Autism Nest Model: An Inclusive Education Framework for Autistic Children - Softcover

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Shirley Cohen earned a PhD in developmental psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University. She worked as a kindergarten and first grade teacher, a remedial reading teacher, and a teacher of children with autism before becoming a faculty member at Hunter College of the City University of New York (CUNY.) Dr. Cohen held numerous roles at the college: Director of the CUNY/NYS Regional Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders; Chair of the Department of Special Education;
Associate Dean and Interim Dean of the Hunter College School of Education. Dr. Cohen, the author of several books in the area of disability, worked with colleagues from New York University and Hunter College to develop the Nest program and co-edited the

original edition of the book on that Model. She retired from Hunter College in 2011.

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One can barely read the news these days without encountering some mention of autism, usually communicating alarm about its increased prevalence or the myriad possible factors, genetic and environmental, that may cause or trigger it. Parents-to-be and parents of infants are frightened. Well-known figures from the entertainment field are lending themselves to fundraising efforts for research into this condition. Conferences on autism abound. Arguments about diagnosis and labeling pervade the medical and educational fields. Should theterm “autism spectrum disorder” have replaced the terms “autistic disorder, Asperger’s disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) in the latest version of the widely used diagnostic manual of the American Psychiatric Association (DSM-5)? What genes cause autism? And finally, what treatments and/or supports that are available now will help which children the most?

The co-founders (Dorothy Siegel and Shirley Cohen), consultants, and long-term staff of the ASD Nest program have developed and have been implementing an intervention model for higher-functioning children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) that has enabled almost all of the children in this program to be successfully educated in classes with their more typically developing peers in neighborhood public schools. While providing support for the special needs of these children, we are strengthening their ability to understand and meet social and academic expectations. Who are these “higher functioning” children with ASD?

They are children who have challenges in social communication and interactions along with restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, and activities. Many are highly routine-dependent and resistant to change. Some have unusual reactions to sensory stimuli, with hypersensitivity to one or more types of sensory input. Some have poor self-regulation and frequent meltdowns. Others need extra time to process verbal communications and respond to them. Many are highly anxious. Some flap their hands or jump up and down when they are anxious or excited. And many are passionately interested in selected subjects and are intellectually curious as well as creative. Virtually all have IQs within the range considered average or higher, and all have received a diagnosis of autism, either prior to being considered for admission to the ASD Nest program or during the admission process. Most children are admitted at kindergarten age, with a few being admitted in higher grades when there are openings in the program. The strategies and classroom practices described in this manual were designed for the ASD Nest program. The ASD Nest model is an inclusion program serving children who have ASD, particularly higher-functioning children with that condition. While the program serves children on the autism spectrum who are often referred to as high-functioning or “higher-functioning,” many of the practices in this book will be useful in working with children with ASD who are not usually thought of as higher functioning, as well as other populations of children with special needs, including children identified as having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and children with learning or behavior disorders. The principles behind these practices take into consideration each child’s needs, strengths, and interests, all basic to sound and effective instruction in both general and special education.