This qualitative case study is about educational change through program implementation, and focuses on the first year of implementation of the TEACCH program for kindergarten children with autism from the perspective of the principal, teacher, consultant, school staff and parents. This was part of an ongoing district initiative to reduce out-of-district placements, and to bring about the in-district education and acceptance into the school community of moderately to severely disabled children with autism. The research on educational change provides the conceptual framework for the study, which explores this change process through the phases of adoption, implementation, continuation and outcomes. Data were collected using individual and focus group interviews, and document analysis. The findings show that in this case the factors necessary to achieve successful implementation were in place, including effective leadership, a sound adoption process, and quality staff development. Added factors of a high performing, dedicated staff, an emerging child-centered, collaborative culture, and an element of fortunate synchronicity created an environment that supported successful implementation. Clearly everything was in place for continuation, yet the program was not continued. In this case, a sound adoption process and an implementation phase strongly supported by a combination of key success factors and fortunate coincidences were necessary but not sufficient conditions for the program to be continued. However this change process did move the district forward toward the goal of providing in-district education for this population, and there was indeed real change in practice and acceptance of the children into the school community. In addition, engaging in this successful implementation effort had several positive outcomes, although not in ways that may have been anticipated.
