| Children's Readiness Center | | | | Once accepted, they attend full-day classes, five |
| Student Disability: Significant developmental delays | | | | days a week, entering an educational environment |
| including autism, and mental retardation | | | | that promotes the greatest possible achievement. |
| Student Age: 5 to 8 (Early Elementary) | | | | The total child perspective at this Long Island school |
| Students who attend this state-of-the-art early | | | | is used to address the needs of each youngster on |
| education center in Long Island need a highly | | | | an individual basis. The curriculum stresses the |
| individualized behavioral approach and small class size | | | | development of physical skills and the growth of |
| (6:1:2). As part of its educational/behavioral approach, | | | | cognitive, social, emotional and language skills. Each |
| the programs specially trained staff track results of | | | | childs unique abilities and needs are considered in all |
| each students activities in continuous documentation. | | | | the programs activities. |
| Long Island school program goals include not only | | | | An Engineered Aided Language Environment, using |
| developing the youngsters communication skills and | | | | visual strategies and assistive technology, are used to |
| increasing their social interactions but also | | | | encourage physical development and the growth of |
| accomplishing individualized educational goals in | | | | communication skills for children attending this Long |
| preacademic and academic programs. Parents and | | | | Island school. For each child, a multidisciplinary team |
| family at this Long Island school learn behavioral and | | | | develops strategies and methods to meet the goals |
| educational strategies that can be used with the | | | | and objectives of his/her Individualized Education Plan |
| children at home. | | | | (IEP). Children receive physical, occupational, and |
| Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is the teaching | | | | speech therapies as prescribed in their IEPs. Time is |
| methodology used throughout the program. Skills are | | | | spent each day encouraging the growth of skills |
| broken down into small steps and various teaching | | | | needed in activities of daily living, such as feeding and |
| techniques are used to ensure skill mastery under a | | | | dressing. Social skills are developed in structured |
| variety of conditions. This Long Island School uses a | | | | activities and free play. This Long Island school uses |
| progressive total communication system that may | | | | individual and group projects such as painting, cooking, |
| include spoken words, photographs, pictures, symbols | | | | coloring, planting flowers, water play and using the |
| and/ or sign language, to increase communication | | | | sand table develop motor and learning skills. The |
| skills. The Picture Exchange Communication System | | | | children work with specially trained teachers in the |
| (PECS) method involves the child initiating a social | | | | Learning Center where they begin to use assistive |
| exchange to make requests or communicate. | | | | technology, adapted computers, specialized software, |
| Carman Road Preschool | | | | touch screens and switches. Access to the Adapted |
| Student Disability: Preschooler with a disability (multiple | | | | Physical Education provides opportunities for additional |
| disabilities, physical disabilities) | | | | growth in motor skills for children attending this Long |
| Student Age: 3 to 5 | | | | Island school. |
| The Preschool Program at Carman Road School is | | | | Parents can visit their childs classroom and observe |
| one of many Long Island schools that provide total | | | | the program. They can also talk with the classroom |
| educational intervention for children with multiple, | | | | teacher and with members of the multidisciplinary |
| physical and cognitive disabilities in a specially designed | | | | team on these visits and throughout the year as |
| environment. All children at this Long Island school are | | | | necessary. Parents also participate in the |
| encouraged to reach their greatest potential through | | | | development of the childs IEP. Parent Teacher |
| many activities that stimulate growth and | | | | Association (PTA) meetings at this Long Island school |
| development while building self-confidence. | | | | cover topics that are important to education and |
| Youngsters are referred to the program by their local | | | | management of children with special needs and are |
| district Committee on Preschool Education (CPSE). | | | | held monthly. |