The National Research Council formed a Committee on Educational Interventions for Children with Autism and charged the committee with integrating the scientific, theoretical, and policy literature and creating a framework for evaluating the scientific evidence concerning the effects and features of educational interventions for young children with autism. This book is organized according to relationships among issues that, the committee believes, represent the key areas pertaining to educational interventions for young children with autism. Part 1 addresses the general issue of goals for children with autism and their families. Part 2 presents characteristics of effective interventions and educational programs. Chapters 5 through 10 discuss fundamental areas of development and behavior that must be addressed by such programs: communication; social, cognitive, sensory, and motor development; and adaptive and problem behaviors. Chapter 11 analyzes the characteristics of representative instructional strategies, and Chapter 12 analyzes the features of ten model comprehensive programs and approaches to intervention. Part 3 examines the policy and research contexts within which interventions are developed, implemented, and assessed. The final chapter summarizes the committee's findings, presents conclusions, and offers recommendations for choosing educational content and strategies, introducing interaction with other children, and other key topics. (References are provided for each chapter.) (CR)