Supporting Adolescents with Autism in Secondary Schools

Samuel L. Odom, PhD, is Senior Research Scientist at the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute (FPG) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Adjunct Professor of Special Education at San Diego State University. Dr. Odom was Principal Investigator of the Center on Secondary Education for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder. At FPG, he codirects the National Clearinghouse on Autism Evidence and Practice. Dr. Odom is the author or coauthor of over 200 journal articles and book chapters and has edited 10 books on early childhood intervention and developmental disabilities. His current research addresses treatment efficacy for children and youth with autism, identification of evidence-based practices, and implementation science.

"At its heart, this book is about the daunting task of growing up, and the added complexities that autism introduces. Odom and his contributing authors present the most current scholarship on supporting adolescents with ASD, yet take care to ground this knowledge in the perspectives of students and their families. Basic theoretical foundations for the CSESA approach are explained and applied to academic instruction, social development, independence and self-management, and transition systems. Readers are provided with encouraging outcome data supporting the CSESA approach, as well as suggestions for implementation and evaluation. This is a strong book, grounded in clear values, practical experience, and empirical documentation."--Robert H. Horner, PhD, Special Education Program (Emeritus), University of Oregon"A much-needed resource to help secondary educators think about how to design effective programs for this growing population of students. The book accurately outlines the core challenges for students with ASD, their families, and the public education systems designed to support them. CSESA integrates the best available evidence as well as implementation science practices into a very promising model that can improve student outcomes. The case examples and practical resources will be very useful to secondary teams as they grapple with how to serve their students with ASD more effectively."--Patricia Schetter, MA, BCBA, Coordinator of Autism Education Initiatives, Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, MIND Institute, University of California, Davis"Unfortunately, when it comes to planning for the transition to adulthood, the terms 'evidence-based' and 'readily accessible' are rarely seen as compatible. Thankfully, Odom has provided us with an extraordinary melding of evidence and accessibility that should have a direct and positive impact on the lives of autistic public school students as they transition to adulthood and life in their communities. This book should be required reading for every member of an individual’s transition team."--Peter F. Gerhardt, EdD, Executive Director, The EPIC Programs, Paramus, New Jersey-This book is an excellent task analysis for researchers and practitioners to develop, maintain, and analyze a comprehensive program for autistic secondary students. It is informative, thought provoking, and easily understood. It provides a great framework for incorporating evidence-based practices with autistic students in secondary schools and helping them transition to adulthood successfully.--NASP Communiqué, 5/1/2024

• 1. Somewhere to Go, Something to Do, Someone to Love: Adolescents in High School and the CSESA Comprehensive Program, Samuel L. Odom & Kara A. Hume2. CSESA Foundations, Samuel L. Odom3. Transition, Bonnie R. Kraemer, Sara McDaniel, Catherine Fowler, & Tara Regan4. Academics/Literacy, Christopher Brum, Laura J. Hall, & Colleen Reutebuch5. Peer and Social Domain, Jessica Steinbrenner, Laura J. Hall, Erik W. Carter, & Janine Stichter6. Independence and Behavior: PRomoting Independence and Self-Management (PRISM), Kara Hume, Suzanne Kucharczyk, Lindsay Rentschler, & Brian Boyd7. Families, Leann DaWalt & Kate Szidon8. Implementation Process, Laura J. Hall, Jessica Steinbrenner, Suzanne Kucharczyk, & Yolanda Perkins9. Research and Evaluation, Kara Hume