The Autism Nest Model: An Inclusive Education Framework for Autistic Children

by Shirley Cohen PhD, Allison Graham Brown

Overview

The Autism Nest Model is a successful and much-praised program adopted by the New York City public school system as well as the top-ranked Danish school system. It has engaged and educated autistic children and their neurotypical peers for more than 20 years. The book's change in title from The ASD Nest Model to The Autism Nest Model is indicative of the evolution not only of language but also the understanding and practice that the new edition reflects. Although the Nest Model is designed for use in grades K-12, this book focuses on the elementary version, which serves students in K-5th grade.

The Nest Model helps schools create settings in which all children engage comfortably and successfully. Its comprehensive approach is lauded by families, students, teachers, therapists and school leaders alike. By laying out the process of developing the model, its philosophy, strategies, and practical examples, The Autism Nest Model is now available to a wide audience.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781963367072
Publisher:	Future Horizons, Inc.
Publication date:	02/04/2025
Pages:	206
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.00(d)

About the Author

Shirley Cohen earned a PhD in developmental psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University. She worked as a kindergarten and first grade teacher, a remedial reading teacher, and a teacher of children with autism before becoming a faculty member at Hunter College of the City University of New York (CUNY.) Dr. Cohen held numerous roles at the college: Director of the CUNY/NYS Regional Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders; Chair of the Department of Special Education; Associate Dean and Interim Dean of the Hunter College School of Education. Dr. Cohen, the author of several books in the area of disability, worked with colleagues from New York Universityand Hunter College to develop the Nest program and co-edited the original edition of the book on that Model. She retired from Hunter College in 2011.

Allison Graham Brown is the Executive Director of the Nest Support Project at New York University(NYU) in the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. Allison earned a BA in psychology from Ohio State Universityand an MA in education from NYU. Allison has been a proud member of the Nest community since 2006, beginning as a New York City Public School special education teacher at the first Nest middle school. In 2013, she joined the Nest Support Project at NYU and held numerous roles: Instructional Support Specialist, Director of Professional Development, and Director of the Secondary Education Department. During her tenure she supported the launch of the Nest model in Denmark and led the development of the Nest high school model. Allison has been an adjunct lecturer at Hunter College and NYU. Allison partners with school communities, specifically working with school leadership to enhance their equitable and inclusive practices, deepen understanding of neurodiversity, and implementing neurodiversity-affirming and strength based practices.

Read an Excerpt

One can barely read the news these days without encountering some mention of autism, usually communicating alarm about its increased prevalence or the myriad possible factors, genetic and environmental, that may cause or trigger it. Parents-to-be and parents of infants are frightened. Well-known figures from the entertainment field are lending themselves to fundraising efforts for research into this condition. Conferences on autism abound. Arguments about diagnosis and labeling pervade the medical and educational fields. Should the term “autism spectrum disorder” have replaced the terms “autistic disorder, Asperger’s disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) in the latest version of the widely used diagnostic manual of the American Psychiatric Association (DSM-5)? What genes cause autism? And finally, what treatments and/or supports that are available now will help which children the most?

The co-founders (Dorothy Siegel and Shirley Cohen), consultants, and long-term staff of the ASD Nest program have developed and have been implementing an intervention model for higher-functioning children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) that has enabled almost all of the children in this program to be successfully educated in classes with their more typically developing peers in neighborhood public schools. While providing support for the special needs of these children, we are strengthening their ability to understand and meet social and academic expectations. Who are these “higher functioning” children with ASD?

They are children who have challenges in social communication and interactions along with restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, and activities. Many are highly routine-dependent and resistant to change. Some have unusual reactions to sensory stimuli, with hypersensitivity to one or more types of sensory input. Some have poor self-regulation and frequent meltdowns. Others need extra time to process verbal communications and respond to them. Many are highly anxious. Some flap their hands or jump up and down when they are anxious or excited. And many are passionately interested in selected subjects and are intellectually curious as well as creative. Virtually all have IQs within the range considered average or higher, and all have received a diagnosis of autism, either prior to being considered for admission to the ASD Nest program or during the admission process. Most children are admitted at kindergarten age, with a few being admitted in higher grades when there are openings in the program. The strategies and classroom practices described in this manual were designed for the ASD Nest program. The ASD Nest model is an inclusion program serving children who have ASD, particularly higher-functioning children with that condition. While the program serves children on the autism spectrum who are often referred to as high-functioning or “higher-functioning,” many of the practices in this book will be useful in working with children with ASD who are not usually thought of as higher functioning, as well as other populations of children with special needs, including children identified as having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and children with learning or behavior disorders. The principles behind these practices take into consideration each child’s needs, strengths, and interests, all basic to sound and effective instruction in both general and special education.

Table of Contents

Preface

Chapter 1

Introduction

The Autism Nest Program Classroom Guideposts

The Three-Tier Model of Supports for the Autism Nest Program

Case Examples

Conclusion

Chapter 2: Classroom Guideposts

Overview of the Autism Nest Program

Prevention Strategies

Instructional Strategies and Supports

Social Supports That Strengthen Social Relational Development and Social Cognition

Replacement Behavior

Positive Reinforcement Systems

Using the Classroom Guideposts

Conclusion

Chapter 3: Three-Tier Model of Supports

Using the Tier I Classroom Checklist of Strategies and Supports

Using the Tier I Checklist of Strategies and Supports for Individual Students

Using the Tier II Checklist of Strategies and Supports for Individual Students

Using the Tier III Checklist of Strategies and Supports for Individual Students

Conclusion

Chapter 4: The Three-Tier System and the Classroom Guideposts in Action

The Tier I Classroom Checklist in Operation

The Tier I Checklist of Strategies and Supports for Individual Students

The Tier II Checklist of Strategies and Supports for Individual Students

The Tier III Checklist of Strategies and Supports for Individual Students

References

About the Authors

Editorial Reviews

The Autism Nest Model describes the people, processes, program supports and strategies essential for producing strong, positive educational outcomes for autistic children. Well-researched, and using evidence-based practices, it incorporates strategies that address areas of common difficulties, including sensory functioning, social skills, and self-regulation. The Nest Model is for students from grades K-12. However, this book focuses on the elementary model, which serves students from K-5th grade.

Formulated in response to the severe shortage of educational programs designed for school-age autistic children able to perform at grade level, the Nest Model helps children engage comfortably and successfully in inclusive settings in their schools and communities, with decreased need for professional support.

The original book, The ASD Nest Model, presented the system from conception in 2001 through development and implementation in 2012. It established the foundation of the Nest program from which the current model evolved. This second edition covers the entire period of 20 plus years from conception to the present, showcasing the evolution of the model over that period. The book's change in title from The ASD Nest Model to The Autism Nest Model is indicative of the evolution not only of language but also the understanding and practice that the new edition reflects.

This new edition has three parts. Part One highlights the foundational strategies and supports of the model during its first ten years, including the partnership between the New York City Public Schools and the Nest program. Part Two describes the ongoing development and evolution of the program across the following 10 years, with a focus on neurodiversity-affirming practices, including what has been learned from the experience of the autistic advocate community and changes in the field. Part Three presents challenges to scaling the model, and considerations for responding to those challenges, while highlighting the outstanding successes of the program across two decades.

From the Publisher