Philosophy

BIA strives to enhance each child’s ability to reach his/her maximum potential by:

• Creating a developmentally appropriate and
  comprehensive curriculum
• Capitalizing on a child’s strengths and interests
• Providing an intensive number of learning
  opportunities
• Generalizing skills across settings (peers, school,
  community)
• Providing comprehensive family and staff training programs
• Assisting and supporting children in mainstream
  settings
• BIA blends skill-based teaching approaches based
  upon the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)
• This includes positive behavioral support strategies, pivotal response teaching, discrete trial instruction, cognitive behavior modification, Visual teaching strategies: (PECS (Picture Exchange Communication Systems) visual schedules/visual tasks as found in TEACCH (Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication Handicapped Children)

While creating a unique relationship with each student built on trust, reciprocity, and shared enjoyment of relating. •

Curriculum

BIA utilizes both structured and incidental teaching
opportunities. Beginning with a child’s interest, BIA
creates a natural and playful learning environment
targeting the following areas of development:

• Learning Readiness (Imitation and Attention)
• Functional Communication
• Development of Play Skills/Leisure Time Activities
• Speech Development
• Auditory Processing & Language Sequencing
• Social Competence with Peers
• Community Awareness
• Fine and Gross Motor Development
• Developing Classroom Competence

Elements

BIA's program elements include:

• Functional Approach to dealing with problem behaviors
• Highly Structured and supportive teaching environment
• Strategies for Generalization of skills within an increasingly less restrictive environment
• Opportunities, Support & Integration of family involvement
• High Level of Supervision and consistency of highly effective program staff

Approach

BIA's overall approach to intervention and services:

• Respects the individual's human dignity and personal privacy
• Assures the Individual's Physical Freedom, social interaction & individual choice
• Systematic
• Results in Lasting, Positive Change in the individual's behavior
• Helps the Individual Learn To Interact effectively in community/social settings
• Assures the Individual's Access to living in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)
• Replaces Problem Behaviors with socially acceptable behaviors