ABSTRACT
The primary goal of Project Developmentally Appropriate Treatment for Autism (DATA) is to bring together best practices of early childhood education and applied behavior analysis to provide effective center-based preschool services to children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in ways that can be easily replicated by school districts in other communities. The families of the children benefit from training and guidance provided in their homes, coordination of other therapies, parent support groups and counseling, and assistance with transition to new school programs. Historical Background Project DATA is located at the University of Washington in the Experimental Education Unit. Children with ASD are children first and any program must be a safe and nurturing place for children. Data-based decision-making must be employed across all aspects of the program. A child with ASD, who is just beginning to learn to communicate, might point, with some assistance from the classroom aide, to a picture of milk to indicate the child's choice.
