Autism Navigator for Early Intervention Providers

About the Course

Autism Navigator for Early Intervention Providers is an online course for professionals from diverse disciplines who work in early intervention systems and provide early intervention services in natural environments to families and other caregivers of children birth to 3 years of age. This interactive web-based course is designed to increase the capacity of early intervention providers to improve early detection of ASD, collaborate more effectively with families, and coach families and other caregivers to use embedded intervention strategies and supports in everyday activities.

Course Content—Knowledge and Skills Level

Autism Navigator for Early Intervention Providers at the Knowledge and Skills level is a 30-hour online self-guided professional development course that uses interactive slides with audio narration, closed captions, and extensive illustrative video clips. You also have links to web resources, research briefs, supporting documents to help you learn and apply the information, and documents to share with families. Our Early Intervention course uses an unparalleled video library with more than two-dozen different toddlers with autism and their families embedding intervention strategies and supports in the natural environment.

Video clips illustrate core diagnostic features, key social communication milestones and early signs of ASD, how to gather and share information with families, evidence-based early intervention strategies and supports used by families of toddlers with autism in everyday activities, and ways to manage challenging behavior using positive behavior support. Each video player contains sets of video clips that compare and contrast features across children, families, or contexts with commentary that recaps key points and highlights critical behaviors.

Units at the Knowledge and Skills Level

These units range from 3 to 11 hours of content for a total of 30 hours. We have developed the content to build across units, so you need to complete the units in order starting with Unit 1 before you can open the next unit. We hope you will return to the course later as a resource to watch more or to use the tools when you need the information for families you serve.

Our e-learning platform includes a printed script of the content for each unit that you can download. At the end of each unit, you will complete a brief Check Your Knowledge activity. You can also complete a Learner Assessment with multiple-choice questions about information presented in each unit. You can then download or print a certificate of completion for each unit. Your Autism Navigator certificate of completion can be used to claim continuing education units. Continuing education units are available from the American Speech Language and Hearing Association (ASHA), Florida Board of Occupational Therapy, and the Florida Board of Physical Therapy. More options will be available in the future.

Course Content—Mastery Level

Autism Navigator for Early Intervention Providers at the Mastery level builds on the content covered in the 30-hour Knowledge and Skills course by using a self-guided learning approach to help apply concepts learned and practice application. Instruction at the Mastery level is different than the slide format in the Knowledge and Skill level. The Mastery level incorporates libraries with extensive sets of video clips to illustrate content and application exercises to guide video exploration, compare and contrast concepts, and hone your observation and clinical decision-making skills. The Mastery level is designed to build the capacity of providers who have completed the Knowledge and Skills level course for two primary reasons: 1) to gain more experience practicing and implementing the concepts covered in the Knowledge and Skills level and to access more video clips to generate new ideas and creative solutions to better serve your families; and 2) to support learners who want to become Autism Navigator specialists who provide mentorship and coaching of early intervention teams in your region.

Join Autism Navigator Learner Community Webinars

When you enroll in the Autism Navigator for Early Intervention Provider, you are invited to join our Autism Navigator Learner Community at no additional cost and attend our monthly webinars, one for learners in the Knowledge and Skills level course and the other for learners in the Mastery level course. The integration of multiple e-learning tools will foster the creation of a versatile online learner community that invites interaction between specialists who support the learning of others to impact the transactions of children, families, and their social environments.

What You Will Learn from Autism Navigator® for Early Intervention Providers—Knowledge and Skills Level Course Content Units and Key Questions

Unit 1: Improving Early Detection (5 hours)

• Why is early detection important?
• What are the core features of autism?
• Why is the prevalence of autism increasing?
• What causes autism?
• What red flags of autism can we detect in infants and toddlers?
• How do red flags of autism change in infants and toddlers?

Unit 2: Collaborating with Families (3 hours)

• How can EI providers build relationships and support families who have children with ASD?
• What are family-centered services and supports for young children with ASD and their families?
• What communication practices help build consensus with family members?
• How can EI providers develop a relationship that facilitates a collaborative coaching approach to intervention?

Unit 3: Developmental Perspectives (6 hours)

• How does the natural environment support learning and development?
• How do children learn and make connections with the physical world through exploration and play?
• How do children develop communication from sounds and gestures to first words?
• How does communication develop from word combinations to the ability to use complex language?
• How does emotional regulation develop and impact learning?
• How do critical thinking, creativity, and self-directed learning develop in young children?

Unit 4: Evidence-based Intervention Strategies (11 hours)

• What are priority intervention outcomes to address core deficits of ASD?
• What are the active ingredients of effective intervention practices for young children with ASD and their families?
• What are evidence-based intervention strategies for parent-implemented embedded intervention for young children with ASD?
• Within a collaborative consultation model, how does the early intervention provider coach the parent?
• How do you monitor meaningful progress in intervention?

Unit 5: Addressing Challenging Behaviors (5 hours)

• Why do children with autism have challenging behaviors?
• How do you understand the function of challenging behaviors?
• How do you develop and implement a positive behavior support plan in partnership with families?

Unique features of Autism Navigator Courses

• Specially designed video players—to view single, paired, and multiple video clips to compare and contrast behaviors across children or contexts. You are guided by narration to introduce the video clip, point out what to watch for, recap key points, and call attention to noted behaviors.
• Two ways to navigate easily to specific slides—a slide index with a list of the slide titles or key content, and a slide viewer with thumbnails of the slides in the unit.
• Ideas—a section inspired by TED Talks to see brief mini-documentaries or short talks that offer information and inspiration about autism. You can narrow your selection by choosing from a list of themes.
• Tools—a section for easy access to print materials for all units with more information for providers, research briefs, materials to share with families, and links to websites and e-documents related to ASD.