• Skills Department: MD/Autism Programs Descriptions

    Pineland Learning Center provides a continuum of specialized academic programming, services, and supports for students with a wide variety of needs including students with severe learning disabilities and cognitive impairments. The programs described below are designed to provide developmentally appropriate academic and real-world experiences in order to promote academic, social, life skills, and as appropriate, vocational development. Student progress is continually monitored to ensure that students are being adequately challenged and supported. As students develop new skills and make academic and social gains, they have the opportunity to participate in more challenging academic and vocational activities. Moreover, unless there is a safety concern, students in the skills classrooms are included in all school-wide events including our family dining experience, off campus trips, and school performances.

    PALS (Practical Academic Life Skills) Lower: Elementary & Middle School
    The PALS Lower classroom was created for students with severe learning disabilities or mild cognitive impairments that resulted in a 3-5 year delay in academic, social-emotional, and/or life skill development. Students are provided with individualized instruction and supports designed to help them make and maintain academic and social gains. The ultimate goal is to help students catch up so they can return to a typical classroom setting.

    PALS (Practical Academic Life Skills) Upper: High School Up to 21
    Students in this classroom have severe learning disabilities or mild to moderate intellectual disabilities, which have impacted their academic, social, and emotional growth along with their ability to acquire developmentally appropriate life skills.

    Developmental Skills:Elementary & Middle School

    Students in this classroom have been diagnosed with Autism and have significant difficulties with functional communication and require intensive support and services to express their thoughts and needs.  These students receive individualized, highly speciaized instruction through the use of ABA discreet trial training.  In addition, intensive crisis intervention, speech-language, and behavioral services are provided on an individaul, small group, and classwide basis.  In this classroom, emphasis is placed upon the development of activities of daily living, functional communication, basic academic skills, and community-based instruction.

    Basic Skills: High School Up to 21
    The Basic Skills class focuses upon educating students with moderate to severe cognitive impairments in conjunction with other disabilities including Down Syndrome, Autism, and other developmental disabilities. As a result of these difficulties, students in this class require individualized, intensive supports to make and maintain academic, social, and life skills gains. These students are able to communicate with peers and staff. Students receive functional academic, social, and life skill instruction and regularly participate in pre-vocational experiences and training.

    Developmental Skills: High School Up to 21
    Students in this classroom have moderate to severe intellectual disabilities in conjunction with other disabilities such as Autism or Down Syndrome, which globally impact their academic, social, emotional, and life skills development. In addition, these students have significant difficulties with functional communication and require intensive support and services to express their thoughts and needs. Developmental skills students receive individualized, highly specialized instruction through the use of ABA discrete trial training. In addition, intensive crisis intervention, speech-language, and behavioral services are provided on an individual, small group, and classwide basis. In this classroom, emphasis is placed upon the development of activities of daily living, functional communication, basic academic skills, and basic pre-vocational skills.