The DATA Model for Teaching Preschoolers with Autism

Tool name

Purpose

Assess and provide intervention for children with autism in 6 key domains: Adaptive, Executive Functioning, Cognitive, Communication, Social, and Play

Age range

3–5 years

Used by

Early interventionists, early childhood educators and special educators, paraprofessionals, applied behavior analysts

Time commitment

The DATA Model is implemented on an ongoing basis during the school year. Children in the DATA Model spend 20 hours a week in school-based educational setting. They spend a minimum of ten hours a week in an inclusive preschool setting and ten hours a week in an intensive, instructional setting.

Blending Approaches to Meet Individual Needs

How can you help preschoolers with autism thrive in inclusive classrooms?

Support their success with this comprehensive, school-based program for children ages 3 to 5 with autism spectrum disorder. Blending best practices from applied behavior analysis and early childhood special education, The DATA Model is a proven program rooted in evidence-based practice and based on 20 years of testing and refinement. The DATA Model includes a Skills Checklist to determine functional needs and goals and monitor ongoing progress and more than 140 instructional programming sheets and lesson plans to increase children’s developmental progress.

Benefits

The DATA Model helps you:

create a developmentally appropriate learning environment
write clear, step-by-step instructional programs and lesson plans for every learning goal
select and deliver instructional strategies that fit the unique needs of each specific child
choose and use effective instructional tools such as discrete trials, naturalistic instruction, shaping, and chaining
address challenging behavior while increasing children’s ability to communicate their needs
collaborate with families and the community to meet the needs of each child

Developers

What You'll Need