This text is designed to help school-based staff develop more communication-enabling environments for children with autism who use little or no spoken language. The material is based on a two-year research project observing five classrooms and 18 children. Coverage includes an overview of autism; the impact of adult speech, and the use and effectiveness of a minimal speech approach; the benefits of Proximal Communication; the advantages of a continuum approach to prompting; ways to provide high quality communication opportunities in everyday school activities; and possible strategies for enabling children with autism to communicate with each other. Both authors have extensive experience in the field of autism. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)