ABSTRACT
Students who are diagnosed with ASD have a developmental disorder that results in severe social, communication, and/or behavioral impairments. Evaluation of gifts and talents, as well as ASD, is a complex process and requires a comprehensive assessment that is tailored to the student’s specific presenting issues. Giftedness and ASD are not mutually exclusive; they can and do coexist. Interventions to help gifted children and adolescents with ASD are diverse. The primary goal is to provide an environment that balances nurturing their strengths and supporting their limitations. Gifted and talented children with ASD flourish in classrooms where communication is clear and consistent. Gifted and talented students with ASD need opportunities for social interaction so that they can establish positive interpersonal relationships and improve their social skills. The focus of this chapter was to emphasize the need for the comprehensive evaluation of gifted and talented students with ASD so that appropriate interventions can be implemented early and effectively.
