Southborough, MA – The New England Center for Children received a $4,000 grant from the GE Good Neighbor Fund to purchase a communication device. The New England Center for Children, a residential and day school serving individuals diagnosed with autism, behavior disorders, Pervasive Development Disorder, and related disabilities, will use this device to help students communicate and to evaluate their progress in acquiring language skills.

While speech is always the preferred way to communicate, many children with autism never learn to speak. These children utilize alternative communication systems such as object boards, communication books, or electronic devices to achieve better communication. These Augmentative Alternative Communication (AAC) systems allow non-speaking children to take part in all aspects of the school and home community. Not only does communication increase as a result of providing a child with a communication system, but so do social interactions, school performance, feelings of self-worth, and job opportunities. The New England Center for Children is grateful for the continued support of the GE Good Neighbor Fund.

A U.S. Department of Education National Award Winner, and 2005 Recipient of the Award for Enduring Programmatic Contributions to Behavior Analysis from the Society for the Advancement of Behavior Analysis, The New England Center for Children (NECC) is a residential and day school serving individuals diagnosed with autism and related disabilities. NECC is a non-profit, publicly funded school serving more than 200 students who come to us from throughout the United States and several foreign countries. Since its founding in 1975, The New England Center for Children has emerged as an international leader on three closely-related fronts: the effective education of children with autism, applied educational research, and teacher training. For more information about The New England Center for Children, please visit www.necc.org.