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Autism Guides and Webinars
GUIDES
Deciphering Students with Autism, by xMinds
The Deciphering Students with Autism guide was written by xMinds Professional Member Sarah Wayland, Ph.D, founder of Guiding Exceptional Parents, with the help of xMinds Executive Director Susan Keisler, and Monica Adler Warner, former director of the Model Asperger Program at Ivymount. This document translates perceptions teachers and others may have of students on the autism spectrum into possible explanations of what might actually be happening for the autistic student.
Inclusive Education and Classroom Strategies, from New York University
The NYU ASD Nest Support Project provides training and support for educators working with students with ASD, including those in the NYC ASD Nest Program. The goal of the ASD Nest Support Project is to advance the development and implementation of educational solutions for children living with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Professors from NYU and Hunter College who are affiliated with the Nest Program have written two texts that MCPS educators may find helpful:
Cohen, Shirley and Lauren Hough. The ASD Nest Model: A Framework for Inclusive Education for Higher Functioning Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.Bleiweiss, Jamie PhD, Lauren Hough, MsEd, and Shirley Cohen, PhD. Everyday Classroom Strategies and Practices for Supporting Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.
In addition to these texts, the ASD Nest Support Project has made a number of resources available for free online. The Nest Egg Blog is particularly helpful in terms of providing practical strategies for common classroom issues.
Educator Guides by the Organization for Autism Research
The local Organization for Autism Research has also published two guides for educators as well as an entire curriculum for fostering autism awareness in schools:
An Educator's Guide to Autism helps educators prepare for having a student with autism in the classroom; emphasizes the importance of collaborating with the parents; supports the creation of an inclusive environment; and helps educators collaborate with the team supporting the child with autism, including therapists and special educators.
An Educator's Guide to Asperger's Syndrome is designed to give teachers and other professionals an introduction to Asperger Syndrome, some of its characteristics, and several teaching strategies that can be employed in the classroom. It is meant to serve as a starting point for further learning.The Kit for Kids program is designed to teach elementary and middle school students about their peers with autism. The kit is centered around an illustrated booklet entitled “What’s Up with Nick?”. This colorful, kid-friendly booklet tells the story about a new student, a boy with autism named Nick, through the eyes of a typical peer. The story teaches children that students with autism may think differently or need some accommodations, but all students are of equal worth and should be treated as such.
Autism Internet Modules (AIM)50 Online Modules -- Various TopicsOrganization: Modules developed by developed by the National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders in collaboration with Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence (OCALI) and other partners. Course: Autism Internet Modules (AIM) Target Audience: General Educators, Special Education Teachers, Paraeducators, Parents Description: A list of 53 modules that are designed for people who work with, instruct, or live with someone with ASD. Each module guides you through case studies, instructional videos, pre- and post-assessments, a glossary, and much more. Cost: Modules are available for free; an AIM account is free; credit options and professional development certificates are available for a fee Length: Modules range from 30 minutes to 3 hours in completion time Autism Focused Intervention Resources & Modules (AFIRM)Prompting: Introduction & PracticeOrganization: Autism Focused Intervention Resources & Modules (AFIRM) Course: Prompting: Introduction & Practice
Target Audience: Paraeducators
Description: This module guides the learner through what least-to-most prompting is, how to support learners with ASD by using prompting, and activity based scenarios that promote real world application of prompting. 0.3 of a CEU(3 Type-II CEs) is available.
Cost: $35
Length: 1.5 to 2 hours Communication for EducationCommunication for EducationOrganization: Communication for Education Course: Communication for Education Target Audience: Educators and related professionals who support non-speaking autistic individuals Description: This course provides a solid foundation of best practices for developing a partnership between communication partners and autistic individuals by fostering understanding of presumption of competence, apraxia, emotional and physical regulation strategies, and varied communication strategies. Cost: $725 Length: During an 8-week period, participants will watch prerecorded modules each week and participate in weekly live online sessions to receive further instruction and engage in discussion. Educating All Learners Alliance (EALA)Addressing Trauma in Middle School Students with DisabilitiesOrganization: Educating All Learners Alliance (EALA) Course: Addressing Trauma in Middle School Students with Disabilities
Target Audience: General Educators, Special Education Teachers, Paraeducators
Description: This webinar discusses how to support middle school students with disabilities during online learning, which has led to a lot of additional anxiety and stress for students with ASD.
