The fundamental intent of special education is to provide instruction to meet each child's unique needs. "Life Journey through Autism: Navigating the Special Education System" offers information, tools, and tips that will help parents become an even more effective advocate for their children. Many teachers, administrators, and school support staff lack the background and training to meet the unique needs of students with autism. It falls to the parents to make sure that their children's challenges--whether with social interactions, communication, or behavior--are addressed with research-based interventions within the school setting. To assure this, parents must have a basic understanding of special education services, their child's rights, and their own. This Guide is designed as a resource for parents. Its purpose is to give each family the information and tools needed to successfully navigate the education system anywhere in the country. More specifically, it offers: (1) Background on special education in the United States; (2) An understanding of the laws and regulations about special education; (3) An overview of the timeline of services; (4) A detailed explanation of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs); (5) Tips and techniques for being an effective advocate; (6) Sources and links that will help you identify state specific resources and find more in-depth information; and (7) Lists and definitions of terms that are frequently used in school systems. [This is an update to the previous version of "Life Journey through Autism: Navigating the Special Education System." For the previous version, see ED542647. This report was funded by the Lisa Higgins-Hussman Foundation. Contributing writers include Julie Swanson and Julie Augeri.]