From www.teacch.com: Developed in the early 1970's by our founder, Eric Schopler, the TEACCH approach includes a focus on the person with autism and the development of a program around this person's skills, interests, and needs. The major priorities include centering on the individual, understanding autism, adopting appropriate adaptations, and a broadly-based intervention strategy building on existing skills and interests. By focusing on the individual we mean that the person is the priority, rather than any philosophical notion like inclusion, discrete trial training, facilitated communication, etc. We emphasize individualized assessment to understand the individual better and also "the culture of autism," suggesting that people with autism are part of a distinctive group with common characteristics that are different, but not necessarily inferior, to the rest of us.
I have undergone a condensed version training of TEACCH through the school I taught at during the 2006/2007 school year in order to use the strategies in my classroom with an autism-spectrum student. This is a wonderful program with strategies that help these students to better function in the classroom environment. Many of the strategies are also useful for other children in the classroom as well. Following you will find a list of strategies used for my student, an explanation and examples.

Physical Structure
Making clear visual and physical boundaries in the classroom will help to minimize visual and auditory distractions.
This is helpful in the following areas of the classroom: Break area, independent work area, transitions, group areas, computer areas and centers.
Examples:

• Names marked on the carpet area
• Labels for centers and other areas in the room.
• The floor marked for lining up to leave the room and at the water fountain for drinks.
• Special work area set up for breaks or working independently
• Pop-up tent for breaks
• Placement of bookshelves and tables help to designate certain areas of the room.

This is an example of a daily schedule that I have used with a student.

• Control of large motor function. A weighted vest helped my student to feel "grounded."
• My stundent had sensitive hearing and the normal noise of the classroom was often too much for him. Noise deafening headphones helped him to stay focused and to not be distracted.
• A chew necklace helps to calm when things get too overwhelming.

A weighted vest, chew necklace and noise deafening headphones.

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