| Abstract: The goal of intensive, ABA-based, early intervention services for young children with autism is admission to typical kindergarten or first grade. Often, the initial intervention consists of highly structured, 1:1 teaching interactions, either in a home-based or a segregated, center-based program. At some point during this intervention process, decisions are made by relevant individuals (e.g., senior clinical staff, parents, other service providers) regarding the learners readiness to make the transition to a small group preschool or inclusion environment. Many professionals refer to readiness criteria (e.g., Johnson, Mayer, & Taylor, 1996) to help guide that decision-making process. Other researchers and clinicians de-emphasize prerequisite criteria for inclusion and, instead, integrate young children with autism with typical peers right from the outset of intensive intervention. Empirical data to guide the decision-making process, to include or not to include, has been limited. The purpose of the panel is to present the range of views and practices regarding readiness criteria and inclusion of young children with autism, and will attempt to answer the ultimate question: Under what conditions should a young child with autism participate in a more typical pre-school setting? |