Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

---

Support - Autism Education Network

The Autism Education Network is designed to provide school teams support, training, and resources to guide services for students with autism. Below are potential offerings autism network team members may provide based on the request. The level of support provided will be based on AU/school team needs as well as autism team availability.

Training (Virtual or In-Person):

The CDE autism team can create targeted, individualized trainings for an AU/school team based on current needs. These trainings can be done virtually or in-person (pending COVID guidelines), and can cover an array of topics related to autism. Trainings can be anywhere from two hours to one full day. The team does not offer individualized versions of currently offered CDE trainings (see training section below).

Field Support:

Field support is intended to offer consultation/coaching services and allows the CDE autism consultants to partner with AU/school teams to address systemic or long-standing concerns. This service supports implementation of evidence-based practices within the school setting. The consultant will work with the team to understand current needs, and then establish goals and a subsequent action plan. This plan may include up to six virtual or in-person visits (depending on need and COVID guidelines).

TeleSchool:

The CDE autism team partners with Children’s Hospital Colorado to offer support in completing functional behavior assessments (FBAs) and developing behavior intervention plans (BIPs) via virtual coaching sessions. This service is designed for teams looking to expand their skills in addressing challenging behavior (e.g., aggression, self-harm, property destruction) and can commit to recurring weekly or biweekly sessions for approximately one to two months. These sessions involve discussions, coaching, and practice implementing various forms of FBA/BIP and analyzing data. This service is recommended for teams addressing unique and intensive behaviors (e.g., considering alternative placement, behaviors that are not responding to intervention over time, behaviors that have injured staff or other students).

Resource Recommendation:

For teams looking to expand knowledge and in need of quick, potentially asynchronous learning opportunities, the CDE autism team can offer recommendations of existing resources to review. Consultants can provide individualized suggestions of webinars, modules, currently offered CDE trainings, and other related resources. To review options, please visit the webinar page to see all archived webinars, or the training section to see currently offered CDE autism team trainings.

Flyer - Network Request (PDF)

Network Request

When completing the field request, you will be prompted to describe the needs of your program and how they relate to Colorado’s Autism Quality Indicators

Quality Indicators

• Autism Quality Indicator, PDF Version
• Autism Quality Indicator, Word Version

​Questions about the Colorado Autism Education Network? Please contact Brooke Carson (see Specialist Contacts section below) with questions about the Autism Education Network.

---

• Virtual Events
• Face-to-Face Trainings
• Tri-State Upcoming Webinars
• Archived Tri-State Webinars (On-Demand)
• Other Training Opportunities

Virtual Events 

ASD Communication Toolkit Training

This one-day training is for team members working directly with students with autism. The Communication Toolkit training is designed to:

• Support understanding of communication in children with ASD including formal and informal measurement of communication abilities.
• Help participants develop a rationale and plan around “where to start” when developing communication systems for students with early emerging communication skills including coaching communication partners for success.
• Discuss Evidence Based Practices (EBPs) and match practice to the characteristics of individual students with ASD.
• Give participants a variety of interventions to support students with ASD in developing a functional communication system.
• Follow up with participants through virtual coaching (1 hour requirement within 6-8 weeks of the one-day training completion).

The Communication Toolkit training is designed for those who already have a foundational understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorder. 

Communication Toolkit Flyer (PDF)

Details

• WHO SHOULD ATTEND? Certified school professionals involved in directly with students with ASD, including school psychologists, social workers, speech/language pathologists, special education teachers, occupational therapists, district administrators, and other certified staff who are part of the school team.

Round 1 Training Dates & Times

Thursdays, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm

• December 7, 2023
• December 14, 2023
• Follow up January 18, 2023

Round 2 Training Dates & Times

Wednesdays, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm

• February 21, 2024
• February 28, 2024
• Follow up March 20, 2024

CDE Certificates

Those who attend the 2 half-day training sessions (3 hours each) and 1- hour follow-up meeting will receive a 7-hour certificate of attendance; partial credit will not be given.

Registration

---

ASD Educational Identification Training

This distance learning opportunity will be presented over four days, in three-hour segments. The training is designed to support districts in understanding how to identify students suspected of having Autism Spectrum Disorder, using evaluation tools to assess the triad of characteristics of ASD. Participants will learn how to build a body of evidence to support the identification of ASD (determining eligibility) in an educational setting (without using the ADOS).

View/Print
Ed ID Flyer (PDF)

Details

• Registration is limited and will close two weeks prior to the start date. If registration is at capacity a wait list will be opened.
• Who should attend: certified school professionals involved in assessment for the educational identification of ASD, including school psychologists, social workers, speech/language pathologists, special education teachers, occupational therapists, district administrators, and other certified staff who are part of the evaluation team. This training is not open to paraeducators.
• Attending all four sessions is required to receive a certificate of attendance. 

Round 1 Training Dates & Times

Tuesdays, 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

• August 8, 2023
• August 15, 2023
• August 22, 2023
• August 29, 2023

Round 2 Training Dates & Times

Tuesdays, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm

• February 6, 2024
• February 13, 2024
• February 20, 2024
• February 27, 2024

CDE Certificate

Participants must complete all four virtual sessions to receive a certificate of attendance (12 CDE hours). Partial credit will not be given.

