The program promotes high student achievement by providing intensive, direct instruction aimed at issues which typically interfere with learning within the autistic population. Students are prepared for learning by mastering prerequisite learning behaviors. Once students have mastered these prerequisite skills and behavior challenges have been reduced or eliminated, they are able to achieve developmental and readiness skills at a higher rate. The program, which has developed over the past six years, has proven to be highly successful with some students enrolling in regular education classes at the kindergarten or first grade levels. Others have been placed in special education classes which utilize a more typical, small-group model of instruction while being mainstreamed for part of the school day.
Training is available throughout the state by a variety of agencies.
Due to the rapid increase in the number of students diagnosed as autistic and lack of placements in established programs, school districts can meet the needs of these student in such a program. These needs have been identified through Child Study Team evaluations, parent conferences, teacher conferences, and by contacts with community agencies and physicians. The needs of children with autism are also well documented in professional resources. The practice addresses the standards through systematic instruction across developmental areas. Health promotion is initiated by teaching body parts and their functions while health-enhancing skills include beginning to develop refusal skills as well as the verbal skills to express displeasure, rather than physical displays of emotion.