This article outlines two compatible models for planning and implementing programsfor students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The Ziggurat Model begins theprocess with an assessment of individual strengths and concerns related specifically toASD and identifies interventions across five tiers that are matched to the individualsprofile: (a) sensory and biological, (b) reinforcement, (c) structure and visual/tactilesupports, (d) task demands, and (e) skills to teach. Content from the Ziggurat Model isthen placed with the Comprehensive Autism Planning System (CAPS) to allow thechilds day to be operationalized and matched to student goals, state standards, andrelated benchmarks. This article overviews this process and offers a brief case study asan example.

Autism spectrum disorders, the Ziggurat Model, the Comprehensive Autism Planning System (CAPS)