The thesis explores the ethical questions underlying important contemporary debates about how society should respond to autism; whether autism is 'disease', 'disability' or 'difference', and whether it requires 'treatment' or 'acceptance'. Part 1 comprises a historical overview of how knowledge about autism has evolved through the perspective of contrasting stakeholders – clinicians and researchers, parents, professionals, the neuro-diversity movement. It reviews the main areas of academic ethical discussion to date with regard to autism, and proposes a new analytic framework – structured in terms of six 'categories of intervention': from pre-conceptual measures to post-birth interventions targeted towards infants and adults, and from individuals through to wider societal measures. Part 2 then conducts an ethical analysis using this framework. Examples are offered at each stage of intervention, along with a discussion of the ethical questions posed at each one. Part 3 reflects on the questions to which Part 2 has given rise, addressing the way ethical positions on how to respond to autism rely on wider views about quality of life and wellbeing; parental virtues; the impact of local decisions on wider states of affairs (the Big Conundrum); and views on "where autism sits" in comparison with other conditions (the Analogy Challenge). It is argued that to conflate autism and suffering is to fail to do justice to extreme variations among autistic people, and disguises the extent to which external barriers may be the main obstacles to flourishing for autistic people and their families. The real-life conditions in which autistic people and their families struggle for recognition and support are therefore held to be of crucial significance for making both global and localised ethical judgements. It is therefore concluded that cure and/or prevention are not morally defensible as global targets for autism as a whole, but should be clearly distinguished from the ethical importance of supportive and therapeutic interventions to address particular problems that autistic individuals may have. The implications, for research and practice, are spelled out, with particular emphasis on the need for further dialogue among all stakeholders.

There is a lag in implementation of evidence-based interventions (EBI) in public schools in the United States. This lag creates a gap between what has been scientifically supported and what has also been implemented in school settings by special education teachers and school psychologists. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if consultation and professional development resources and 2 elements of school culture (school climate and school characteristics) predict the implementation of EBIs. The study tested 7 potential predictor variables: professional development, consultation, school climate, inclusive characteristic, exclusive characteristic, bureaucratic characteristic, and adhocratic characteristic. Survey data from 137 middle school special education teachers and psychologists were analyzed using stepwise multiple linear regression analysis. Notable findings included that consultation accounted for 11% of the variance of EBI frequency alone, professional development accounted for 9%, and both combined accounted for 16%. Similarly, consultation accounted for 11% of the variance of implementation duration, professional development accounted for 8%, and both combined accounted for 15%. This study promotes positive social change through identifying ways for school administrators to increase school personnel's EBI implementation behavior: by investing in professional development and investing in consultation. Investments in these resources is predicted to improve school staffs' ability to better meet the complex educational needs of students with autism in least restrictive environments.

There is a lag in implementation of evidence-based interventions (EBI) in public schools in the United States. This lag creates a gap between what has been scientifically supported and what has also been implemented in school settings by special education teachers and school psychologists. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if consultation and professional development resources and 2 elements of school culture (school climate and school characteristics) predict the implementation of EBIs. The study tested 7 potential predictor variables: professional development, consultation, school climate, inclusive characteristic, exclusive characteristic, bureaucratic characteristic, and adhocratic characteristic. Survey data from 137 middle school special education teachers and psychologists were analyzed using stepwise multiple linear regression analysis. Notable findings included that consultation accounted for 11% of the variance of EBI frequency alone, professional development accounted for 9%, and both combined accounted for 16%. Similarly, consultation accounted for 11% of the variance of implementation duration, professional development accounted for 8%, and both combined accounted for 15%. This study promotes positive social change through identifying ways for school administrators to increase school personnel's EBI implementation behavior: by investing in professional development and investing in consultation. Investments in these resources is predicted to improve school staffs' ability to better meet the complex educational needs of students with autism in least restrictive environments.

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