Registration

 

Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) Online Training Opportunity

Instructional Strategies Course:

If you are not planning to attain the full RBT credential through the BACB, you might be interested in this free online course.  The content is the same, but the RBT certification information has been removed (e.g., ethics, how to write reports, etc).  The Instructional Strategies course is 21 hours vs. the 40 hours.

If you are participating strictly for professional development, you may enroll yourself in the Instructional Strategies course at any time and you have unlimited access to the content.  You can work at your own pace and the books are not required.   

About the Instructional Strategies Training:

• You do NOT have to apply for this course and can create an account at the link below and begin taking modules at any time.
• There is no timeline for completing the course. You can complete content whenever is convenient for you.
• The course is completely free.
• You will receive a certificate of completion for 7-8 contact hours.
• This course does NOT meet BACB requirements for the 40-hour RBT training.

Both of these courses are  developed and instructed by TASN Instructors:

Peggy VonFeldt, BCBA; Pam Scharping, BCBA; Shana Kaplan, BCBA 

Colorado Department of Education Facilitator:

Cora Nash CDE Autism Team
nash_c@cde.state.co.us 

Face-to-Face Trainings

Foundations for Instruction

With school districts reporting staff shortages and team members lacking autism training, this content will focus on teaching instructional strategies to IEP team providers newer to the field of ASD (0-5 years). The focus of this in-person training is for participants to learn autism strategies using specially designed instruction for effective programming (student/classroom). This will be a hands-on learning opportunity with embedded coaching and practice on learned content.

View/Print Foundations
Flyer (PDF)

Additional Details:

• Each training location will have two in-person dates & one (2-hour) virtual component between the in-person days 1 & 2. 
• By registering for this training participants are committing to 12 hours of in-person in the same location AND a virtual session for up to 2 hours. 
• All 14 hours are required when registration is being determined; partial attendance or credit will not be accepted/granted. 
• There is no cost for this training. The Exceptional Student Services Unit of the Colorado Department of Education provides the funding for the presenters. 
• No reimbursement is provided to participants. 

Locations & Dates of trainings: 

• Montrose
  • In-Person Sessions - September 6, 2023 & January 17, 2024 from 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
  • Virtual Session - November 8, 2023 from 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
• Greeley
  • In-Person Sessions -  September 28, 2023 & January 2, 2024 from 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
  • Virtual Session - November 9, 2023 from 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
• Pueblo
  • In-Person Sessions- October 24, 2023 & April 18, 2024 from 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
  • Virtual Session - January 23, 2024 from 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
• Alamosa
  • In-Person Sessions - October 25, 2023 & April 17, 2024 from 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
  • Virtual Session - January 23, 2024 from 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
• Summit County
  • In-Persons Sessions - December 6, 2023 & March 13, 2024 from 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
  • Virtual Session - January 24, 2024 from 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Registration: 

Registration at each location is limited. Registration for each location will close two weeks prior to the initial session date. 

---

2023-2024 Autism Spectrum Disorder Literacy Institute, Tier 1 & 2

Literacy Institute, Tier 1

This statewide institute will be conducted by nationally recognized experts on literacy and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Dr. Christi Carnahan and Dr. Pam Williamson. The institute's content will focus on a balanced approach to literacy including instruction in phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, reading comprehension, and writing. Each aspect of literacy will be linked to the unique cognitive, social, and communication issues inherent in ASD. Assessment strategies will include an overall estimation of the student's literacy abilities from interactive to independent, which will help teachers determine what additional literacy assessments may be needed to inform instruction. Measures of student outcomes and teacher outcomes will be incorporated into the project, developed by the presenters.

This training will be conducted in person for two days in the fall of 2023 followed by two days of in-person training in January 2024 (In the event in-person training is no longer available due to county, state, district, or CDE guidelines the in-person training will change to a virtual format).

Target Audience

The institute is ideally designed for teams of certified school members who work directly with students with autism spectrum disorder. Teams can include general and special education teachers, speech, and language pathologists, reading interventionists or other members who design/deliver literacy instruction. Due to limited space and the need to enroll professionals responsible for delivering/designing literacy instruction, this course is not open to paraeducators. All accepted participants will be asked to share implementation information with parents, paraeducators, and administrators. To ensure fair representation across the state, the number of teams accepted to attend from each district/AU may be limited.

Literacy Institute, Tier 2

This one day virtual training will build on content discussed in the Tier 1 training. Participants will develop and bring assessment data from their students and develop balanced literacy lessons for those students indicated by the data.

Target Audience

Tier 2 is designed exclusively for individuals or school teams that completed all 18 hours of the Tier 1 ASD Literacy Institute (either in-person or virtually). No substitutions will be accepted.

---

 Tri-State Webinar Series

2023-2024 Webinar Series

No webinars are planned at this time. 

Past Webinars

A full list of the archived Tri-State Webinars can be accessed from CDE's Professional Development Portal. 

Autism Library of
On-Demand Webinars 

 

---

Other Training Opportunities

TBD

---

---

Join the Colorado Autism Spectrum Disorder Listserv

To join the Autism Spectrum Disorder listserv please contact Brooke Carson or Rhonda Danner. ​

---

Contact an ASD Specialist