Cost: Free
Length: 1 hour Global Online Academy (GOA)CBL: From Educator-Designed to Co-DesignedOrganization: Global Online Academy (GOA) Course: CBL: From Educator-Designed to Co-Designed
Target Audience: General Educators, Special Education Teachers, Paraeducators
Description: This course is centered around transitioning from an “educator-designed” to “co-designed” classroom in which the stiudents have a say in their educations. A digital badge is awarded upon completion.
Cost: Free for members, $150 for non-members
Length: Unspecified, January 25th - 29th, 2021 CBL: From Time-Based to Performance-BasedOrganization: Global Online Academy (GOA) Course: CBL: From Time-Based to Performance-Based Target Audience: General Educators, Special Education Teachers, Paraeducators
Description: This course dicusses why classrooms should shift from time-based learning to competency-based learning, and how to make this change. A digital badge is awarded upon completion.
Cost: Free for members, $150 for non-members
Length: Unspecified, February 22nd - 26th, 2021 Inclusive SchoolingOn Demand PD 4 ParasOrganization: Inclusive Schooling Course: On Demand PD 4 Paras Target Audience: Paraeducators Description: The four sessions focus on the following topics: making sense of labels, helping kids become independent, understanding the "ABCs" of the IEP, and dealing with emotions. This course provides a certificate of completion, and 10 PD hours. Cost: $87 Length: 4 sessions, 1 year of access to the content Jessica MinahanPractical Trauma-Informed Strategies to Reduce Anxiety in StudentsOrganization: Jessica Minahan Schedule of Workshops and Conferences: Practical Trauma-Informed Strategies to Reduce Anxiety in Students
Target Audience: General Educators, Special Education Teachers, Paraeducators
Description: This course discusses helpful strategies to help reduce anxiety in students during online school, and counts as 2 PDPs.
Cost: $199 for members, $229 for nonmembers
Length: 2 hours, December 16th, 2020, 3:30 – 5:30 PM Kristy ForbesAutism and AnxietyOrganization: Kristy Forbes Course: Autism and Anxiety
Target Audience: General Educators, Special Education Teachers, Paraeducators, Parents
Description: This series allows for viewers to delve into the autistic perspective and insights about how people with ASD are impacted by anxiety. The webinars go into great depth about what this anxiety looks like, why and how it occurs, and how to help.
Cost: $39
Length: 3 part webinar series Lives in the BalanceCollaborative & Proactive Solutions: 2 Day Virtual TrainingOrganization: Lives in the Balance Course: Collaborative & Proactive Solutions: 2 Day Virtual Training Target Audience: General Educators, Special Education Teachers, Paraeducators
Description: Day 1 talks about a general overview of the CPS model and how to solve problems collaboratively. Day 2 discusses various facets of the model in great detail. This course counts as 6-12 hours towards a CE credit.
Cost: $99 for one of two days, $159 for both days, $129 (group discount for 6 or more registrations)
Length: 2 days, Jan 21st, 2021, 9:35 AM–Fri, Jan 22nd, 2021, 5:15 PM ( If you cannot join live, your registration gives you access to the recordings) Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education (MCIE)Inclusive Early Childhood Education Webinar SeriesOrganization: Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education Course: Inclusive Early Childhood Education Webinar Series Target Audience: General Educators, Special Education Teachers, Paraeducators Description: This online course is made up of various webinars (5) on the first steps to preschool inclusion, how to teach preschoolers with special needs, and how to make preschool inclusion work. The link to the webinar(s) will be emailed to the recipent after purchasing. Cost: $5 for each webinar Length: Varies for each webinar, approximately an hour Secondary Transition Webinar SeriesOrganization: Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education Course: Secondary Transition Webinar Series Target Audience: General Educators, Special Education Teachers, Paraeducators Description: This online course is made up of 6 webinars about making the transition from secondary school more seamless for students with disabilities. Webinars cover the following topics: Evidence-Based Instructional Strategies for Transition with David Test, Self-Determination and Transition for Students with Disabilities with Karrie Shogren, Demystifying Transition Assessment with Colleen Thoma, Transition Planning for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) Youth with Disabilities with Gary Greene, and Best Practices in Transition Planning to Promote the Employment of Youth with Significant Disabilities with Paul Wehman. Cost: $5 for each webinar Length: Varies for each webinar, approximately an hour Organization for Autism Research (OAR)Organization for Autism Research WebinarsOrganization: Organization for Autism Research (OAR) Course: Organization for Autism Research Webinars Target Audience: General Educators, Special Education Teachers, Paraeducators Description: Many webinars are available on a range of topics concerning autism, including improving executive functioning skills, social skills for adolescents and adults, the transition to adulthood, skilled trades, and sexuality on the spectrum. Cost: Free Length: Varies for each webinar, approximately an hour Social ThinkingExploring Our Children’s StressOrganization: Social Thinking Course: Exploring Our Children's Stress
Target Audience: General Educators, Special Education Teachers, Paraeducators, Parents
Description: This course explains how to help children explore their stresses, and also how one can avoid creating more stressors for children during the pandemic. A certificate of completion is available.
