Special Education (and SEIT) Services at High Peaks & Autism Services

Our teachers work closely with families, caregivers and daycare providers to meet the needs of children identified as needing teacher services to support their progress in preschool skills.

Lessons are prepared according to individual goals identified through an initial evaluation. Children are exposed to a variety of learning activities, toys, and materials that build strength and compensate for weaknesses.

Many different techniques are used to stimulate learning through sight, sound and touch. Your child's teacher may bring games, arts and crafts items, stimulating toys, musical instruments, CD player with CD's, puzzles, puppets, books, or other toys to your child's treatment session.

High Peaks employs a team that specializes in the principles of behavioral intervention, incorporating a variety of therapeutic approaches. We utilize a very warm and positive approach that recognizes the importance of using sensory reinforcement, alongside other common rewarding activities like preferred foods, toys and games, songs and social praise.

We presently have two ABA-trained SEITs (Special Education Itinerant Teachers), a physical and occupational therapist, and paraprofessionals in the form of 1:1 teaching assistants that participate in this behavioural model and carry-over the program. Services are delivered both at home and at the child’s neighbourhood nursery school setting. . It is our belief that children with autism need the intensive, one-to-one, structured, adult-directed sessions to teach the child to recognize the important basic skills that are necessary for learning (eye contact, imitation, following directions). Nursery school environments then allow opportunities for the child to practice and build the higher level learning skills that are required to perform in a group environment. We recommend a combination of both individualized instruction and inclusive opportunities for all the children we serve.