NEW YORK, Oct. 27, 2011 — Following a competitive bidding process earlier this year, the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) has awarded educational technology company Rethink Autism a contract to provide its Web-based educational intervention platform to students identified with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.
DoDEA serves the educational needs of the dependents of military and civilian employees by providing PreK-12 instruction to approximately 87,000 students in seven states, twelve foreign countries, Guam, and Puerto Rico. The number of students varies based on the deployment of military troops worldwide. DoDEA's curriculum, resources, and student achievement scores on standardized assessments compare favorably to high-performing U.S. public schools.
Rethink Autism's award-winning online platform is used by leading school districts and organizations worldwide to link assessment and curriculum with video-based training exercises and automated data tracking.
"This contract is significant on many levels," said Michael Maloney, Executive Director of the Organization for Autism Research (OAR) and a retired Lieutenant Colonel from the U.S. Marine Corps. "First and most important, it offers to provide proven, research-based treatment to children of our military service members with autism. Next, it signals the growing acceptance of ABA-based treatment within the DoD and federal government. Finally, it underscores the continuing importance of recognizing ABA as a medical necessity, above and beyond educational settings, that will contribute to enhance quality of life for children and adults with autism. Rethink Autism sets the bar high and has a well-deserved reputation for excellence and competence in this area."
DoDEA staff will use Rethink Autism's secure Web-based platform to create and manage individualized Applied Behavior Analysis-based (ABA) programs for each student. The platform provides educators with a library of video lessons, which model researched-based teaching strategies and are accompanied by printable lesson plans. Teaching based on ABA has the most scientific evidence supporting its effectiveness in treating the core symptoms of autism.
Data entered from teaching sessions allows any member of the student's team to visually display the student's progress and create reports across a selected date range. This core feature allows a student's plan to follow him/her across programs, schools, and the world.
"We are honored to partner with DoDEA on enhancing services for children with autism. It is very rewarding for us to know we are having a global impact and supporting our military," said Jamie Pagliaro, Executive Vice President and Co-Creator of Rethink Autism.
About the Department of Defense Education Activity (http://www.dodea.edu/home/)
DoDEA plans, directs, coordinates, and manages pre-kindergarten through 12th grade education programs for Department of Defense (DoD) dependents who would otherwise not have access to a high-quality, public education.
About Rethink Autism (http://www.rethinkautism.com)
Rethink Autism, Inc. seeks to ensure that every child on the autism spectrum has access to effective and affordable evidence-based treatment options by providing professionals, parents, and family members with the tools and information necessary to teach children with autism in a way that is easy to understand and apply.
About the Organization for Autism Research (OAR) (http://www.researchautism.org/)
OAR has played a critical role in supporting military families through the launch of its website, Operation Autism (http://operationautismonline.org), and by publishing "Life Journey through Autism: A Guide for Military Families," a free guide available on the site or in hard copy upon request.
Contact:
Jamie Pagliaro
Executive Vice President, Rethink Autism
Email
ph: 646-257-2919
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