6.4 1960s: developments in the UK

In 1962, a group of pioneering UK parents founded the National Autistic Society (NAS) to campaign for better services and support for autistic children. Their first school, run by Sybil Elgar, was established in 1965. Elgar pioneered a teaching method using a structured environment, clear and straightforward communication and visual aids. The NAS has since become a major source of information, advice, services and resources, and notably campaigns for the needs of adults with autism to be recognised and addressed.