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STAR Program – Strategies for Teaching based on Autism Research
The Strategies for Teaching based on Autism Research (STAR) program is a comprehensive behavioral program for young children with autism (and other developmental disabilities). The program was designed to provide teachers with many of the instructional plans and materials needed to implement the program as part of a child’s Individual Program Plan (IPP).
The STAR program uses applied behavioral analysis (ABA) methodology as a basis for instruction and teaching.
The three behavioral instructional strategies used are:
Discrete Trial Training,
Pivotal Response Training and
Functional Routines Instruction.
These three behavioral instructional strategies are used in combination with specific appropriately matched curriculum content areas. The curriculum content areas addressed by the STAR program are:
Expressive Language,
Receptive Language,
Spontaneous Language,
Functional Routines,
Preacademic Skills and
Play and Social Interaction Concepts.
The STAR program provides teachers with a detailed curriculum, lesson plans and materials to teach skills identified within these six content areas. The STAR program is implemented initially through one-to-one instruction with teacher (teacher assistant) who has been fully trained in the instructional strategies and curriculum content used as part of the program. As a student develops new skills, various aspects of the STAR program are implemented with groups of students, and instruction can occur in the classroom, home and in the community. The STAR program is designed for three instructional levels, Level I, II and III, to meet the various developmental and educational needs of students with autism. It is designed particularly for children who function below the third grade level and are between the chronological ages of 2 and 12. Some lessons are appropriate for older students but should be assessed and used on an individual basis to ensure that age-appropriate skills are being taught. The development of the STAR program has been guided by national research on effective practices in the literature. The curriculum content and instructional strategies used are those most often identified in the literature as being effective with individuals with autism (STAR Program Manual, 2004).
For more information on the STAR program visit:
STAR Resources:
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