El Paso Community College

ASD - Autism 101

Course Name

ASD - Autism 101

Contact Hours: 5 (an estimated time frame devoted to a course of study from start to finish that can vary from student to student)

Course Description

With 1 in 54 children being diagnosed with ASD in the U.S., many parents and caregivers are scrambling to understand what is ASD, what causes ASD, what are the signs, symptoms and how are they evaluated. Autism 101 will guide you through these challenging questions. Our goal is to provide you with the right information and resources to help you put together a plan to support your child emotionally, physically and academically. It is our belief that the more informed you are, the more equipped your child is for success.

Please note: Course of study may be completed earlier than indicated.

Outcome

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

  • Describe what ASD is
  • Describe what causes ASD
  • Describe the history of autism
  • Identify and describe the myths and misconceptions of ASD
  • Identify signs and symptoms of ASD
  • Experience ASD through virtual simulations
  • Evaluating ASD
  • Identify what your next steps are

Assessment

This course contains one short quiz (optional) which is not graded.

Outline

Welcome
   Watch Video: Course introduction
   Post: Introduce yourself in the general classroom discussion board

What is ASD
   Read: Opening description
   Watch Video: ASD (Parts I & II, Causes, Signs and Symptoms)

What Causes ASD
   Read: Opening paragraph
   Read: PDF document, ‘What causes ASD’
   Watch Video: Dr. Jennifer S. Singh, ‘What Causes Autism’
   Take Quiz 1 (optional)

History of Autism
   Watch Video: ‘The Prevalence of Parent-Reported Autism Spectrum Disorder Among U.S. Children’
   Watch Video: ‘History of Autism – Past Present and Future’

   Read: ‘Autism timeline’
   Read: ‘Emergence of Behavioral Therapy for Treating Autism’

Myths and Misconceptions of ASD
   Read: Top 10 Most Common Myths of ASD
   Read: Give me the facts

   Watch Video: Autism — ‘What we know and what we don't know yet’ by: Dr. Wendy Chung

Signs and Symptoms of ASD
   Watch: ‘What is Autism and ABA Therapy help’
   Read: ‘CDC Milestones’ by age (located in the “Resources” tab to the left of the screen)

   Read: ‘Possible Red Flags, Social Skills and Communication’

ASD - Virtual Simulations
   Watch: ASD video simulations (total of 3)
   Read: ‘Sensory Processing Disorder vs. Autism’

Evaluating ASD
   Read: Before you begin
   Watch Video: ASD Assessment Overview

   Read: Elements of an evaluation for ASD
   Read: What questions should I ask after an evaluation
   Quiz: The Childhood Autism Spectrum Test (optional)

Frequently Asked Questions
   Read: Frequently asked questions

What Are My Next Steps?
   Read: Other course offerings

Books

All training is delivered online.