LEAP and Autism Ranking:

Key Features

LEAP (an acronym for Learning Experiences - An Alternative Program for Preschoolers and Parents) is a comprehensive, multi-component, educational programme in which small groups of autistic children are taught alongside a small number of typically developing children.

LEAP is based on the idea that autistic children will learn better in integrated settings alongside their typically developing peers provided that those peers have been taught how to help them.

LEAP aims to help children to reach their full potential so they are best able to benefit from mainstream education. The LEAP curriculum is designed to concentrate on the development of functional skills, independent play, social interaction, pre-academics, language skills and adaptive behaviour.

Each autistic child has an individually designed educational plan, which includes the mainstream curriculum, as well as specific, personalised objectives.

According to Strain and Bovey (2011),

“The LEAP model has a number of unique features that contribute to its effectiveness and relatively lower costs. These features include the following:

“1. Inclusion begins full-time from Day 1 in LEAP preschool classrooms. Children with ASD are provided with the necessary level(s) of prompting, classroom and curricular adaptations and modifications, and general support to participate immediately in peer-mediated social skill intervention.

“2. The design of LEAP classrooms begins with establishing a setting of high quality for typically developing children. LEAP has been implemented effectively in classrooms utilizing a variety of preschool models and curricula … In the context of this programming, systematic intervention is embedded in typical preschool routines (e.g. circle time, free play/centers, snack, small groups, etc.) with the aim of offering hundreds of meaningful, socially relevant learning opportunities every day.

“3. Typically developing children play a major intervention role in LEAP. The typically developing children are provided with comprehensive social skills training such that they can facilitate the social and communicative behaviors of peers with ASD. This systematic, peer-mediated instruction has been shown to produce a Day-1 intervention effect for the children with ASD.

“4. Learning objectives are written in such a fashion that teaching continues until generalized behavior change is achieved. Learning objectives are further described according to relevant prompting hierarchies. Thus, program data are collected on children’s behavioral movement toward the rigorous standard of independent, generalized performance, not in terms of percentage correct, trials accomplished, or similar indices. Data are reviewed daily and strict decision-making rules demand intervention changes in the absence of clear behavior change.

“5. Skill training for families focuses on providing adult family members with the behavioral teaching strategies sufficient for them to experience less stress and more pleasure in daily routines, such as meals, bedtime, dressing, and community outings.

“6. Intensity in the LEAP model is not defined by hours per week that individuals are paid to deliver service. We believe that the algorithm defining intensity is complex and includes, for each developmental domain of concern, the following factors: (a) number of meaningful opportunities to respond, (b) the functionality of objectives chosen, (c) the selection of an instructional method that maximizes children’s engagement and minimizes errors, (d) the competence of staff to deliver with fidelity the chosen intervention, and (e) the use of data systems and decision-making rules that minimize children’s exposure to less-than optimal interventions.

“7. LEAP is unique in that we utilize a variety of science-based intervention approaches, including (a) peer-mediated interventions, (b) errorless learning, (c) time delay, (d) incidental teaching, (e) pivotal response training, (f) picture exchange communication system, and (g) positive behavior support. We believe the enormous heterogeneity of ASD precludes the use of one or a few instructional approaches. “

Updated

16 Jun 2022

Last Review

01 Sep 2017

Next Review

01 Jan 2024