Below is an excellent review of a book on autism I just bought through Amazon. A good read for a rainy day in Aptos, California.
Title: Educating Children with Autism
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academy Press
A profound and arresting analysis of interventions, January 30, 2003
By John Harpur
My contact with autistic children and teenagers is primarily through research into social skills teaching. I have a assembled a small library of key texts and until I read this one, I found my library incomplete in one area – a review of intervention programmes. This book is simply superb is its coverage of the various principles that inform current interventions, its analysis of the outcomes of several commonly cited progrmmes, and the scope for future work.
However, this book is not ‘selling’ any particular intervention and that may dismay some parents particularly. It is geared more towards informing professionals in the field about options, choices and consequences associated with interventions. And boy is it thorough!
There is a huge amount to be gained from this book. I found reading it to be very stimulating but pleasurably slow, since every page has thought provoking observations.
I would certainly recommend that anyone pursuing interventions not pass over this book, be they parent, teacher or health professional. I genuinely cannot see this book disappointing an interested party. Parents of children with Asperger Syndrome may feel a little let down however, given the lack of attention their special requirements. Other books, such as Succeeding with Interventions for Asperger Syndrome Adolescents, may be of help to them.
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