Intensive ABA Program

Intensive ABA Programs are designed to meet the individual needs of children who are diagnosed with Autism or ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) between the ages of 3 and 12 years of age; Intensive Behavioral Treatment (IBT) is provided within a language-based ABA educational environment where teaching is highly structured for acquisition of new skills. The environment becomes less structured as the child demonstrates the use of skills learned in natural settings and across routines throughout the day.  Within ABC’s unique generalization framework, each child’s program teaches critical language skills, functional activities, socialization, initiation/spontaneity and generalization of mastered concepts/skills. These skills are built into every student’s program and individualized to meet his or her learning style and unique needs. The overall goal is to prepare the student for reintegration into his/her neighborhood school.

To ensure the quality and effectiveness of each child’s ABA program, ABC provides a 1:1 child to adult ratio, particularly when a child starts the program. The child is then moved to a paired or group setting when this is deemed to be beneficial for his/her socialization progress .

Every child's ABA program starts with a comprehensive functional assessment including an in depth analysis of his or her language repertoire. Development and progression of the child's individual program includes teaching generalization during the acquisition of skills and concepts guided by ABC's R.E.A.L. (Recreating Environments to Accelerate Learning; Terzich, 1996) program. The focus of intervention is mainly on those deficits that impede the child's ability to engage in purposeful language interactions with others. ABC subscribes to language programs consistent with Skinner's Verbal Behavior book, allowing more effective acquisition of repertoires that develop language such as, mands (requests), play and social behaviors (initial programming components). Once the child masters a broad spectrum of skills and concepts, the focus of intervention is bridging them in the child's natural learning environment. The goal is to teach the child more complex repertoires to enhance his/her quality of life and participate in the real world socially and adaptively.