There are many special needs programs out there but very few of them address the unique needs of Asperger's Syndrome Disorder. Our Journey's semester program was designed from the ground up to meet our students' specific needs, including in-depth training in social skills; organizational skills; academic- and future-minded self-motivation; independence from family; maintaining positive relationships; exercise, grooming, and good nutrition; coping skills to deal with frustration, anxiety, and depression; and building positive self-esteem.

What does Talisman Academy do specifically to address the needs of students with Asperger's syndrome?

• Exciting experiential trips combine social skills practice, stimulating learning experiences, and opportunities to live and learn within a small group environment.
• Multi-sensory learning approach helps students to better engage and participate in the learning process.
• Knowledgeable staff trained in the specific needs of students with Asperger's syndrome, including learning differences and positive, nurturing techniques to help students learn.
• Structure and consistency in expectations, schedules, and daily routines are critical to the success of our students. We provide a uniquely structured environment that supports our students' needs but also leaves room for challenge and growth. As students progress through the semester program, they become less reliant on our structure as they learn to manage their daily routines more independently.
• Integrated social skills curriculum supplements powerful social skills activities. Integration is one of the most challenging aspects of social skills development for students with Asperger's syndrome. It is the nature of this disorder to have difficulty transferring information into different contexts and using it successfully. Many of our students have been in various social skills classes both in and out of school. However, they may have had only limited success due to the difficulty of carrying over expectations between teachers, school, family, home, and the community. The Journey's semester program staff addresses this deficit by providing consistent feedback and training in all daily activities and settings over a four-month period. This training includes:
  • Social skill class taught during school that begins with a foundation of basic social pragmatics and ends with more complex, sensitive adolescent issues.
  • "Natural" social skills development practiced throughout the day in an emotionally safe environment with close, "in the moment" feedback and coaching from well-trained staff.
  • A wide variety of focused activities in the community to practice applying new social skills in many different contexts.
  • Community-based living that provides many opportunities for adult-mentored relationship-building, problem resolution, and small peer groups. Our small peer group (8 students or less) allows our students to focus their energy on a limited number of relationships, which results in a sense of belonging to a positive network of peers.