Planning a Comprehensive Program for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders Using Evidence-Based Practices

This article outlines two compatible models of planning and implementing programs for students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The Ziggurat Model begins the process with an assessment of student strengths and concerns related specifically to ASD and identifies interventions across five tiers that match these strengths and concerns: (a) sensory and biological, (b) reinforcement, (c) structural and visual/tactile supports, (d) task demands, and (e) skills to teach. Content from the Ziggurat Model is then placed with the Comprehensive Autism Planning System (CAPS) to allow the student's day to be operationalized and matched to student goals, state standards, and related benchmarks. This article overviews this process and offers a brief case study as an example.