Abstract
Follow-up studies have consistently demonstrated that structured special educational programs result in the most positive outcomes for youngsters with autism (Lockyer & Rutter, 1969; Rutter, Greenfeld, & Lockyer, 1967; Schopler, Mesibov, DeVellis, & Short, 1981). Although there are undoubtedly many reasons for this, one of the main explanations is that these special education programs are the only ones to provide the kind and amount of clarity and predictability that these children need to enhance their development (Bartak, 1978; Bartak & Rutter, 1973; Schopler, Brehm, Kinsbourne, & Reichler, 1971). Providing structure for children with autism helps them to organize themselves and respond more appropriately to their environments. Advantageous to most of us, structure is essential to the functioning of autistic children because of their deficits in organization and their inability to understand or successfully control their behavior without assistance, direction, and support.
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© 1994 Springer Science+Business Media New York
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Mesibov, G.B., Schopler, E., Hearsey, K.A. (1994). Structured Teaching. In: Schopler, E., Mesibov, G.B. (eds) Behavioral Issues in Autism. Current Issues in Autism. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9400-7_10
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9400-7_10
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4757-9402-1
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