New Services offered by STEPS Center for Excellence in Autism

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See the outline below is the new services offered by STEPS for the 2009 " -2010 "

school year. For more information please call 440-377-0029.

Phone: 440-377-0029

Fax: 440-274-0283

The STEPS Center was developed to meet the needs of children diagnosed with

autism spectrum disorders and related developmental delays in a center-based

program. Our program addresses communication, conversation, and language skills,

motor skills, social and play skills, receptive language skills, imitation

skills, and small and large group responding. In addition, behavior programs are

designed to increase functional behaviors.

Your child will receive quality services that are individualized to meet their

needs. The STEPS Center offers:

• 1:1 teacher to student ratio

• A comprehensive assessment of language, learning, and behavior skills to guide

treatment

• Teaching methods and interventions that are supported by research

• A strong emphasis on natural environmental teaching to assist your child in

successful generalization and to encourage incidental learning

• Monthly workshops at the Center in which parents, consultants and any outside

service providers involved can participate to ensure the ongoing success of

students

• Committed and experienced degreed professionals dedicated to supporting our

children

• Programs overseen by Board Certified Behavioral Analysts

The STEPS Program is based on a level system in which children are placed based

on their language, academic, functional skills, behavioral, and social skills

needs.

STEP 1 Intensive Intervention:

• 1:1 intensive intervention throughout the entire day at the STEPS Center

located in Strongsville

• Development of language skills, imitation skills and decreasing any

maladaptive behaviors

• At this level the child learns how to engage with another person and also

learns skills that are the basis for any type of group instruction, including

sitting and attending skills

• Monthly Speech Therapy consultation in which recommendations are incorporated

into the \\\\

• daily program and data is collected daily

• Monthly Occupational Therapy consultations in which recommendations are

incorporated into the daily program and data is collected daily

• Part time and full time programs available

• Full time: 9am-2pm Monday-Friday

• Part-time: (choose 1 option) 8:30am-11am, 12pm-2:30pm, 3pm-5:30pm

Monday-Friday

STEP 2 Beginning Group Instruction:

• Primarily group instruction with a 1:3 ratio and 1:1 instruction when needed

• Children at this level are transferred into the Academy of St. Adalbert

• In this setting they receive small group instruction for academics, social

skills and higher level language skills

• Inclusion into the typical classroom when appropriate with STEPS aides

• The goal at this level is to increase inclusive experiences and increase

skills that are being taught in the larger group setting

• When the children are learning and maintaining skills in the typical classroom

and are demonstrating generalization of language and social skills to peers,

they then move into Step 3

STEP 3 Intermediate Group Instruction:

• Children at this level are fully included into the typical classroom setting

at the Academy of St. Adalbert with the support of an aide that helps to

facilitate social interactions, aides the child in maintaining appropriate

behaviors and provides academic support as needed up to 4 hours per day

• The highly trained aides teach the child how to learn in a large group setting

and how to incorporate tools that could help facilitate successful inclusion

STEP 4 Advanced Group Instruction:

• Full inclusion without aide support at the Academy of St. Adalbert

• Behavioral consulting 4 hours per month