ABOUT THE AUTISM PRESCHOOL PROGRAM for LEARNING ENHANCEMENT (APPLE)

The APPLE program is designed to provide supplemental student instruction to enhance learning. The program consists of 3 one-to-one instructional sessions and 2 small group/classroom instructional sessions each week. A combination of instructional methods will be used including Discrete Trial Teaching, Pivotal Response Training, and Functional Routines.  Enrollment is limited to 12 students each school year.

Our APPLE program is based on the STAR Program-Strategies for Teaching Based on Autism Research. The STAR program is a comprehensive behavioral program for young children with autism. It is designed for three instructional levels, Level I, II, and III, to meet the various developmental and educational needs of children with autism and related disabilities.  Our student instructional plans are linked to student Individual Program Plans to provide maximum instructional support for our APPLE students.

Enrollment is determined based on a number of factors, including but not limited to:
• Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder or characteristics making diagnosis likely.
• Greater than 50% delay in 2/3 areas:  Communication, Cognitive, and/or Social.
• Emerging skills in imitation, following simple one-step directions, and single word receptive and expressive vocabulary skills.
• Results of the STAR Student Learning Profile.
• Teacher and Therapist reports of progress.
• Parent information.
     
Our APPLE staff members consist of an APPLE paraprofessional and the APPLE Services Coordinator. Our office schedules are Mondays thru Fridays, 7:45 a.m.-3 p.m.  Our office phone is (479) 636-3190. Our e-mail address is This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Please feel free to contact us anytime that you may have a question about the program.