Open Door Philosophy

Given proper intervention, all people with autism can improve.
Open Door provides a happy, stress-free learning environment where the child is not judged or ‘pushed’ to perform.

Day Programme

The Day Programme has proven itself to be a pioneer and a model of teaching strategies for children with autism and other communication disorders. A high level of family involvement ensures synchrony between the home and school environments.

Currently, the Programme has five sections in which the children are placed depending on their needs and abilities. The initial emphasis is on building basic interaction skills, pre-reading and writing skills and concept building. Concepts are taught in one-on-one sessions, while group activities are used to develop social skills. Alongside, the child’s abilities to work independently and interpret instructions in a general environment are built up. Gradually, the children learn work behaviours that enable them to learn vocational skills. In ‘Aadhaar’, the Work Skills Training Centre the focus is on building the student’s awareness of current affairs, living skills like shopping and cooking, training in vocational areas such as weaving, block printing and basic office skills like mailing. The school combines group activities and one-on-one teaching, as well as music therapy, computer and sensory integration classes.

Hourly Intervention Programme

The hourly intervention programme is a regular ongoing programme where a therapist works one-on-one with the child one or more times a week as determined by the parents. Parents are encouraged to observe the sessions. Each session is followed by a discussion with the parent / family member who accompany the child and observe the session. The discussion covers the session, the child’s general progress and other queries so that the work can be continued at home. This programme is attended by children in mainstream schools needing support, children preparing for mainstream schooling, children in special needs setup requiring additional support, children who are being home schooled, and children who are not receiving any other special education inputs. The hourly intervention programme is available to families four days a week (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, as well as on second Saturdays).

Mother Child Programme

AFA’s Mother Child Programme is run over a three-month periods and start each January, July and October. A group of approximately 15 to 20 mothers train together (with their children) throughout the duration of the programme. The programme seeks to maximize the benefits of the time that a mother spends with her child, teaching focused one on one intervention tailored individually to each child and taking into account the child’s strengths, emerging skills and weakest skill areas. One-on-one intervention, in a nurturing positive environment, helps a child with autism to overcome much of the severity of the disorder. The programme also prepares children to join school setups and learn in a group through the activities done in group teaching sessions.

The programme provides an environment where mothers can work with their children under the guidance of an experienced, trained therapist. Mothers are given extensive feedback and join a discussion group where they can compare perspectives and forge links with parents experiencing similar difficulties. This programme is available to interested fathers, as well.

Staff of Open Door

Because we need a very special attitude in dealing with our pupils, in addition to their specialized qualifications teachers at Open Door receive further training on the job. The qualifications we look for in our potential teachers are open mindedness, a willingness to receive and give feedback with other teachers, and a love and respect for children. Open Door was the first school in India where every teacher was trained specifically to work with autistic and communication impaired children.

Methods of instruction

Children with autism need educational strategies that are distinct from children without any developmental disability and also from those children with mental retardation unaccompanied by autism. The methods of instruction at Open Door are based on techniques specifically used with autistic children and adapted to fit the needs of the individual child. Since autistic people are particularly unable to cope with stress, the methods used at Open Door have been especially effective in modifying difficult and unwanted behavior.

Autistic and most other language disabled children are visual learners and benefit most from a structured environment. Open Door provides as structured an environment as possible, both in physical terms and in the daily schedule. Each student knows exactly what activity is to take place, where, and what is expected of him. The activities focus on decreasing unwanted behaviors, increasing attention span, motivating and stimulating language development, improving socialization skills and cognitive skills, self-help and daily living skills, and independent work behaviors. Pre-academic and academic skills are also taught.

People with autism often have an uneven pattern of development. Keeping this in view, we work with the child’s interests and emerging skills, rather than their deficits. The curriculum emphasizes the development of independence at the individual’s highest level of potential. It emphasizes the progression of teaching skills in a distraction-free environment, and works to move the skill to increasingly integrated settings in the community.

Family involvement and support: The "Open Door" Policy

We firmly believe that the methods of teaching and attitude toward each child must be as similar in the home and the school as possible. Parents of the children who attend Open Door are viewed as part of a three-way partnership between the child, parent, and teachers, and are involved in all decisions and programming for the child. Parents are not only encouraged, but required to visit the school and observe their child during school hours at least once a week to gain a better understanding of the methods used and how they can be replicated at home. A diary is exchanged between home and school daily to continuously keep both school and home informed about any changes in the child’s behavior or circumstances to be aware of. In addition, home visits are scheduled bi-monthly to facilitate understanding of the child’s environment.

The Sibling Program

Siblings of the students of Open Door are encouraged to participate in all school events with their brother or sister as their own schedules permit. This fosters a better understanding in these siblings of what unique talents their brother or sister has, exposes the siblings to effective ways of handling difficult behavior, and provides all the children with opportunities for socialization with their non-autistic peers. In addition, the autistic child gains confidence a sense of pride at being able to show off his or her school!

 

Open Door is operated by Action for Autism. For more information, contact us.

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Frequently Asked Questions - Open Door

Q. Who is eligible to attend Open Door?

 Any child or adolescent with autism, Asperger’s, autistic features, or other pervasive developmental disorder, between the age of 3 and 21.

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Q. Why don't you make the school bigger to accommodate more children?

There are two main reasons we have limited our enrollment. Open Door is really a model school or "laboratory" school, and increasing the number of students would not allow us to keep this format. More importantly, however, is that we maintain a student-teacher ratio of 3:2, and unless more teachers are trained, more students will not be taken.

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Q. But then what about all the kids who can’t attend your school?

Our school is not the best place for every child! Each child has different needs, and many families are quite satisfied with the setting they have chosen for their child. In fact, we encourage families to move toward more integrated settings as their child progresses. Also, we have the Outreach & Intervention program for children attending other schools and whose parents are interested in learning how to work with their child.

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Q. Where are your teachers trained?

Action for Autism has pioneered teaching strategies based on extensive practical experience and internationally used sound behavioural principles, adapted to the Indian condition. These techniques are now part of our RCI recognised course in Autism. Teacher-trainees must do outside reading and written assignments, but simultaneously they are participating in a limited manner in the home visits, special programs, and daily operation of the school.  Several of our teachers have also received training from TEACCH in Chapel Hill, N.C. and have attended conferences and seminars in Denmark and the Philippines.

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Q. My family lives outside Delhi, but I would relocate if my child can attend Open Door. Is this possible?

While this is theoretically possible, we discourage families from uprooting and relocating solely for this purpose. Moving to a new city means that many important social supports will be lost, such as having family nearby, and may prove to be more counterproductive. However, we do accept temporary placements for parents who are interested in receiving training while their child attends Open Door.

Open Door is operated by Action for Autism.
For more information, contact us.