PROVIDING EFFECTIVE TRANSITIONAL PROGRAMMING TO INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM

Legal mandates, widely postulated professional perspective, and improv ed teaching techniques have strongly influenced the kind of care provi ded individuals with significant developmental disabilities such as au tism. Children and adults who would have been separated from their fam ilies and peers two decades ago are now expected to live in natural se ttings identical to the settings in which other members of their famil ies live. The conversion of services to correspond with the ever incre asing lifestyle expectations for persons with developmental disabiliti es is described from an organizational perspective with reference to s erving these individuals in special education classrooms, residential settings, or other human service settings. Systems we have found effec tive in moving individuals through a continuum of services are describ ed. Specific examples of implementation strategies in a large comprehe nsive treatment center for individuals with developmental and neurolog ical disabilities are provided. An example of a wide-scale conversion of an agency that resulted in more progressive transition programming is discussed.