To present interdisciplinary teams (IDTs) as foundational to effective assessment for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This conceptual paper encourages IDTs by (a) presenting practice guidelines and research supporting effective IDTs; (b) describing vital team characteristics; (c) introducing a new model of teaming practices with a…

This article presents the rationale, evidence base, and strategies for teachers and related service personnel to implement peer-assisted Augmentative & Alternative Communication (AAC) modeling with their students with complex communication needs within inclusive settings across the school day. Specific steps for teaching the student's same-age…

Over the past decade, a newer class of interventions has emerged specifically designed for young children with or at high likelihood of autism, which are called Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBIs). NDBIs are particularly well-suited as a discipline agnostic, primary intervention for young children with autism and other…

Cross-country comparisons in education using statistics have become increasingly common; however, they are not without difficulties. This paper explores comparative data published by the Educational Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education (EASIE) focusing on the indicator showing the percentage of pupils with Special Educational Needs…

Purpose: This paper discusses the elements of successful university-level, cross-disciplinary course development using best practices to foster richer relational networks and to meet the complex demands of education and treatment for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Design/methodology/approach: The three authors created and taught a…

Effective collaboration among team members is a fundamental responsibility for all Early Intervention (EI) professionals. EI can be described as a particular type of service and support for infants and toddlers with delays/disabilities under three and their families provided through Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.…

The largest group of students receiving special education services in the United States qualify under the category of Specific Learning Disability (SLD) (Cottrell & Barrett, 2015). The most recent reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA 2004) was the first time that federal special education…

Introduction: The United Kingdom's Department for Education's advice on behaviour focuses on the power of staff and the strength of the policy in challenging behaviour, via rules, sanctions and rewards. We designed a video-feedback intervention for staff teams in a special educational setting who were working with children with intellectual…

A local education agency (LEA) preschool program serving 3- to 5-year-old children is committed to high-quality inclusion for young children with disabilities and their neurotypical peers. The school is investing in using evidence-based practices to support all children in learning and development, building meaningful friendships, and a sense of…

The adult outcomes of youth with disabilities continue to lag behind those of their peers without disabilities, especially for youth living in rural communities. Interdisciplinary teaming is identified as an important component of effective transition planning. Transition planning and collaborative teaming are challenged further in rural…

Central to positive learning outcomes for students with disabilities is the ability of the individualized education program (IEP) team to work collaboratively. Within the IEP team, effective service delivery involves direct and related service providers working in an interdisciplinary capacity as they share professional responsibilities to…

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) impacts various developmental domains, requiring interventions by professionals from multiple disciplines. In Israel, ASD community preschools' multidisciplinary teams aim to provide each child with an integrative intervention program. The current study focused on the working experience of 21 professionals from…

Students with moderate to severe disabilities benefit most when interdisciplinary teams collaborate to deliver individualized instruction, supports and services. This research study seeks to capture a description of education specialists' collaborative experiences working with interdisciplinary teams composed of speech language pathologists,…

Part C of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandates the provision of early intervention (El) services to qualifying children under 36 months old. Socia/­ emotional development is one area that programs are obligated to provide assessment and intervention for and yet, most El programs do not have licensed mental health…

This chapter provides a brief history of the multidisciplinary process and how it has evolved over time. A rationale for why the process has changed is provided and how involving more professionals to obtain more specific assessment data and provide more direct input aids in the development of the student's individualized education program (IEP).…