From Chapter 3, Models for Serving Children and Parents

MODELS OF INTERVENTION
This chapter describes some of the common approaches to the use of behavioral techniques in early intensive intervention for children with autism. We will use specific well-known, highly respected schools as examples of these programs. These programs are located all around the United States and vary greatly in their structure. But they also have common features that make them all excellent. They are not, of course, the only excellent programs available. There are many programs that serve children with autism well; we happen to be most familiar with the ones we talk about here.

Common Features of Excellence
The common features that tie very good early intervention programs together are as important to know as the features that make them different. There are areas of focus that appear again and again in the descriptions of model programs. These include such factors as a rich ratio of adults to children, opportunities for integration with typically developing peers, careful planning for the transition from the specialized program to a more normalized program, opportunities for family involvement, and a well-developed curriculum. It is these common features, summarized in Table 3-1 on the next page, that you can look for when you evaluate specific programs for your child.

Number of Adults
It is not uncommon for programs to offer a one-to-ratio of adults to children during the child's first year or two of instruction. Although not every excellent program does this, most do. When they do not offer one-to-one teaching, the rationale for doing so is well developed and not simply the result of insufficient resources.

Access to Typical Peers
At some point in treatment, most excellent programs include an opportunity for contact with typically developing peers. The methods of doing this vary, with some programs offering integrated placement from the child's first days, and others delaying this placement until the child has mastered what they regard as prerequisite skills. Some programs have children with a range of disabilities and include the children with autism in classes for children with other challenges such as learning disabilities or communication delays. Regardless of when they offer integration with typically developing children, excellent programs recognize that for most children with autism, having this exposure in the preschool years is crucial if the child is to achieve full educational integration.