There are many great free autism resources online to support teachers in being inclusive in their classroom. It’s often an area that teachers feel under-prepared for, and struggle to be inclusive when there is a large range of neurodiversity.
What’s always best to remember is that if you’ve met one child with autism, you’ve met one child with autism. Every child is different and we can’t lump them all in the same box. What works for one person may not work for another. So, teachers need to get to know each individual student for who they are and adapt strategies that are flexible and work for each child.
If you’re looking for formal training, webinars or reading online, here are 5 of the most comprehensive and recommended Autism resources online for teachers.
1. Autism Internet Modules
Autism Internet Modules. This is an American resource – so ignore the American statistics if you’re reading from Australia. They offer free online modules of training, targeted at teachers and inclusion leaders in education. After creating a free account, you have access to over 50 modules and 7 courses. You can filter modules on how long they take to complete, and topic (including at home, in the classroom and in the workplace). Modules include:
- Behaviour Intervention Plans
- Computer Aided Instruction
- Functional behaviour Assessments
- Motor differences with ASD
- Social skills and intervention strategies
- Picture Exchange Communication Systems (PECS)
- Rules and routines
- Social narratives
- Social Skills training through social skills groups
- Structured Teaching
- Structured Break Areas
- Using the 5 point scale
- Transitioning between activities
- Visual supports
2. Inclusion ED
InclusionED is an Australian site supporting diverse learners in the classroom. It is free and offers research backed approaches to inclusion. InclusionED offers details of teaching practices for P-12 including classroom management, social and emotion wellbeing, behavioural support and adjustments and scaffolds. It also provides advice for whole of school practices and universal design for learning. The site includes a summary of all Australian research projects that it refers to for evidence, with how the research was conducted and what the findings were. Each teaching practice has a short written description supported by a video detailing how the practice works. In addition, there are more explanations available if you create a free account.
For example, the teaching practice of Using Visual Schedules lists the age group it is relevant for and why is helps students. There is a short written summary about what visual schedules are, followed by a video on how they work. Then there are examples of schedules at primary and secondary levels. They list when schedules work best, and when they don’t work. This is followed by a short video from a student perspective about why they are helpful and some examples from a range of year levels. Finally, there is some advice about supporting transitions between activities and links to related practices.
3. Positive Partnerships
Positive Partnerships provides online resources, webinars and face to face professional learning for teachers. The two day training course has been used by SA’s new Autism Inclusion Teachers to upskill them in how to best be inclusive in the classroom.
You can access their online modules and past webinar recordings after signing up for a free account. Most of their resources can be found under the Webinar Recordings section.
4. AutismCRC
The AutismCRC is Australia’s independent national source of evidence for best practice. Their Knowledge Centre can be searched to find resources and research papers for early years, school age and adulthood. From recent research evaluating use of robots in classrooms, through to the impact of COVID on autistic students, this site has all the most up-to-date publications on autism.
5. AFIRM Modules
AFIRM Modules | AFIRM (unc.edu) are similar to the Autism Internet Modules in terms of their content. They offer free online modules after you sign up for a free account. Similar to the resources above, all advice and recommended interventions are evidence-based practices. They also offer advice on how to select and implement new interventions.
Yes, but what do I do in the classroom?
I get it – you’re time poor and just want to know what to do now to support your student.
Going back to our first statement, you really need to get to know each child. Having a blanket approach to interventions isn’t always going to work.
If you are looking for ideas around regulation, try:
- 63 Calming and regulation strategies
- The Understanding Sensory Processing module from Positive Partnerships
- Providing a safe calm space
- Structured Break Areas module from Autism Internet Modules
- The 5 point scale module from Autism Internet Modules
If you are wanting support on structuring task and lessons, try:
- Using visual schedules
- Using routines and schedules
- Using work systems to structure tasks
- Rules and Routines module from Autism Internet Modules
- Structured Teaching module from Autism Internet Modules
- Structured Work Systems module from Autism Internet Modules
- How to break down tasks module from Autism Internet Modules
- Executive Function skills from Positive Partnerships with help on how to plan and organise
Conclusion: Autism resources for teachers
If you have a diverse and complex classroom, these are the best, evidence based resources for supporting students on the autism spectrum. But don’t worry if you have a limited professional development budget or are located remotely – these resources are online and free.
If you’d prefer to read off-screen with a book, also check out our round-up of the best Australian autism resources, that includes 11 books for parents and teachers.