Division TEACCH, located in the School of Medicine at the University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill, was one of the first programs in the
country to understand that autism was an organic rather than a biologic
condition. We were also one of the earliest programs to recognize the
enormous variability in characteristics and behaviors of children
described as autistic. For these reasons, the processes of diagnosis and
assessment have always been important and central to our program. We are
therefore extremely pleased to have a volume representing the most
current thinking of the field's leaders in these important areas. As
with the preceding books in our series, Current Issues in Autism, this
volume is based on one of the annual TEACCH conferences held in Chapel
Hill each May. The books are not simply published proceedings of the
conference papers, however. Rather, conference participants are asked to
develop a full chapter around their presentations. Other international
experts whose work is beyond the scope of the conference, but related to
the major theme, are asked to contribute chapters as well. These volumes
are designed to provide the most current knowledge in research and
professional practice available on the most important issues defining
and clarifying autism.