Homeschooling the Child with Autism: Answers to the Top Questions Parents and Professionals Ask

If you are a parent who is wrestling with the idea of homeschooling a child who has an autism diagnosis, Schetter and Lighthall have pulled together information to help you through the decision. The authors included a great deal of input from five homeschooling moms whose children are on the autism spectrum, allowing readers to peek into their lives and homeschools in a way that reveals the creativity and flexibility that homeschooling allows a family and the opportunities for success at home that were not possible in a school-based setting. The homeschooling moms are generous in their descriptions of what they do at home. The authors and the moms provide some troubleshooting and "how to" strategies and they provide resources for more information, as well. In Parent Perspective sections, they offer readers "snapshots" of what they're able to do better or differently to meet individual needs via a home setting. As a parent using a neurodevelopmental, relationship approach of intervention with my daughter, I disagree with some (not all) of the material devoted to teaching social skills and social thinking. If you're new to homeschooling a child on the autism spectrum or are considering homeschooling as an option, this book will be helpful to you. If you're homeschooling a child and are struggling through some challenges, you will find the Parent Perspective sections helpful, as other homeschooling moms share what worked or didn't work for them. School teachers may find some of the strategies helpful in a school setting as well.

This book is well-written, concise, easy to read, and contains answers to the 20 most pressing questions that parents and professionals have about homeschooling children on the autism spectrum. The authors are long-time professionals in the fields of autism and special education. They drew upon extensive literature review, parent interviews, and their own wealth of experience in working with ASD students. While the authors are not parents and have not homeschooled their own children, they do a masterful job of integrating parents' voices throughout the book. The authors, being professionals, also bring a credible voice to the topic. This is an excellent book to give to family members and professionals who may question or be critical of your choice to homeschool your children. The authors, through their own research for this book, became convinced that homeschooling is a truly viable option, with many benefits for ASD children. While homeschooling may in the past have been considered non-mainstream, the authors state that homeschooling can be an excellent, well-grounded choice for many families with children on the spectrum of any age (elementary through college). If you are considering homeschooling your ASD student, this book will give you a lot of information and support. If you are a professional who wants to understand the benefits of homeschooling an ASD student, you will find your questions answered in this book. Thank you, Patty and Kandis for your years of working with ASD children, your research, and open-mindedness that have all come together in this book.