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| Autism and PDD |  Appropriate educational programs and early diagnosis are very important to children with autism or PDD. Children with autism and PDD, from the age of three, are eligible for an educational program appropriate to their individual needs. Improving communication, social, academic, behavioral, and daily living skills are priority in educational programs for children with autism or PDD. Communication problems and behavior that interfere with learning sometimes require the assistance of a knowledgeable professional in the autism field who develops and helps to implement a plan which can be carried out at home and school.
The environment of the classroom should be structured so that the program is consistent and predictable. Students with PDD or autism learn better and are less confused when information is presented visually as well as verbally. Cooperation with nondisabled peers is also important, for these students provide models of appropriate language, social, and behavior skills. It is very important to develop programs with parents, so that learning activities, experiences, and approaches can be carried over into the home and community. It will help to overcome frequent problems in generalizing skills learned at school.
Children and adults with autism or PDD can live and work in the community with educational programs designed to meet a student's individual needs and specialized adult support services in employment and living arrangements.
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