Early CLASS Services

Early CLASS Services for Children

on the Autism Spectrum

Early Stages of Communication, Language and Social Skills

The following services are provided for children 2 ½ - 5 years of age:

Early CLASS Preschool

Functional Communication Evaluation

Small Group Programs

Speech and Language Therapy

Educational Consultation Services

Who Should Be Referred

Functional Communication Evaluation

Completing a Functional Communication Evaluation is the first step in receiving services from Early Services for Children on the Autism Spectrum. During a Functional Communication Evaluation, the speech-language pathologist evaluates the child’s functional abilities across areas of play, receptive language, expressive language, and social communication skills (pragmatic language). Articulation and oral motor abilities may also be evaluated on an as-needed basis. A comprehensive report is included in the cost of this evaluation.

Small Group Programs

The Early CLASS Extended Day Playgroup extends the Early CLASS day until 1:00pm. It meets Monday through Thursday (11:30-1:00). Early CLASS Extended Day includes lunchtime (a sack lunch from home), gym time focusing on interactive play skills, and pre-literacy work time.

The Early CLASS Toddler Group meets Tuesday through Thursday 8:30-10:30. Early CLASS Toddler Group provides a classroom-based intensive speech, language and communication program for children on the autism spectrum. The classroom setting provides a naturalistic and motivating context for communication and social interaction. Clinicians facilitate, for each child, increasingly sophisticated methods of communication while interacting with a variety of partners (children and adults) across different social situations (1:1, small groups, and large groups). The program is family-centered, and caregiver support is based on families’ individual priorities.

Early CLASS Playgroups meet in the Early CLASS classroom. The playgroups focus on increasing your child’s play skills with other children working on showing, sharing, imitative play, cooperative play, and symbolic play skills. Playgroups are developed each semester based on their need and peer availability.

Speech and Language Therapy

Center-based individual speech and language therapy focuses on each child’s individual priorities. A classroom setting provides a naturalistic and motivating context for communication and social interaction. The program is family-centered, and caregiver support is based on families’ individual priorities.

Home-based individual speech and language therapy focuses on each child’s individual priorities. These home visits focus on providing caregivers with strategies to facilitate communication and play with their child. These visits also include how to make and use different transactional supports, as well as how to set up your home or other environments (i.e., church, playschool, etc.) to help your child be the most successful in that environment.

Therapeutic play dates may be home- or center-based, focusing on increasing your child’s play skills with other children. During these sessions, the family sets up a play date with the child of their choosing (perhaps from the child’s school or neighborhood). The speech-language pathologist then facilitates showing, sharing, imitative play, cooperative play, and symbolic play skills.

Educational Consultation Services

Educational consultation services are also offered by Early Services professionals. Services include attending ARD/IEP meetings, touring different facilities with families, observing your child at other school settings, consulting with other professionals that work with your child, and consulting with parents on how to prepare for meetings with other professionals.

Speech-Language Pathologist/
Clinical Instructor
Courtney Warren, M.S., CCC-SLP is a speech-language pathologist and the Early CLASS coordinator. Her experience focuses on intervention for language and learning disorders in a classroom setting.

For more information call 214-905-3140

We are located at

The Early Childhood ASD Clinic

UTD/Callier Center for Communication Disorders

1966 Inwood Road

Dallas, TX 75235