Emer Ring is Head of the Department of Reflective Pedagogy and Early Childhood Studies at Mary Immaculate College. She worked previously as a primary teacher and a senior inspector with the Department of Education and Skills and has published widely in the area of education, with a particular focus on autism spectrum difference and inclusion.

Patricia Daly is Head of the Department of Educational Psychology, Inclusive and Special Education at Mary Immaculate College. Previously she worked as a post-primary teacher in Ireland and lectured at several universities in the United States, including Ohio Dominican University.

Eugene Wall is Acting President of Mary Immaculate College and previously worked as a primary teacher and educational psychologist. He lectures in developmental and educational psychology and is co-author of the MICRA-T and SIGMS-T, two of the most widely used standardized tests in Irish primary schools.

This is the first book focused on providing Irish parents and early years, primary, post-primary and special school teachers with effective strategies for supporting children with autism spectrum difference. It rejects «disorder» in favour of «difference», emphasising the importance of a child-centred approach and the dangers of overgeneralising.

CONTENTS: Margaret Egan: Effective Teaching Strategies to Promote Successful Learning - Lisha O'Sullivan: A Right to Play: Our Responsibility to Include Play in the Curriculum for Children with Autism Spectrum Difference - Sarah Feeney: Addressing Children's Sensory Differences: Strategies for Practice - Claire Griffin: Supporting Children with Autism Spectrum Difference: The Role of the Special Needs Assistant/Inclusion Support Assistant - Michele Dunleavy-Lavin/Shirley Heaney/Sharon Skehill: Individualized Planning: Bureaucratic Requirement or Critical for Effective Practice? - Marie Ryan: Assessment and Children with Autism Spectrum Difference - Anne O'Byrne: Including Parents Right from the Start - Emer Ring: Harnessing the Reggio Emilia Concept of the Environment as the «Third Teacher» for Children with Autism Spectrum Difference - Patricia Daly: Promoting Children's Wellbeing - Stella Long: Developing Knowledge and Understanding of Autism Spectrum Difference - Johanna Fitzgerald: Leading Learning for Children with Autism Spectrum Difference - Fionnuala Tynan: Self-Evaluation: The Way Forward.

Autism from the Inside Out is the first book to focus on providing Irish parents, early childhood, primary, post-primary and special school teachers with effective strategies for supporting children with autism spectrum difference at home and in educational settings. Presenting contributions from a range of national and international experts in education and psychology, the volume emerged from an evaluation of education provision commissioned by Ireland's National Council for Special Education, which clearly identified a need for additional guidance, advice and support for parents and teachers.

The book rejects «disorder» in favour of «difference», emphasizing the importance of a child-centred approach and the dangers of over-generalization. It includes chapters on effective teaching strategies to promote learning; responding to children's strengths and needs through individualized planning; assessment practices; the role of the Special Needs Assistant; managing transitions; the environment as the third teacher; promoting children's wellbeing; and effective leadership for inclusion.