Cost: Free
Length: 1.5 hours An Introduction to Social Thinking Vocabulary & Treatment FrameworksOrganization: Social Thinking Course: An Introduction to Social Thinking Vocabulary & Treatment Frameworks
Target Audience: General Educators, Special Education Teachers, Paraeducators, Parents Description: This course outlines 'social thinking vocabulary', and introduces conceptual and strategy-based frameworks that can be used to help individuals improve their social thinking and other key skills. (3.5 hours towards CE Credit, and a personalized certificate of completion is provided)
Cost: $99.98 for both modules
Length: 4 hours Special Education Network & Inclusion Association (SENIA)SENIA 2020 Virtual Conference | Bridging the GapOrganization: Special Education Network & Inclusion Association (SENIA) Course: SENIA 2020 Virtual Conference | Bridging the Gap Target Audience: General Educators, Special Education Teachers, Paraeducators
Description: A conference centered around bridging the gap between general education and special education.
Cost: $250 for individual participant, $200 for a group of 4 or more people
Length: Unspecified, 12PM on December 4th & 5th, many of the recordings of speakers are available for free for 30 days Teach Me CEUsSupporting Students with Autism Spectrum DisorderOrganization: Teach Me CEUs Course: Supporting Student with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Target Audience: Parents and High School Staff
Description: The purpose of this brief, intermediate continuing education course is to provide information that will assist high school staff and family members in supporting adolescents on the autism spectrum as they begin to explore current areas relevant to their growth and maturation. Developed using materials from the Center on Secondary Education for Students with ASD (CSESA), the course includes practical tips and resources pertaining to communication, depression, anxiety, exercise, and hygiene for ASD teens. 0.1 of a CEU is available.
Cost: $4
Length: 1 hour |
Introduction to ASD
Organization: Autism Focused Intervention Resources & Modules (AFIRM)
Course: Introduction to ASD
Target Audience: General Educators, Special Education Teachers, Paraeducators
Description: This module guides the learner through characteristics of ASD, how to support learners that have ASD, and activity based scenarios that promote real world application. 0.3 of a CEU(3 Type-II CEs) is available.
Cost: $35
Length: 2 to 3 hours
Universal Class
Autism Spectrum Disorders for Teachers
Organization: Universal Class
Course: Autism Spectrum Disorders for Teachers
Target Audience: General Educators, Special Education Teachers, Paraeducators
Description: An overview of autism spectrum disorders for teachers and paraprofessionals. The first half of the course focuses on definition, diagnosis, causes, intervention and program planning. The second half of the course examines specific intervention strategies. 0.9 of a CE Credit is available.
Cost: $70 no certificate, $95 with CEU Certificate
Length: 9 hours average time, unlocked for 6 months after purchasing
Autism 101
Organization: Universal Class
Course: Autism 101
Target Audience: General Educators, Special Education Teachers, Paraeducators
Description: This course offers insight into ASD. It also disproves common myths about autism and helps teachers gain a better understanding of it as a whole. One CE credit is available!
Cost: $70 no certificate, $95 with CEU Certificate
Length: 10 hours average time, unlocked for 6 months after purchasing