The special day class is for students, ages 3 to 5, with a diagnosis of autism and/ or developmental delays. This class provides intensive, specialized supports and instruction designed to meet the unique needs of these students. Services include speech and language support, occupational therapy, intensive behavioral intervention, and access to non-disabled peers in natural environments. Specific instructional strategies include: TEACCH, PECS, integrated play groups, Discrete Trial Programs, and sensory processing activities. Most information is delivered to students through visual structure. Students use pictorial, photographic, or object schedules depending on their capabilities.
Students participate in a Functional Skills Curriculum that is supported by standards-based state adopted core curricular materials. The Functional Skills Curriculum focuses on the development of skills in the areas of functional academics, communication, mobility and social/emotional development. These skills are taught within the environmental domains of self-care/independent living recreation/leisure, vocational, and community access through Community Based Instruction.
The program uses the Preschool Foundations to guide the instructional practices and incorporate developmentally appropriate curricular materials into the daily schedule. The DRDP-Access is used to measure student progress on readiness skills in developmental and academic areas. Results are used by teachers to guide instructional planning. Instruction is designed to meet the individual needs of each student throughout the school day.
Establishing a functional means of communication for each student is an important focus of this program and a strong emphasis is placed on teaching the student appropriate behaviors. Typical students may enroll in the program. In order to develop parent-professional partnerships; daily communication books, parent trainings and annual home visits are an integral part of the program.
Students have opportunities for interaction with their typically developing peers in the classroom and through integrated play activities with the Conejo Valley Unified School District special education preschool classes located on the campus.