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As part of a NECTAS sponsored Forum on Autism Spectrum Disorders (1997-2001),
a group of 8 representatives from seven models or programs were invited to
participate as a "ASD Forum Experts." Care was taken to assure that the final
group represented the well-known models that families recognize and frequently
request and that state and local service systems often engage for replication or
training. This group also included parent representatives (N=4), the coordinator
of the National Institutes of Health's network for research on neurobiology and
genetics of autism (N=1), other clinicians or researchers with expertise with young
children with ASD (N=2) and NECTAS staff with experience providing technical assistance
to state-level early intervention and early childhood special education programs (N=7).
Identifying key elements
This group of experts engaged in a facilitated, consensus-building exercise
where each model program representative was asked to identify the core elements
of their program. Group participants discussed the identified elements, defined
the meaning of the emerging constructs as a group, and clarified each with
illustrative program practices. Then the participants grouped the elements or
features of the programs into categories of the same or similar constructs until
all participants were satisfied that key elements of effective programs had been
articulated. This process yielded nine mutually exclusive elements or features
of program practice, as well as definitions and descriptions of the elements that
were clear and acceptable to the group.
Once these program elements were defined, the program representatives
identified elements that were an important part of their program and those that
were not. This process yielded six areas of agreement — elements of effective
practice agreed upon by all participants. In addition, three program components
were identified that were very important to some participating programs, but were
not components of all the represented programs.
The nine elements of effective programs ("Areas of Agreement" and "Program
Areas That Are Part Of Some, But Not All Programs") are described in detail in
the following table.
Table: Elements of Effective Programs
| Program Element |
Brief Definition |
| Areas of Agreement |
| Earliest Possible Start to Intervention |
Children receive services appropriate to their needs as soon as they are
identified as having ASD |
| Individualization of Services for Children and Families |
Adjustments in goals, intervention strategies, and evaluation
criteria are made for each child and family receiving services,
determined by the child's needs, strengths, and interests and the
family's concerns, priorities, and resources; as well as the program's
overall theoretical and conceptual framework |
| Systematic, Planful Teaching |
Instruction or intervention that is carefully thought out,
logical, and consistent with a conceptual or theoretical basis and
involves planning, implementing, and assessing intervention steps;
each step is intentional, coordinated with an overall approach, and
builds toward meaningful goals. |
| Specialized Curriculum |
A core curriculum to address specific needs of
children with ASD, includes these key areas: attending to elements
of the environment,
imitating others, language comprehension, use of language, playing
appropriately with toys and interacting socially with others |
| Intensity of Engagement |
Engagement refers to the amount of time that a
child is attending to and actively participating in the social and nonsocial environment.
Intensity of engagement is sometimes expressed as the percent of
enrolled time that is spent in teaching interactions, or in activities
in which the child is actively learning. The time that a child is
engaged in learning opportunities may occur during program time and
in home or community settings. |
| Family Involvement |
Includes family involvement in their own child's
program; services provided to families primarily because their child has ASD; services
provided to families that are not directly related to ASD but may impact
on overall family functioning; family support and networking; and
family involvement in the overall program. |
| Program Areas That Are Part Of Some, But Not All Programs |
| Structured Environment |
Arranging the environment, instructional materials, and teaching
interactions to elicit, facilitate, or support specific skill
attainment or development, including the use of environmental
arrangements or visual cues to organize or schedule activities, to
facilitate choices, and to define work, play, or rest spaces |
| Developmentally-Appropriate Practices |
Practices that have been designed for all young
children; programs are guided by information about child development and
learning, each individual child's strengths, needs, and preferences
and knowledge of the social and cultural contexts in which children
live. |
| Intervention in Settings with Typical Children or in Natural
Environments |
Some or all interventions occur in settings with
typical children. This may include fully integrated toddler or preschool settings,
community childcare, community recreation activities and other supports
in home and community settings. |
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