ACCLAIM Program
Autism College and Community Life Acclimation and Intervention Model The Autism College and Community Life Acclimation and Intervention Model (ACCLAIM) of The Watson Institute is specifically designed for college-bound teenagers with Asperger's disorder and high-functioning autistic disorder. The program focuses on the development of skills necessary to succeed at college and includes therapeutic, learning, and social components. Many adolescents with high functioning ASD may have the cognitive ability to attend college but lack the social, organizational and daily living skills to be successful there. The organization of college and college life can be quite complex. Watson developed ACCLAIM to help adolescents get a "preview" of college prior to enrollment. The program is intended to acclimate academically capable candidates to campus life, reducing the anxiety associated with a major life transition, and developing the social and organizational skills that are requisites for success in college. Parents, school personnel, and community service providers collaborate in developing detailed goals and objectives for each participant's program. Specially trained staff provide individualized programming for each participant, teaching social interactions, social communication skills, coping skills, organizational skills, daily living skills, emotional regulation, problem solving skills, and behavioral competencies through facilitated participation in age-appropriate activities and community outings. Call 412-749-2889 for more information.
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