A Survey of Personnel Preparation Practices in Autism Spectrum Disorders

Researchers indicate that special education is grappling with many issues and challenges that point to the need to examine the nature and type of personnel preparation for educators working with individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The purpose of this study was to survey teacher educators at colleges and universities to (a) determine the prevalence of programs training teachers in this area; (b) identify the nature of the autism-specific coursework and programs currently being offered (e.g., the motivation for developing these courses, the number of such courses offered); and (c) ascertain the topics included in ASD coursework and the depth at which these topics are addressed. Survey forms were mailed to personnel at 184 institutions of higher education (IHEs) in 43 states; responses were received from faculty members at 87 IHEs in 34 states. Current patterns in personnel preparation are discussed and followed by recommendations for future action.