Content

This training will equip educators with a deeper understanding of the unique strengths and needs of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and extensive support needs (ESN). Participants will learn to create individualized, developmentally appropriate, and neurodiversity-affirming programs that honor and respond to all forms of communication. The training will focus on practical application of key evidence-based practices (EBPs): antecedent-based intervention, visual supports, reinforcement, prompting, and functional communication training. During this session, educators will explore the spectrum of developmental diversity, gain strategies for aligning curriculum with individual learner profiles, and develop a critical understanding that behaviors often mislabeled as "problematic" are, in fact, meaningful forms of communication expressing wants, needs, sensory experiences, and reactions to the environment.

Intended Audience

School personnel working with students with ASD and ESN including special education teachers, general education teachers, related service providers, paraeducators, and administrators

Participants Will

Develop a deeper understanding of the unique strengths and needs of students with ASD and ESN and the implications for learning, behavior, and communication.
Learn about EBPs for students with ASD through research conducted by the National Autism Center, the National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders, and The National Clearinghouse on Autism Evidence and Practice.
Obtain resources that include detailed information on how to plan, implement, and monitor specific EBPs for students with ASD and ESN.

Evidence-Based Practices for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Extensive Support Needs (NO SUB REQUIRED)