The North Carolina State Legislature's mandate to Division TEACCH has three major components. First, to provide the most up-to-date and cost effective services possible for families with autistic or similar language impaired children; second, to conduct research aimed toward the better under standing of such devastating disorders; and third, to provide training for the professionals needed to pursue these goals. One element in achieving these aims is to hold annual conferences on topics of special importance to the under standing and treatment of autism and similar disorders. In addition to training professionals and parents on the most recent de velopments in each conference topic, we are publishing a series, Current Issues in Autism, based on these conferences. These books are not, however, simply the published proceedings of the conference papers. Instead, some chapters are expanded conference presentations, whereas others come from national and in ternational experts whose work is beyond the scope of the conference, but es sential in our attempt at comprehensive coverage of the conference theme. These volumes are intended to provide the most current knowledge and profes sional practice available to us at the time.

Communication in Autism adopts a multidisciplinary approach to explore one of the most common developmental disorders associated with communication impairment. Perhaps the most fascinating thing about communication in autism is that variation is as extreme as it could possibly be. While some individuals with autism have age-appropriate language, a number have exceptional language skills; others have little or no spoken language. In between these extremes are individuals who experience significant linguistic impairments. These impairments can affect peer relations and literacy skills. The chapters in this volume provide comprehensive coverage of both the theoretical underpinnings and the practical aspects of autistic communication. The result is a volume that showcases the wide range of methodologies being used in this field of research. It is invaluable for scientists, service providers, parents, individuals with autism, and students learning about communication and autism (e.g., in psychology, speech pathology, and education).

Providing a theoretical foundation for understanding communication and language impairments specific to autism, Olga Bogdashina explores the effects of different perceptual and cognitive styles on the communication and language development of autistic children. She stresses the importance of identifying each autistic individual's nonverbal language - which can be visual, tactile, kinaesthetic, auditory, olfactory or gustatory - with a view to establish a shared means of verbal communication. She offers an explanation of why certain approaches, for example PECS, might work with some autistic children but not others. Offering real insights, the `What They Say' sections enable the reader to see through the eyes of autistic individuals and to understand their language differences first hand. `What We Can Do to Help' sections throughout the book give practical recommendations on what to do in order to help autistic individuals use their natural mechanisms to learn and develop social and communicative skills. The final chapters are devoted to assessment and intervention issues with practical recommendations for selecting appropriate methods and techniques to enhance communication, based on the specific mode of communication a person uses.

Ce document, qui est le deuxième de la série “Visual Strategies” du même auteur, se présente comme une ressource permettant d'aider les parents, comme tous les intervenants, qui font face à des troubles du comportement de la part d'enfants autistes, ayant des troubles envahissants du développement ou des troubles importants de la communication. Il décrit tout d'abord les liens entre les comportements, la communication et les stratégies visuelles (Visual Strategies), en clarifiant la notion de comportement et leurs diverses causes, la notion de communication ainsi que celle des stratégies visuelles. Par la suite, il est question de l'évaluation des situations comportementales problématiques, des moyens pour favoriser une meilleure communication, enseigner des stratégies éducatives liées à la communication et alors faire le pont, par des stratégies visuelles, entre le soutien à la communication et la résolution des problèmes du comportement. Les stratégies visuelles sont surtout axées sur l'environnement, le milieu de vie de la personne autiste, la gestion du temps et les activités de la vie quotidienne, tout comme sur la sélection ou la liberté de choix, les relations interpersonnelles et sociales, le langage, l'auto-contrôle ainsi que la manière d'aborder les enfants ayant des besoins spécifiques: déficience multiple, visuelle etc.

Do you have Asperger's Syndrome or know someone who does? Are you looking for a reference guide about Asperger's in adults? Do you have questions you'd like to ask an expert in adult Asperger's? If your answer is Yes to any of these questions, this book is for you. Clinical psychologist and Asperger's authority, Dr. Kenneth Roberson, examines the often neglected area of Asperger's in adults, covering topics such as: What causes Asperger's Syndrome? Is it different in adults than it is in children? How can you find out if you have Asperger's? What are the advantages and disadvantages of a diagnosis? What therapy is best for adults who have Asperger's? Can adults with Asperger's change? Are there benefits to having Asperger's? Can adults with Asperger's have intimate relationships? Can they be successful parents? These and many other questions are covered in this important addition to the field of Asperger's as it occurs in adults. Resources and reference material about adult Asperger's are included, along with a feature allowing readers to ask questions of Dr. Roberson.

When children's communication skills lag, all areas of learning and socialisation are affected. This book describes how an ABA approach can help children aged 2 to 10 years who have significant communication problems -- difficulty making requests, perseverative speech, a lack of fluency in conversational exchanges, trouble reading others' signals, and more -- learn to understand and use speech and language. Enriched by case studies, this straightforward and information-packed book examines using the Applied Verbal Behaviour (AVB) method to tackle a wide variety of communication problems typical of children with autism. In a nutshell, AVB consists of observing and analysing a child's communication behaviours, breaking them down into functions, and then teaching and reinforcing needed skills. AVB strategies and the other methods profiled (PECS, sign language, video modelling, scripts, social stories, etc.,) can greatly boost a child's understanding of verbal and non-verbal communication, and help him improve his expressive abilities. The authors provide helpful suggestions on how parents can support this process and teach and reinforce communication skills at home. With this book parents and professionals can help young kids, both those with and without speech, expand their communication abilities and opportunities, enabling greater inclusion and progress in daily activities.

An important component of Division TEACCH's mandate from the Department of Psychiatry of the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and the North Carolina State Legislature is to conduct research aimed toward improving the understanding of developmental disabilities such as autism and to train the professionals who will be needed to work with this challenging population. An important mechanism to help meet these goals is our annual conference on topics of special importance for the understanding and treatment of autism and related disorders. As with the preceding books in this series entitled Current Issues in Autism, this most recent volume is based on one of these conferences. The books are not, however, simply published proceedings of conference papers. Instead, cer tain conference participants were asked to develop chapters around their pres entations, and other national and intemational experts whose work is beyond the scope of the conference but related to the conference theme were asked to contribute manuscripts as weil. These volumes are intended to provide the most current knowledge and professional practice available to us at this time.