Authors' Note
Throughout this document we refer to 'Autism Spectrum Disorders' ( ASD) to signify children and young people with diagnoses of autism, high functioning autism and Asperger's Syndrome or other autistic conditions as described in DSM IV (American Psychiatric Association, 1994 and 2000) and ICD 10 (World Health Organization, 1992) - to date the two most commonly used diagnostic criteria. We recognise that schools will sometimes work with pupils 'as if' they are on the autism spectrum - perhaps when a process of assessment and diagnosis is underway, or when behaviours strongly suggest that such approaches will be helpful to the individual concerned. Numbers of pupils with ASD attending mainstream education will have a diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome ( AS).