Abstract
Every year the number of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) increases. As these children reach the age to enter school the majority will start out in a public school setting. Unfortunately, with the lack of state funding to support their academic needs through appropriate behavioral therapy, there is a quite a challenge for public schools to provide the proper classroom environment for students on the autism spectrum. As a result, many parents are withdrawing their children form the public school settings and either placing them in private schools or homeschooling them. In order for schools to provide a positive academic experience for children with ASD, they need to implement Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) programs.
Research was conducted to evaluate the hypotheses; Southwest Parke School Corporation is in need of a state funded (H1) or grant funded (H2) Applied Behavioral Analysis pilot program to provide students with autism spectrum disorder with an effective and appropriate academic and behavioral services in the mainstream classroom. The result of this research indicated that state funding for a pilot program is unconstitutional and the researcher will have to focus on grant funding for the proposed program.
