Students attending this program are between the ages of 3 and 15. Many of these children exhibit the characteristics associated with a pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) including:

• Atypical ways of relating to people, objects or events
• Delays in communication, language and social skills
• Sensory difficulties producing unusual responses to the environment
• Cognitive delays

Highly staffed classes offer 1:1, 1:2 and small group instructional opportunities throughout the day in stimulus-controlled environments. The development of more adaptive interpersonal relations and self-help skills is stressed. For our older students, a prevocational curriculum promotes specific work skills. A strong emphasis on communication development includes augmentative systems like sign language and assistive devices as well as the enhancement of verbal abilities. The techniques of North Carolina's TEACCH program promote student progress and increased independence.

For young children with autism or other multiple needs, the Intensive Learning Program offers several classes based on applied behavior analysis. Research by psychologists like O. Ivar Lovaas, Ph.D.. has shown that intensive behavioral instruction can maximize learning potential. Skills are broken down into small components taught in behaviorally oriented drills. Each response is objectively measured and the analysis of this data is critical to educational decision-making. An individualized reward system encourages correct responses. The child's family plays an important role in the development and generalization of this program.