G.L. is a 4-year-old student with Autism and an accompanying sensory disorder, who was recommended to receive Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA). The Law Center filed a Due Process Complaint on behalf of G.L. on June 23, 2014.

Despite a request by G.L.’s guardian, Elwyn, one of the nation’s oldest service providers for individuals with disabilities, initially enrolled GL in a non-ABA program. After six months during which G.L. regressed due to the dearth of service provision that facilitated her intellectual or behavioral progress, Elwyn finally transferred G.L. to a school with an ABA based program. However, the school only provided G.L. an education four days per week, and it is unclear whether the school fulfilled the 1:1 instruction requirement specified in G.L.’s IEP.

In the Due Process Complaint, the Law Center contends that G.L. was denied sufficient therapy and ABA services, as well as a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE), and was needlessly prevented from attending an ABA based school for six months. Even after moving to a school with an ABA program, the ABA services were not individualized, so G.L. was not able to improve in language, behavior or functional skills.

Second, the SDP and Elwyn failed to provide G.L. with sufficient occupational therapy based on G.L.’s  individual needs, and as such G.L. did not receive significant learning to improve the skills affected by the sensory disorder.