When we first met David, a classmate of Sheronda's, he was also a three year old child with a diagnosis of autism. He was a small child with sandy blonde hair, an angelic face and intense blue eyes. At the time that the inclusive program was initiated, his foster mother was looking for a full-day child care program to provide respite and improve her ability to meet his needs in the home.

Unfortunately, David's initial placement in a child care center was unsuccessful. His foster mother felt that the early childhood staff did not want him and were rejecting in their behavior toward David. She withdrew him from the program after about four weeks. A full-day program was then located for David in a Montessori preschool and child care center. The staff in this program was eager to have him and to work with the special education team to learn strategies to involve David in the program. Despite a successful six month placement, his foster family decided that caring for David was no longer feasible. David was then placed in a residential facility, but continued in his early childhood program.

David initially demonstrated aggressive behavior to other children (biting and hair pulling), and behavior that was injurious to himself (head banging, face slapping and air swallowing). He also engaged in stereotypy including body rocking, humming and occasionally "shrieking or laughing" that appeared unrelated to environmental events.

David required a considerable amount of adult support. As part of his program, he received intensive one-on-one assistance for individual activities from his teachers and therapists and also received intensive adult support and facilitation during all periods of interaction with peers in routine and play activities. On his first day in the inclusive Montessori program he pulled a handful of hair from a friendly little girl who got a little too close to him. Through her tears, she wailed, "He doesn't like me!"

The children definitely noticed David's behavior and were leery of approaching him, although their tenacity and persistence at establishing a relationship with him was long term and heart warming. The children came to understand that David needed a way to approach them and say hello. With the support of a para-facilitator, they practiced faithfully with David, until he established a more suitable way of approaching his peers. His friends also became willing partners in establishing joint attention and interaction in play and other classroom routines.

During the time David attended the inclusive program his needs were many and complex. Attention to issues of transition and advocacy were particularly critical for this little boy as he moved from home to home and program to program. Ongoing communication between special education, early childhood education, and child care program staff, his foster family and social welfare staff was essential. This picture became even more complicated when he lived in a "hospital residence" maintained by personnel across three shifts. A new foster home was located about a year after his residential placement and David moved to a new community. He was greatly missed by all.