools create genuinely inclusive classrooms that meet the needs of every student? Research evidence indicates the strategies that make schools inclusive for students with disability benefit all students. Yet many schools are still operating under twentieth-century models that disadvantage students, especially those with disability. Inclusive Education for the 21st Century provides a rigorous overview of the foundational principles of inclusive education, and the barriers to access and participation. It explores evidence-based strategies to support diverse learners, including specific changes in curriculum, pedagogy and assessment practices, and the use of data. It addresses the needs of children with physical, sensory and intellectual disabilities, as well as those with complex learning profiles, including mental health issues. With chapters from leading experts from Australia and the UK, Inclusive Education for the 21st Century addresses common issues in both primary and secondary schools. Underpinned throughout by research evidence, it is designed to assist educators to develop the deep knowledge required to make inclusive education a reality in all schools.

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) has received considerable educational, research, medical and media attention the past ten years. Yet the condition was first described more than a hundred years ago. Due to the disorder being confused with childhood schizophrenia, there was a lack of definitive attention by special educators, medical professionals and mental health clinicians to advance parameters related to: causes; prevalence; identification and diagnosis; education and treatment. Positively, this confusion changed starting in the 1980s with the clarification of the differences between these disorders with the 1980 publication of the” Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders” (DSM-III). Soon after, the 1990 federal legislation “Individuals with Disabilities Education Act” recognized the disorder as a disability category eligible for special education services. Both of these events lead to an explosion of information related to: finding causes; accurate identification and diagnosis; best educational practices; and social, emotional, and behavioral treatments. Even with this explosion in the body of knowledge concerned with this disorder, much more needs to be learned and discovered. The successful use of this body of knowledge requires that accurate information be provided to educators, parents, clinicians, medical professionals, and mental health professionals to counter misinformation that exists among the general public, educators and clinical professionals. This is the primary purpose of “Autism Spectrum Disorders: Inclusive Community for the 21st Century”. It is accomplished by chapters on: the delineation of a blueprint for systems of care for persons with ASD and their families; a model to assist professionals in tackling the challenge of developing employability for individuals with high functioning ASD; best practice and research guidelines that lead to an affirmative ASD diagnosis; a comprehensive and current synopsis of genetic factors associated with ASD; adjustment challenges that may be present for a sibling of an individual with ASD; a comprehensive description of an innovative community-based clinic that provides services needed by Individuals with ASD to meet their social, behavioral, educational and mental health needs; and effective treatment strategies and techniques that can be utilized by parents and educators to work effectively with children who have ASD. The chapters are written by researchers, clinicians, business professionals, and university professors who have an extensive knowledge of ASD. The contents of the book are an excellent reference for special education teachers, school psychologists, practicing mental health clinicians, and parents and family members of children and adults with ASD.

Children living in poverty are more likely to have mental health problems, and their conditions are more likely to be severe. Of the approximately 1.3 million children who were recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability benefits in 2013, about 50% were disabled primarily due to a mental disorder. An increase in the number of children who are recipients of SSI benefits due to mental disorders has been observed through several decades of the program beginning in 1985 and continuing through 2010. Nevertheless, less than 1% of children in the United States are recipients of SSI disability benefits for a mental disorder. At the request of the Social Security Administration, Mental Disorders and Disability Among Low-Income Children compares national trends in the number of children with mental disorders with the trends in the number of children receiving benefits from the SSI program, and describes the possible factors that may contribute to any differences between the two groups. This report provides an overview of the current status of the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders, and the levels of impairment in the U.S. population under age 18. The report focuses on 6 mental disorders, chosen due to their prevalence and the severity of disability attributed to those disorders within the SSI disability program: attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder/conduct disorder, autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, learning disabilities, and mood disorders. While this report is not a comprehensive discussion of these disorders, Mental Disorders and Disability Among Low-Income Children provides the best currently available information regarding demographics, diagnosis, treatment, and expectations for the disorder time course - both the natural course and under treatment.

This is a book for those who have a stake in and curiosity about the relationship between autism and the stage. Performance here covers theatre to therapy, film to biography, art and beyond. If you are a theater or film critic, a speech or drama therapist, a higher education specialist or special education instructor, a parent of a child on the autism spectrum or an individual with ASD interested in theatre, this book may hold unique value for you. This work is meant to cover a range of issues and reach out to audiences, critics, professionals and parents who want to know more about performance representations of autism. One message reverberates throughout the book: each autistic person illustrates different approaches to and perspectives on life. We become richer each time we come to understand these new perspectives and performance powerfully enhances our understanding of them. Autism Spectrum Disorders include alternative modes of processing information, recording images, discoursing with others, and interpreting social scenes. In this conversation, performance can function as an analytical lens, a representational space, a means of perceptual innovation, and a therapeutic tool. The definition of autism as a disorder has evolved from its first diagnosis in the 1940s to our current frame of reference with several key revisions. These three categories—interaction, communication, and perseveration—underlie any published study of those on the autism spectrum. What has shifted in recent years is an approach to disability that positions autism as a social construction rather than a medical problem.