ABLLS-R Assessment
The Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills - Revised (ABLLS-R) is an assessment tool, curriculum guide, and skills-tracking system used to help guide the instruction of language and critical learner skills for children with autism or other developmental disabilities. It is not used to diagnose autism. Assessment is the cornerstone of creating appropriate and effective interventions. The ABLLS-R is a skill-tracking system, assessing items from 25 different domains ranging from listening and language skills to academic and ADL skills. The scoring system is used to break down the specific skills into 2-4 levels. Testing is then tracked by marking the level that matches the child's current skill and from there, determines where to begin teaching in each skill area. The organization system allows for tracking learner’s progress over time.
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The results of the ABLLS-R will determine the child’s strengths and limitations and a comprehensive, individualized curriculum can be developed. The ABLLS-R is a curriculum guide, in that the most basic skills under each domain are listed first and then built upon as the child progresses. When developing an Individual Service Plan (ISP), the ABLLS-R curriculum guides the selection of objectives from the Basic Learner Skills section that focus on language and other crucial skills that enable a child to learn from their environment. For example, motor imitation leads to many different kinds of learning through better observation skills.
The assessment is a required first step in setting-up your child's individual program. It is completed at program start-up, after 6 months of services and every year following that your child attends the centre all for the initial one-time fee of $750.00 plus GST. Based on the results of the assessment, we develop an individualized service plan (ISP) for your child that we implement throughout the sessions. The service plan is constantly updated as your child progresses.
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Prior to beginning 1:1 sessions at the centre, your child must undergo ABLLS-R testing.
Intensive Behavioural Intervention
(IBI)
Intensive Behavioural Intervention (IBI) is based on the scientific principles of the broader field of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA). Done correctly, ABA interventions are not a "one size fits all" approach consisting of a predetermined set of programs or drills. On the contrary, every aspect of intervention is customized to each learner's skills, needs, interests, preferences, and family situation. For those reasons, an ABA program for one learner might look somewhat different than a program for another learner.
IBI is an intensive, comprehensive treatment strategydesigned specifically for young children with autism. It is typically provided between 18 and 40 hours per week and should begin early in a child's life, ideally before 4 years of age.
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IBI is comprehensive in that it is designed to target a range of skills within a developmental sequence (e.g., functional communication, social/play skills [cooperative play; appropriate toy play]; cognitive skills [imitation; matching]; pre-academic skills; self care skills; problem behaviours). The goal of IBI is to change a child's developmental trajectory or rate of learning as defined by clinically significant changes in a child's cognitive, language and adaptive skills on standardized assessments.
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Once the ABLLS-R is complete, your child's individual IBI program will be scheduled.