Autism Therapy: peer mentors

This paper provides an overview of the speech therapist's role in the educational program of a child with Asperger's. It was written to educate speech therapists about Asperger syndrome and relevant school-based therapies. The paper focuses on the role of the speech therapist in addressing deficits in academics, behavior, and communication.

The author suggests that speech therapists can help extend and generalize speech therapy into the classroom by offering classroom teachers suggestions. She also suggests that peer mentors might be helpful in providing important opportunities for positive social interaction. The paper concludes that the most effective school-based approaches appear to include a combination of early identification, family involvement, and individualized treatment.