Before the 1990’s, children with autism were educated in separate special education classrooms. With the passage of several education mandates, however, increasing numbers of children with autism are now being educated in classrooms with their typically developing peers. Such settings offer many educational advantages to children with autism; they also present challenges for them, their teachers, and classroom peers. In 2001, the National Research Council published a comprehensive report based on the findings of an appointed Committee on Educational Interventions for Children with Autism. This report, Educating Children With Autism, has set the stage for increased research into the education of children with autism.

Congress passed the Education of All Handicapped Children Act in 1975 and reauthorized it in 1990 as IDEA. This legislation guarantees that all students with disabilities will be provided a free and appropriate public education (FAPE). It also states that students with disabilities should be placed in the least restrictive environment (LRE), where they can make progress toward achieving their IEP goals, meaning that as much as possible, children with disabilities should be educated with children who are not disabled. Finally, it states that students with disabilities must have an IEP, which describes the student’s current level of functioning, his or her goals for the year, and how these goals will be supported through special services. IEPs are discussed in greater detail here.

Because the challenges associated with autism and Asperger Syndrome affect many key aspects of development, the impact of the disorder on education and learning is profound. Therefore, children with Asperger Syndrome are considered disabled under the IDEA guidelines and are legally entitled to an IEP plan and appropriate accommodations from the school to help them achieve their developmental and academic goals.