The Foundation has entered into a long-term arrangement with Dr Laurie Sperry, a renowned autism expert recognised by the US Government, to provide the best possible education to autistic children in India.

Stress on human values
This school is committed to bringing out the human potential and creating productive lives for children on the autistic spectrum disorder - with autism and for those with slow learning disabilities, learning disabilities and behavioural difficulties associated with communication. The school is functioning on quality indicators identified by the National and Research Council's Report (2001).

Expert faculty
Asha's expert faculty of over 10 includes post graduates, clinicians and teachers with expertise in the fields of autism education, applied behaviour Analysis, Speech Pathology, Special Education, Dance, Drama, Nutrition, Physical Therapy and more.

Inaugurating the school, Katharin Zimpel Vangal, Founder and Chairperson, Asha Medical Foundation, said,  "The Foundation is committed to alleviate the suffering of the large number of autistic children in India and unleash their hidden potential. We recognise that this a monumental task. But, as the saying goes, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. This school is our first step towards helping children with autism lead a near normal life."

Infrastructure:
The new school building has been fitted with classrooms, a sensory integration room, dance/drama room, computer room and a mood room /cozy corner.  The Library, Resource Centre and Computer Lab has fifteen computers with Internet access. In addition to an educational facility for the students, the building houses early intervention services, diagnostic, referral and medical services. 

Comprehensive treatment
Asha follows a comprehensive treatment therapy for kids. This involves a combination of intensive behavioural therapy, speech and language therapy and special education. The Treatment includes various therapies like behaviour modification therapy, social skills training, communication therapy, drama therapy, dietary modification therapy and medication Therapy

Setting targets
Each student will have a multi-disciplinary team that sets targets and identifies progress and the curriculum is individual and aimed at meeting the needs of the students. Opportunities for practical and functional activity are maximised for children who have difficulties generalising activities and concepts, or are developmentally unable to cope with abstract ideas.

Asha offers a multi-disciplinary approach ensuring consistency of the programme across all the areas and is committed to providing a safe and secure environment in which the students feel happy and are able to develop and to establish an effective and mutually supportive working partnership between  home and school. There are Individualised Education Programmes (IEP's) for each student. Individualised programs describe strategies for providing the student with acceptable and understandable ways of communication, teaching situation-appropriate social behaviours and providing a safe and secure environment in which the students feel happy and are able to develop.

The programs basically evolve on the principle of TEAACH (Treatment and Education of Autistic Children in the Community)  and are well structured, tightly organised and a lot of fun, mostly due to the very high level of reinforcement. They include support groups, social and educational services for families; a special needs library and independent living training (Basic Living, Daily living). 

Asha Integrated School for Autism and Learning Disabilities is located at Indiranagar - No. 2281/B, 14th"A" Main, Ist Floor, HAL 2 nd Stage, Indiranagar, Bangalore - 560008;          www.ashais.org
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