We are back with new recommendations for free online courses for parents of autistic children! Just like the first part, we’ll dive into a few courses that talk about all things autism.
As a parent, these courses will help you gain a greater understanding of autism and learn about a lot of different aspects related to the condition!
Let’s take a look at a few of these courses –
Understanding autism (by The Open University)
Understanding autism is an online course spanning over 8 weeks, which not only talks about the basics of autism but also makes use of different theoretical perspectives paired with personal accounts to give you a clear understanding of the autism spectrum.
The course aims to give the learner a comprehensible understanding of the condition through the various aspects surrounding it. Not only do you get to learn about the psychological, neurobiological, and genetic explanations of autism, but also the basics of diagnosis, intervention, education, and lifespan development.
Understanding autism covers a lot of varied aspects of ASD and is sure to provide you with a detailed overview of the condition.
Access the course here:
https://www.open.edu/openlearn/science-maths-technology/understanding-autism/content-section-overview?active-tab=description-tab
Good Practice in Autism Education (by the University of Bath)
Geared towards tackling important questions in the realm of autism education, this course aims to highlight the special educational needs of children on the spectrum.
The course spanning over 4 weeks, will give you an overview of the many modalities of schooling for students with autism. You will get to learn about what contributes to good practice in autism education based on scientific evidence.
This self-paced course is not only beneficial for individuals who work with autistic children in schools, but also for their parents who wish to know more about the educational requirements of their children.
Access the course here:
https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/autism-education
SMART-ASD: Matching Autistic People with Technology Resources (by the University of Bath)
SMART-ASD is a course provided by the University of Bath and available on FutureLearn that aims at determining the most appropriate technological resources for children with autism and/or intellectual (learning) disabilities.
The course introduces learners to the SMART-ASD app that identifies the skills and needs of autistic children and ID so that the most suitable technologies can be identified to support them.
The topics covered by this course will include an introduction to ASD and learning disability, the use of technology in helping ASD children, and matching autistic people with technology – how recommendations can be made, specific to each child.
The duration of this course is 4 weeks with an approximate study time of 3 hours per week.
Access this course here: https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/supporting-autism
Autism 101 (by Autism Society)
Autism 101 is a free, short online course that covers topics like – introduction to the autism spectrum, an overview of treatment options, the transition to adulthood, and much more.
This course is great for parents who have just received their child’s autism diagnosis and want to learn more about autism and the characteristics associated with it.
The course covers a lot of fundamental and necessary information essential for parents of a newly diagnosed child.
Course Duration – 30 minutes
Access this course here: https://www.autism-society.org/autism-101-online-course/
