Promoting better social skills and behavior is a top priority for anyone who works with learners with autism--but which practices really improve outcomes? Find out in this cutting-edge volume, a reader-friendly synthesis of the latest findings from more than 20 of today's top researchers in the field. Coordinated by the highly respected Organization for Autism Research, this accessible book is an ideal text for future professionals and essential reading for administrators and consultants in educational settings. Readers will explore current evidence, best-practice recommendations, and future research directions for: (1) assessing social skills with evidence-based methods and tools; (2) conducting interventions that really make a difference; (3) promoting friendships and peer acceptance; (4) increasing joint attention; (5) implementing schoolwide positive behavior support; (6) improving outcomes with Pivotal Response Treatment; (7) strengthening children's self-help skills; (8) providing effective support for families of children with autism; and (9) using appropriate pharmacologic interventions to manage symptoms associated with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Readers will also get first-hand insights from individuals on the autism spectrum and their family members and service providers, who provide balanced perspectives on today's research trends and practices. A cornerstone resource for current and future professionals working with learners of all ages, this book will help readers understand what really advances the social skills and behavior of students with autism--so they can use effective practices to improve the lives of children and families. This book contains three sections and 20 chapters. Section I, Current Research and Recommendations on Social Skills and Adaptive Behavior, contains: (1) Social and Adaptive Behavior in the Context of Family Life (Suzanne Letso); (2) The Assessment of Social Skills (Erik A. Mayville); (3) Behavior Analytic Interventions for Developing Social Skills in Individuals with Autism (Mary Jane Weiss); (4) Interpreting the Efficacy Research on Group Delivered Social Skills Intervention for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (Kathleen Koenig); (5) The Junction of Joint Attention and Communicative or Social Competence (Joanne Gerenser); (6) Building Social Skills and Social Relationships in School Settings: The Role of Schoolwide Positive Behavior Support (Ilene S. Schwartz and Pei-Yu Chen); (7) Pivotal Response Treatment and the Development of Social Competence (Daniel Openden); (8) The Development of Self-Help Skills in Children with Autism (Stephen R. Anderson); (9) Adaptive Behavior in Adolescents and Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Ongoing Research and Feature Directions (Peter F. Gerhardt, Jessica Zawacki, and Gloria Satriale); (10) Peer Acceptance, Social Engagement, and Friendship: Critical Social Goals for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (Connie Kasari, Jill Locke, Eric Ishijima, and Mark Kretzmann); (11) Impact of Psychopharmacology on Adaptive and Social Responding in Learners with Autism Spectrum Disorders (Roy Sanders); (12) Pseudoscience in Social Skills Research and Interventions (Thomas L. Zane); and (13) Bringing Social Competence Interventions to Scale in Autism Spectrum Disorders: The Next Challenge (Daniel Crimmins, Ginny VanRie, and John Lutzker). Section II, Perspectives from Individuals on the Autism Spectrum, Family Members, and Service Providers, contains: (14) Adults on the Autism Spectrum Mentoring Children on the Spectrum (Linda Styles); (15) It's All a Sham (Walt Guthrie); (16) To Fit or Not to Fit (Patricia Lanaspa); (17) The Middle School Dance: A Mother's Answer (Stacey Ramirez); (18) "Refl-Ex-ions on OAR 2008" (Rosa I. Arriaga); and (19) An Open Response to Dan Crimmins and Peter Gerhardt, et al.: A Response to the Organization for Autism Research and the Applied Research Convocation (Bob Morris). Section III, Afterword, contains: (20) Reflections on the Convocation (Daniel Crimmins, Shahla Ala'i-Rosales, and Peter F. Gerhardt).