Wings Learning Center: TEACCH

What Is TEACCH?-www.teacch.com

TEACCH—Treatment and Education of Austistic and Related Communication Handicapped CHildren

This is a philosophy of education that was developed in the early 1970's by founder, Eric Schopler. The TEACCH approach includes a focus on the person with autism and the development of a program around this person's skills, interests, and needs. Emphasis is on understanding the individual and also the "culture of autism," suggesting that people with autism are part of a distinctive group with common characteristics that are different, but not necessarily inferior, to the rest of us. Emphasizing assessment and the culture of autism requires us to understand people with autism as they are and to build our programs around where each person is functioning. It requires starting where people are and helping them to develop as far as they can go.

Structured teaching is an important priority because of the TEACCH research and experience that structure fits the culture of autism more effectively than any other techniques that we have observed. Organizing the physical environment, developing schedules and work systems, making expectations clear and explicit, and using visual materials have been effective ways of developing skills and allowing people with autism to use these skills independently of direct teacher prompting and cueing. Structured teaching says nothing about where people with autism should be educated; this is a decision based on the skills and needs of each individual student. Some can work effectively and benefit from regular educational programs, while others will need special classrooms for part or all day where the physical environment, curriculum, and personnel can be organized and manipulated to reflect individual needs.

Cultivating strengths and interests are an important priority. It is important to recognize the differences between people with autism. Their relative strengths in visual skills, recognizing details, and memory, among other areas, can become the basis of successful adult functioning. TEACCH has also observed that capitalizing on the interests helps increase motivation and understanding of the autistic person. These strategies enhance efforts to work positively and productively with people with autism, rather than coercing and forcing them in directions that do not interest them and that they cannot understand.

TEACCH also takes a broad based approach, which includes all aspects of the lives of people with autism and their families. Independent work skills are emphasized, it is also recognized that people with autism can learn communication, social, and leisure skills. An important part of this curriculum is developing communication skills, pursuing social and leisure activities for all those involved.

The TEACCH approach is most successfully implemented when coordination and integration over time is as important as consistency within a given situation. The interests of people with autism are best served with coordinated and cooperative programming based on consistent principles over a lifetime. Integrating new ideas slowly and only after they have proved effective. The TEACCH principles have proven to be effective; adults brought up using those practices are now productive and successful in the world in which they live.

Disclaimer

Autism is a complex disorder. The information presented here is, of necessity, general in nature. Please consult with a qualified professional concerning your specific questions. The opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors.