Characteristics of Effective Interventions for 0 to 8 year olds

Conclusions:

• Interventions should start when the diagnosis is made.
• Interventions should be on a full year, minimum 5 days per week (or 25 hours per week) basis.
• They should be characterized by personalized instruction, small group instruction, and a parent training component.
• There should be a low student/teacher ration with a limit of 2 children with ASDs per adult in the classroom.
• There should be periodic assessment of the child’s progress, with alterations to programming, as necessary.

Recommendations:

• Interventions should be based on the belief that most children can learn to speak.
• Educational goals should be appropriate to age and developmental level.
• Play skills should be taught using interactions with typically developing peers.
• Instruction should be carried out in school, home, and community settings, or wherever else the skills will be used.
• Note should be made about the context in which problem behaviours occur and should address the behaviours using "functional assessment, functional communication training and reinforcement of alternative behaviours." (p. 221)
• Academic subjects should be taught according to the child’s needs and abilities.