TEACCH

Programs that offer TEACCH (Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication Handicapped Children), a structured teaching approach developed by the University of North Carolina that is based on the idea that the environment should be adapted to the individual with autism spectrum disorders, not the individual to the environment. It uses no one specific technique but rather is a program based around the person's functioning level. The individual's learning abilities are assessed through the Psycho Educational Profile (PEP) and teaching strategies are designed to improve communication, social and coping skills. In addition to teaching a specific skill or behavior, the TEACCH approach aims to provide the individual with the skills to understand his or her world and other people's behaviors.