Online Class: Autism 101

no certificate
with CEU Certificate*
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11Lessons
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23Exams &
Assignments -
4,910Students
have taken this course -
10Hours
average time -
1.0CEUs
Course Description
Autism Isn't…
A result of inadequate parenting
Nor is it a learning disability.
And a diagnosis certainly needn't be viewed as a life long sentence to mediocrity, emptiness, dissatisfaction or lack of either fulfillment or productivity.
Autism is plainly and simply a neurobiological condition (more specifically a neurodevelopmental disorder) that comes with lifelong challenges but also brings with it some fantastic lifelong opportunities for growth. Opportunities which are not only limited to the person who has the condition, but also for siblings and other family members, friends and supporters.
Certainly, nobody has to be condemned to a less than first rate life because they are labeled in some way, or another, as being defective or less than they can be, solely because they are autistic. Yes, it can be frightening (particularly to a new parent) when a child is diagnosed with a condition that has no known cure and about which many doctors and researchers still disagree. And yes, it may be a different life than a parent would have envisaged.
BUT there is much more than just hope, there are living breathing examples of autistic people who have achieved much and will continue to achieve do so, such as the widely acknowledged Dr Temple Grandin (college professor, sought after professional speaker and inventor).
Famous people of the past who were very likely to have been in some way autistic, include such as Albert Einstein. So autism is not only treatable but can in many ways utilized and developed as a gift.
This course will give you an insight into this condition (once considered very rare) which touches many more lives than people realize, or even care to admit. There is much reason for hope!
Course Motivation
This course is not only designed to give people intimately touched by autism a proper and practical insight into the condition, but also to educate others in a way that will enable them to see autism in a much clearer light. This can enable them to actively participate in the promotion of a much more positive and pro-active attitude about this disorder and its sufferers.
The main reason that autism is so very difficult to characterize is that it is so very "individual," varying greatly from one person to the next. That is why it is called a "spectrum disorder" – meaning that its signs and symptoms vary both in frequency and severity – with practically every individual being affected differently.
Therefore, the objective of this particular lesson is to sift through a number of the myths and misconceptions connected with autism, and give you the full facts so you then have an accurate and full picture of the reality.
For example -- "children with autism rarely attend college," "individuals diagnosed with autism usually end up having to live in institutions," or "autism is an emotional disability," or even that "autism is rare": These are just a few of the totally incorrect myths connected to autism.
As a matter of interest, for those more analytical types, autism is the fastest growing disability in the United States – with over 1.5 million individuals being diagnosed. A little daunting?
Some of the more common myths would include:
1. All people with autism have special abilities, as displayed by Dustin Hoffman's character, Raymond Babbitt, in the movie Rainman.
2. Children with autism cannot speak.
3. Autistic children cannot learn in a normal school and need to be educated in a special program.
4. Children with autism cannot learn social skills, and therefore cannot relate at all to others.
5. People with autism cannot be active contributing members of the community.
6. Autism can be cured utilizing special diets and supplements, as it is caused by allergies and or chemical imbalances.
7. People with autism just don't want to interact with others.
8. Schoolmates of an autistic child shouldn't be told about their classmate's disorder, as they won't notice any difference anyway.
9. Programs of a behavioral nature can and will cure autism.
10. Females are more likely than males to be diagnosed with autism.
The reality is:
1. Only a minute number of people with ASDs have extremely high IQs and are able to do amazing things (sometimes referred to as "splinter skills"). By far, most autistic people have average, or in some cases, slightly less than average, skills.
2. It's accurate to say that some children with autism cannot speak, but when the condition is both recognized and dealt with early, some three-quarters of those children are then able to communicate verbally.
3. To actually separate autistic children and place them in a separate program would, if anything, inhibit their ability to learn -- and severely limit their possible progress. One of the symptoms of ASDs is abnormal social interaction, and surely one of the main goals of any educational program is to develop the children involved into contributing members of society. Therefore, to separate them would most likely inhibit their ability to learn the necessary social behaviors required of every normal human being. It's not only the autistic children that benefit from a normal school setting, it's also the other children in the class who can learn and benefit from mixing with others who are different.
4. The answer here, again, is to start early, and for intervention programs to be developed around that specific individual's disorder and needs. Remember that autistic children don't have the ability (that normal children do) to develop social skills along the way, unless actively taught how to develop them.
Autistic children can certainly have relationships with other children, and with other people. The myth that autistic people cannot have relationships with others most probably stems from the fact that the majority of them do not like to be touched. This doesn't necessarily mean they cannot love someone, but that they simply don't like to be touched by others – and may even find touch painful.
5. Many, many people with autism go on to have very successful careers and meaningful lives within their communities.
6. Just the same as anyone else, autistic people may have allergies and intolerances to certain things that affect their health and behavior, but the assertions that dietary changes and/or supplements can provide a cure is totally wrong.
7. Simply not true! Both autistic children and adults want to interact with others. However, the disorder does make it very difficult for them to develop the normal social skills which allow them to build friendships and social relationships with others.
8. The honest truth is that autism is noticeable, some cases more than others, naturally. Also, let's face it: Children are much more perceptive than they are usually given credit for, and certainly more perceptive than a lot of adults.
Children as young as three will notice differences in the people around them, and if they are not provided with the correct background information about a classmate's disorder, invariably they will draw their own conclusions, which is not always the best thing.
Naturally, before any classmate's situation (whether it be in reference to general health, a disability or anything else) is discussed in a classroom situation, the parents' permission must be sought and granted.
9. The people that claim that behavioral programs can cure autism are not only incorrect, but downright dishonest -- to make a claim of this sort is reprehensible.
Behavioral programs will often help a person be better able to handle autism, but they will definitely not cure it. Autism does not have a cure.
- Completely Online
- Self-Paced
- Printable Lessons
- Full HD Video
- 6 Months to Complete
- 24/7 Availability
- Start Anytime
- PC & Mac Compatible
- Android & iOS Friendly
- Accredited CEUs

