The Board of Directors of the Dubai Autism Center has adopted new procedures for accepting and qualifying students for the next academic year, including providing two periods of study, day and night, and increasing the age of admission to the center for classes from three years to 21 years.
This came during the recently held regular session of the Council, chaired by Deputy Chairman of the Board Hashem Al-Qasim, and attended by members of the Board Sheikha Dr. Alia Al Qasimi, Sami Al-Riyami, Khaled Al-Malik, General Director of the Center, Mohammed Al-Emadi, and Head of Autism Program at the Center Nicholas Aurland.
The meeting discussed the work plan during the coming period of the center, and its follow-up, and proposals to develop the center with new services.
The qualifying work plan for the new academic year included several strategic axes represented in expanding its specialized services by providing two academic periods. In addition to the daytime qualification program system, the evening period program will be applied to individual evening sessions that will allow many children who are not enrolled in the center to benefit from its clinical services provided by a team Interdisciplinary under the supervision of the Center’s Autism Program, Certified Behavioral Analyst from the American Board Nicholas Orlando.
The qualifying plan includes increasing the age of admission for the next academic year to include all age groups from the age of 3 to 21 years, in addition to providing unique treatment methods within educational and rehabilitation plans appropriate for each case, with annual fees not exceeding 60 thousand dirhams, and this amount represents 50% of The real cost per student per year, which amounts to 120 thousand dirhams.
The Center’s Autism Program Head, Board Certified Behavior Analysis Specialist in the United States of America, Nicholas Orlando, revealed that the center’s core curriculum will be transformed into the internationally accredited PEAK curriculum.
He explained that the new curriculum is based on Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) programs, and it is one of the most successful approaches used in the United States of America.
He added that there are a number of modern programs that have been adopted in this curriculum, including speech and communication therapy, occupational therapy, and behavioral analysis programs such as VB-MAPP and Essentials for Living as well as ABLLS-R.
He explained that the daily living skills development programs provided for children were developed by linking them with the therapeutic behavioral analysis plan, to qualify and train children to apply those skills in different environments that simulate reality, in addition to improving children's ability to adapt to social situations.
Educational and rehabilitation programs
Dubai Autism Center adopts several educational and qualification programs for the academic year 2020 - 2021, namely: Applied Behavior Analysis, Social Skills Program, Speech and Communication Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Computer Training, Art Education, Music Education, Educational Robotics Sessions, Life Activities Daily, sensory treatment rooms, and other programs.