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Autism Support
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Training and technical assistance is available to share research and effective practices in the delivery of services for students with autism spectrum disorder.
These services are subsidized by IDEA Component II Funds.
What is Autism?
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Autism is a neurodevelopmental disability that affects how individuals experience the world around them. Autism is a spectrum disorder, meaning that each person has different strengths and support needs.
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Autistic individuals span across gender, race, religion, and socio-economic groups. While each person is unique, some areas of commonality may impact learners. These include differences in communication, thinking, sensory processing, socialization, movement, and daily living skills.
Image Credit: Image shared by the I CAN Network, based on art by autistic artist Rebecca Burgess and autistic university student Lucy Wallace. -
AIU Autism Services
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Classroom & Individual Student Consultation
Training and consultation coordinators are available to provide support based on individual school team needs.
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Customized Training & Systems Level Support
By direct request, topics have included understanding autism, autism & trauma, autism & inclusion, task analysis, chaining and shaping, instructional strategies (including conversation related to alternative curriculum resource needs), and many more.
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Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment & Placement Program (VB-MAPP) Training & Support
A three-day training where participants will learn about the components of language, how to administer the assessment, interpret results, and design instructional programming. Additionally, staff will receive instruction on identifying learner motivation and how to teach students to make requests (mand) for a variety of items, activities, and information.
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Areas of Training
Training sessions include classroom setup and management, explicit instructional strategies, building play and leisure skills, and how to use prompting and reinforcement to build independence.
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Contact AIU Autism Training & Consultation Coordinator:
Amanda Zimmer
412-394-4624Marisa Esposto
412-394-5751
Training Opportunities:
You can find our training opportunities held at the AIU on the Training & Consultation (TaC) Calendar, TaC Professional Development Offerings 2023-2024 and listed in the Act 48 Workshops.