The
instructional methods used at CLC are derived from the science of
Applied Behavior Analysis and are evaluated through on-going, objective
data collection. Each student has a specifically tailored instructional
curriculum to meet his or her needs across all areas of daily life.
Individualized teaching and assessment procedures, written for each
skill, are created or adapted from empirical research.
Areas
of instruction include a strong emphasis on language and social skills,
academics, and self-sufficiency with self-care, home life, and
community participation.
Initially, students receive services
in one-to-one sessions with an instructor throughout the day to ensure
maximum instructional opportunities. As students acquire skills that
enable each to participate more independently as a member of a small
group, the student-teacher ratio is increased whenever appropriate.
Instructors
receive on-going training in research-based intervention techniques,
designing individualized skill acquisition and treatment procedures,
data collection and analysis, and in promoting generalization of new
skills to home and community settings. Rigorous annual evaluations
ensure that all staff members possess the requisite skills for
providing quality intervention services.
Through
the use of data-based procedures to assess intervention services for
each student, CLC staff members are responsible for ensuring positive
outcomes for all students. Data-based programming ensures that teaching
and treatment procedures are effective, or that ineffective procedures
are adapted or replaced with procedures that produce a positive outcome.