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The May Center School for Autism and Developmental Disabilities in West Springfield is a full-year day program serving students aged 3-22. The program specializes in the education and behavior management of children with a diagnosis of autism or other similar developmental disabilities.

Our philosophy is that all children should be educated in the least restrictive environment and have a right to an educational program that meets their needs. We believe that as an educational provider we have a responsibility to provide services that meet the professional standard, that is, that have empirical support, that can be taught to teachers and instructors, and for which progress can be observed and documented. The goal at the May Center is to use the principles of applied behavior analysis to teach students with autism and other developmental disabilities wide range of both functional and academic skills.

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) methodology is the application of basic behavioral principles to facilitate the development of language and other positive skills. It incorporates the use of techniques such as positive reinforcement, task analyses, shaping, prompting and fading of prompts, and practice opportunities. It includes continuous and systematic evaluation of outcomes and effectiveness. ABA practices have been endorsed by the Surgeon General, the National Institutes of Health, and the Association for Science in Autism Research and are essential for success with this population. .