-
Where it all began
The New England Center for Children, (NECC) begins in 1975 with just $300.00, some seed money from the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health, and an idea for a school for children with autism. CEO and Founder Vincent Strully Jr., with Dudley Orr, and John Pangburn open the doors to the Efficacy Research Institute (ERI), a private residential school for six students on the grounds of the Taunton State Hospital. The school is considered "one of a kind' for its use of Applied Behavior Analysis. -
Two become one
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts approved plans to merge the two ERI programs into one community-based school, The New England Center for Autism (NECA), with multiple group homes and one centrally located school building in the MetroWest region of Massachusetts -
First Publication
Touchette, P.E., MacDonald, R.F., & Langer, S.N. (1985). A scatter plot for identifying stimulus control of problem behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 18, 343-351.
<a href='http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1308031/pdf/jaba00030-0077.pdf' target = "_blank">See the full article</a> -
New School Building
The creative financial strategies developed by NECA allowed for construction of a spacious, specially designed school building. With fully modern facilities in place, NECA begins to recruit world-class personnel. -
Period: to
New Building, new group homes
With fully modern facilities in place, NECA begins to recruit world-class personnel. Over the next four years, NECA opens 11 group homes in the MetroWest region, establishing a community-based system for residential education for more than 110 children with autism, PDD, and other disabilities. -
Dr. Murray Sidman joins NECA
Dr. Murray Sidman, Professor Emeritus, Northeastern University, joins NECA as Senior Research Associate. Dr. Sidman is known for his classic research book, Tactics of Scientific Research (1960/1988 Authors Cooperative, Inc.), other text and articles on behavior analysis. At NECA Dr. Sidman establishes an on-site research lab to continue his work on stimulus equivalence. His work at NECA leads to many publications and spurs interest in classroom application of his work. -
Same great school, new name: The New England Center for Children
The New England Center for Autism incorporates under a new name, The New England Center for Children (NECC), emphasizing its mission in providing educational services for children with autism. -
Preschool Program begins
NECC establishes a center-based preschool program serving young children with autism and PDD. The program provides intensive behavior instruction and opportunities for integration with typically developing peers, leading to systematic transition into the public schools. -
Dr. Gina Green named Director of Research
Dr. Gina Green is appointed as NECC's first Director of Research. At NECC Dr. Green provides direction for families in sorting through a myriad of "miracle cures" such as Facilitated Communication. Dr. Green and clinical colleagues at NECC help parents understand the need for scientifically-based treatments to help their children with autism. Under her leadership, NECC strengthens its research program and begins to publish their work regularly in peer-reviewed scientific journals. -
Partnership with Northeastern University
NECC and Northeastern University begin providing an on-site Master’s Degree Program in Applied Behavior Analysis to our teaching staff. -
Giving back to the community: Summer Institute
NECC hosts The Summer Institute: Studies in Autism, sponsored jointly by NECC and the Shriver Center University Affiliated Program as part of a U.S. Department of Education training grant. This week-long institute is designed to provide teachers and other professionals with an overview of autism and best-practice instructional strategies for educating children with autism. <a href='http://www.necc.org/consultation/training-and-workshops/training-at-necc.aspx' target = "_blank">Training</a> -
Partnership with Simmons College
NECC enters into a strategic alliance with Simmons College to provide a Simmons Master’s Degree Program in Intensive Special Needs to our teaching staff. A key feature to the program is designing a degree program that supports an Applied Behavior Analysis model of special education services. -
Public School Outreach Program started
NECC develops its first Public School Outreach Program, introducing a model classroom in the Worcester Public Schools. This public/private partnership serves as the stepping stone to an ongoing collaboration between NECC and many public schools. <a href='http://www.necc.org/consultation/partner-program-model-classrooms.aspx' target = "_blank" >Partner Program Model Classroom</a> -
State-of-the-art Staff Intensive Residential complex built
NECC opens a unique residential complex for children with severe challenging behavior, providing 24-hour educational services for students who present the most complex needs. The Staff Intensive Residential Program accepts students with high rates of self-injurious and aggressive behavior from around the world. -
Professional Development
NECC acquires property for its Professional Development Center. This additional space allows NECC to expand its program for professional development by providing additional classrooms for NECC trainings as well as affiliated graduate study programs. -
Model Professional Development Award
NECC receives the National Award for Model Professional Development from the United States Department of Education. -
NECC Celebrates 25 years of excellent service
NECC celebrates its 25th anniversary with a gala celebration at the Boston World Trade Center. -
New Preschool and Early Childhood Center open
NECC opens a new, state-of-the-art preschool and early childhood center at its Southborough site. -
The Autism Curriculum Encyclopedia (ACE) was born
The ACE was invented; first lesson plan published. -
Award for Enduring Programmatic Contributions in Behavior Analysis
NECC receives the 2005 SABA Award for Enduring Programmatic Contributions in Behavior Analysis from the Society for the Advancement of Behavior Analysis. NECC accepts the prestigious award at the opening event of the 31st Annual Association for Behavior Analysis (ABA) Convention, in Chicago. -
100th ACE Lesson Plan Published
100th lesson plan published! -
ACE continues to expand!
