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The Step By Step Foundation was recently awarded a $50,000 grant from the PNC Foundation in collaboration with AllOne Charities for the purchase of educational equipment for use in its behavioral health’s Specialized Autism Support Program (SASP) program.
The agency provides these services in 27 grade school classrooms across Luzerne and Pike Counties.
The grant money was used for the purchase of assistive technology devices and visual support materials including iPads for each classroom with specific software applications to assist children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorders who have difficulty communicating. Additionally, laptops for staff who support the classroom program were procured as well as language builder cards for each classroom. The flash cards are used to build student vocabulary which assists in increasing students’ abilities to communicate.
SASP utilizes a team approach, where all the members of the behavioral team are able to collaborate with school personnel and work with each child within one of the identified autism support classrooms. The program began in 2010.