Demonstration Program

The therapeutic support team is made up of an inclusion specialist/special educator, speech and language pathologist, occupational therapist, physical therapist, and music therapist. Accommodations are made as necessary and additional support is added to the classroom to meet a child’s individual needs. The Center works closely with Child Study Team members from the child’s school district and with any other professionals who are involved with the child in order to create a complementary cohesive plan.

Individualized learning goals and instructional strategies are developed for each child by the support team, classroom team and family. The goals are addressed within developmentally appropriate routines and activities that are influenced by a DIR/Floortime model and semi-structured activities in the context of the inclusive preschool day.

“Floor Time” begins by the adult observing the child and then entering the activity by following the child’s lead. The child’s response closes the circle of communication. The objective is to help a child string together significant numbers of circles of communication that have high affective interaction and help a child reach developmentally appropriate levels of functional emotional development.

In semi-structured segments the adult structures the activity in order to extend and expand learning. The adult remains watchful of “teachable moments” when the child’s interest will be given precedence over planned objectives.

The school day also includes various sensory motor activities that address processing abilities and strength necessary for enjoyment and learning. These activities are conducted in the classroom, the gym and outside.

Interactions within the classroom, in the gym and on the playground are engineered to acknowledge each child’s readiness for relationships (i.e., one adult with one child, two adults with two children, one adult with two children and so on up to the possibility of six or more children in a small group sharing interest and enjoying engagement in activities such as story, music, dance, gross motor, crafts, sensory or pretend play).

Related services such as speech and language therapy and occupational therapy are infused or integrated into the learning environments. Therapists work alongside the classroom staff to address identified goals while engaging the child in classroom activities. The classroom staff and therapists work together creating and implementing strategies to support the child’s development. The classroom staff then uses these strategies throughout the day even when the therapist is not present in the room.

Challenging behaviors are viewed as communication. The staff works together with families to assess the contributing factors which may include but are not limited to medical factors, family stressors, sensory needs as well as frustration regarding communication challenges. Families and staff members work together to problem solve and develop plans to make necessary accommodations to support each child’s needs. 

Families are welcome to have a tour of The Center to observe the inclusive preschool classrooms in action.

Screening for enrollment typically begins with the Child Study Team Case Manager contacting the School Director for an appointment.

In the event that a child has identified special needs, is attending the Center but is not attending the Center for implementation of an IEP, the Center responds to the child based on our philosophy and curriculum. Sometimes the child may need additional support for successful participation. In these cases, we talk with the family about individualized one-one adult support.  This service might be provided as part of the child’s IEP, paid for by the family or subsidized in part through a small grant in the University Foundation.