Creating school dedicated for children with developmental disabilities, learning disorders

Our project is to raise money to create a school dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for children with developmental disabilities and learning disorders. Linked-UP Academy, LLC School will be committed in delivering services with compassion, work from a team approach, and provide what is in the self-interest of every individual and family we serve. We believe we can best serve this mission by operating within the theoretical practices of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) derived from the philosophy of 'Behaviorism.

Linked-UP Academy, LLC School will focus on procedures that will be designed to systematically build in socially significant behaviors and decrease problematic behaviors. Linked-UP Academy, LLC School will specialize in servicing children with developmental disabilities and diagnosis of Autism from birth to five years of age.

At Linked-UP Academy, LLC School the ABA programs will begin with a comprehensive functional assessment of the child's language, play, and social repertoires. The VB-MAPP (Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program, Sundberg, 2008) or ABLLS (Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills, Partington & Sundberg, 1998) tool will be used to identify core language deficits that prevent children from communicating and listening effectively, engaging in basic play, and socializing with peers and adults.

For children birth to five years of age at Linked-UP Academy, LLC School, The Carolina Curriculum for Infants and Toddlers or Preschoolers will be used to determine where each child functions developmentally in comparison to same age peers.

Each classroom will have a credentialed teacher, a lead behavior technician and a number of behavior technicians. In addition, a Senior Behavior Analyst or a Supervising Behavior Analyst (SBA) will oversee every two classrooms of 10 students to provide on-going training, feedback and troubleshooting to teachers. Linked-UP Academy, LLC school classrooms will provide a 1:2 technician to student ratio for student's age birth to five. Initially, a newly enrolled student may receive 1:1 instruction until the teacher determines when and under what conditions the student will benefit from group instruction.

Linked-UP Academy, LLC will also provide home-based programs for children 6 to 36 months of age. Each child's program generally consists of 30 to 40 hours per week of 1:1 intervention. The treatment model is 'team-based' where Linked-UP Academy, LLC provides assessment, initial and on-going training, weekly consultation, supervision, lesson development/progression and troubleshooting. Linked-UP Academy, LLC School and home-based program will be funded through insurance and self-pay making it easier for their child to receive the services they need.

Our goal is that a child with a developmental disability or a diagnosis of autism will have a more effective, independent and improved quality of life. We are dedicated in providing our professional staff with the highest level of training and supervision consistent with the cutting edge technology of our field. Linked-UP Academy, LLC School is committed in achieving this goal.