ABSTRACT
Programs exist in Athens, Moscow, Gdansk, Melbourne, Oslo, and Istanbul that are deeply committed to research and intervention for children with autism spectrum disorder using principles of applied behavior analysis. The element these particular programs have in common is support and collaboration with the Princeton Child Development Institute (PCDI). Edward Fenske came on board as one of PCDI's first teachers, and later Gregory MacDuff, a University of Kansas alumnus, initially volunteered at the program and joined the staff in 1977; the two men are the current Executive Directors of PCDI. Many of the young children receiving services left PCDI to be mainstreamed into public school classrooms, but others who came to PCDI as adolescents, or who presented challenging behaviors including self-injury and aggression, progressed more slowly. In 1985, PCDI purchased its own property and constructed a new facility especially designed for student instruction and also for professional training and research.