Course Lessons
Lesson 1 - Autism: Myths and Misconceptions
Lesson 1 Video
Lesson discussions: Autism Course; Reasons for Taking this Course
Complete: Lesson 1 Assignment
Assessment: Quiz for Lesson 1 - Myths & Misconceptions
Lesson 2: An Overview of a Special World -- Autism!
Lesson 2 Video
Complete: Lesson 2 Assignment
Assessment: Quiz for Lesson 2 - An Overview of a Special World - Autism!
Lesson 3: Exploring the History and Language of Autism
Lesson 3 Video
Complete: Lesson 3 Assignment
Assessment: Quiz for Lesson 3 - Exploring the history & language of Autism
Lesson 4: Symptoms, Screening, and Diagnosis
Lesson 4 Video
Complete: Lesson 4 Assignment
Assessment: Quiz for Lesson 4 - Symptoms, Screening & Diagnosis
Lesson 5: Treatment Options - Understanding, Evaluating, Deciding, and Managing
Lesson 5 Video
Lesson discussions: Treatments
Complete: Lesson 5 Assignment
Assessment: Quiz for Lesson 5 - Treatment Options - Understanding, Evaluating, Deciding & Managing
Lesson 6: Education -- You, Yours, and Everyone Else!
Lesson 6 Video
Complete: Lesson 6 Assignment
Assessment: Quiz for Lesson 6 - Education: You, Yours and Everyone else!
Lesson 7: Family Life With Autism
Lesson 7 Video
Complete: Lesson 7 Assignment
Assessment: Quiz for Lesson 7 - Family Life with Autism
Lesson 8: The Beginning of Life: A Child With Autism
Lesson 8 Video
Complete: Lesson 8 Assignment
Assessment: Quiz for Lesson 8 - The Beginning of Life – A Child with Autism
Lesson 9: Continuing Life: Living as an Autistic Adult
Lesson 9 Video
Complete: Lesson 9 Assignment
Assessment: Quiz for Lesson 9 - Continuing Life; Living as an Autistic Adult
Lesson 10: Communicating Within the Autistic World
Lesson 10 Video
Complete: Lesson 10 Assignment
Assessment: Quiz for Lesson 10 - Communicating within the Autistic World
Lesson 11: Support Is Often the Key - Choices and Options
Lesson 11 Video
Lesson discussions: Support; Program Evaluation Follow-up Survey (End of Course); Course Comments
Complete: Lesson 11 Assignment
Assessment: Quiz for Lesson 11- Support is Often the Key - Choices & Options
Assessment: The Final Exam
Learning Outcomes
- Identify and describe the myths and misconceptions of autism.
- Describe the history of autism.
- Identify the symptoms of autism, describe screening techniques for autism, and recognize the diagnosis of autism.
- Identify and evaluate various treatments of autism.
- Describe ways to manage autism.
- Describe family life with autism.
- Identify the differences between managing a child with autism and managing an adult with autism.
- Demonstrate various techniques to communicate with an autistic person.
- Demonstrate mastery of lesson content at levels of 70% or higher.
Additional Course Information

- Document Your Lifelong Learning Achievements
- Earn an Official Certificate Documenting Course Hours and CEUs
- Verify Your Certificate with a Unique Serial Number Online
- View and Share Your Certificate Online or Download/Print as PDF
- Display Your Certificate on Your Resume and Promote Your Achievements Using Social Media

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Time to complete | 6 months |
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Time to complete | 12 Months |
No. of courses | 600+ |
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Instructor support |
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Time to complete | 24 Months |
No. of courses | 600+ |
Student Testimonials
- "I enjoyed the presentation. As a mother of an autistic child, I don't think you ever learn it all. My child is going on 16 yrs, and I'm still learning all the time, and always changing for you as a parent and you are always researching and learning. But it's always worth it, because you love your child." -- Bertha G.
- "I really enjoyed this course. I have worked with Autistic students for a while and I feel that I still learned a lot of new information from this class! Thank you." -- Ashley O.
- "I really enjoyed this class and the format it was presented in. For me, I learn and retain much more through an online class due to the fact that I was able to do it on MY time! (self-paced). This really makes me search for the answers and in return, I retain more information. I found it relaxing to be able to turn in the assignments and tests at my leisure and when I had the time. I liked the fact that there were some assignments that needed more internet research, which helped me to dig more on the topic. I also like the option of re-taking the tests! To be honest, there is nothing that I disliked about the course. I will definitely be taking another online course from you!" -- Shaheenn B.
- "I enjoyed this class and the instructor was friendly and fast at getting work back to me! - Thank you very muuch." -- Julie T.
- "The class was very helpful to my job as a teacher assistant. The instructor give a excellent material." -- Elizabeth P.
- "I really appreciate the Instructor's helpful comments and promptness in grading my work!" -- Alyce P.
- "Thank you for everything, you assisted me in every way and for that I am grateful." -- Tanya R.
- "The course is very complete within the learning margin, thank you very much for the instructor." -- Victor manuel O.
- "The instructor was very professional and instructions well put together." -- Esmeralda M.
- "Instructor is highly professional and very helpful." -- Lakshmi N.
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