ACE available in total of 6 NECC Partner Classrooms. -
ACE becomes available to outside classrooms
ACE expands beyond the Southborough, MA building. Available in 2 ACE Partner Classrooms and 14 NECC residences. -
Challenge grant for Therapeutic Aquatic Center
NECC receives a challenge grant from The Kresge Foundation in 2006 for the construction of the Michael S. Dukakis Aquatic Center. -
NEW lesson format added to the ACE!
New lesson template introduced: Incidental Teaching. -
NEW Core Skill Assessment added to the ACE!
The CSA evaluates 48 skills to identify a learner’s areas of strength and of need. The Core Skills are critical for development of higher level skills and independent living. The CSA provides a picture of progress over time and helps the educational team prioritize skills necessary for independence. Results of the CSA are incorporated into programming decisions and lead to the selection of individualized skills to be targeted in future educational plans. -
Abu Dhabi campus opens!
NECC opens school in Abu Dhabi, ACE used in all classrooms. -
Michael S. Dukakis Aquatic Center opens
New Pool opens! Splish-Splash! -
NASET School of Excellence Award
NECC recognized as a NASET School of Excellence (National Association of Special Education Teachers). -
NECC adds Ph.D. Program through Western New England University
Western New England University launches a Ph.D. Program in Behavior Analysis with courses offered onsite at NECC. The program is taught by the University's own full-time tenured or tenure-track psychology faculty as well as clinical adjunct faculty from NECC. This program is developed in response to increasing demand for scientists and practitioners in the area of autism and related disabilities, and its curriculum is designed to foster the development of leaders in the field. -
ACE becomes available on the World Wide Web!
As an ongoing effort to fulfill our mission "to transform the lives of children with autism worldwide through education, research, and technology.", the ACE is now assessable via the World Wide Web! -
NYC Public School pilots ACE in new classrooms
NYC Public School Pilot Classrooms are launched. -
1,000th ACE Curriculum Sheet Published!
The ACE reaches 1,000 lessons spanning three lesson formats (Discrete Trial, Task Analysis and Incidental Teaching). -
NECC staff authored paper makes "Top 10 most-cited article" list
The journal article "Stereotypy in young children with autism and typically developing children" was distinguished as one of the "Top 10 most-cited articles" by the journal Research in Developmental Disabilities published in 2007, the article was authored by NECC staff members Dr. Rebecca MacDonald, Renee Mansfield, Amy Geckeler, Nicole Gardenier, Dr. William Holcomb, June Sanchez; and former NECC employees Dr. Gina Green and Jen Anderson. -
Patent issued for the ACE
The ACE® system is covered by U.S. Patent number 7,974,569 B2; other patent pending. <a href='http://goo.gl/6t2wx' target = "_blank">US Pat. 7974569</a> -
ACE 3.0 release!
The ACE gets an overall from the inside out, users enjoy same great application with an updated look and feel! Sets the stage for future added capabilities. -
Children of Promise Award
The ACE Department is presented with NECC's Children of Promise Award. -
NEW ACE Capabilities: Preference Assessment Module
Preference Assessment Module includes a selection guide for users to determine what type of preference assessment to consider. Users are able to download all necessary instructions and data sheets for conducting the assessments. -
The ACE is on Facebook!
Connect and like us on Facebook! <a href='https://www.facebook.com/Autism.Curriculum.Encyclopedia' target = "_blank" >ACE Facebook page</a> -
Challenging Behavior Module Added!
Define, Track, & Evaluate Behavior to Decrease
The Challenging Behavior Module helps you monitor challenging behaviors targeted for decrease. -
Mobile Data Entry App released!
Taking trial-by-trial data is as easy as pushing a button! -
ACE Skills Assessment - Beyond the Core Skills
The ACE Skills Assessment is an indirect evaluation of all skills within the ACE curriculum scope and sequence. It helps narrow the range of teaching targets for each student based on their abilities (beyond the core skills) and tracks performance over time.
