Teaching Adolescents and Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder Curriculum Planning and Strategies

Teaching Adolescents and Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder supports teachers in preparing secondary students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to succeed in school, work and beyond. Focused on enabling students to successfully pursue further education and meaningful career paths, chapters incorporate person-centered, student-directed planning into instructional programming throughout the text. Featuring helpful vignettes to demonstrate concepts in action, curriculum areas address community living skills, academics, social communication and interaction, and career preparation. Grounded in current research and Universal Design for Learning practices, this guide is an essential resource for educators, therapists, and anyone seeking to create fluid, adaptable programs for students with autism spectrum disorders.

Preface; 1. Understanding Secondary Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder; 2. Philosophical Frameworks for Educating Secondary Students with Autism; 3. Motivating Students and Promoting Self-Determination; 4. Executive Functioning Skills for Lifelong Success; 5. A New Perspective on Behavior Management for Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Adaptive Supported Independence Intervention; 6. Social Communication and Interaction; 7. Independence-Bound Experiential Teaching; 8. Teaching Core Content for College and Career Readiness; 9. Transition Planning: Life Design, Career Construction, and 21st Century Work-Life Skills; 10. Transdisciplinary Collaboration, Parent and Family Involvement, and Interagency Collaboration; Index

Dianne Zager is Head of School at Shrub Oak International School in Westchester County, New York. Shrub Oak is an independent boarding and day school for children, adolescents, and young adults with autism. Prior to accepting her current position, she was the Michael C. Koffler Professor in Autism at Pace University in New York City, where she served as chairperson of the Special Education Department and was the founding director of one of the nation’s first autism college support programs. Michael L. Wehmeyer is the Ross and Marianna Beach Distinguished Professor in Special Education and Chair, Department of Special Education at the University of Kansas. He is also Senior Scientist and Director of the Beach Center on Disability, also at the University of Kansas.