CONT912: Teaching Autistic Students (formerly Teaching Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder pending approval)

Course Schedule

Course Description

Equitable and inclusive education for autistic students begins with deep listening, critical reflection, and a commitment to challenge assumptions. This course explores evidence-informed, neurodiversity-affirming approaches to teaching autistic students, centring autistic voices, experiences, and scholarship. You will examine historical and evolving definitions of autism, Indigenous perspectives and decolonized models of autism, and the limitations of deficit-based models. Through readings, discussions, and case-based activities, you will evaluate interventions, develop capacity to collaborate with families and professionals, and design strength-based learning environments aligned with BC Ministry of Education policy. Emphasis is on supporting students’ communication, regulation, agency, and well-being. By course end, you will be equipped with practical strategies for and a deeper understanding of how to foster belonging, provide responsive support, and prepare meaningful IEPs for autistic students across diverse educational contexts.

What You Will Learn and Do

In this course you’ll have the opportunity to

• examine the evolving concept of autism and the autistic experience in historical, scientific, Indigenous, ministry, and autistic community contexts
• confront what autism is not, through debunking of myths, stereotypes, and pseudoscience
• consider models of disability and the neurodiversity paradigm to identify barriers autistic people face in education and society, including ableism
• design solutions to barriers including cultivation of neurodiversity-affirming practices
• investigate service providers, organizations, and professionals in and beyond school districts, and examine their roles and scopes of practice in collaboratively supporting autistic students
• review and select appropriate resources to inform and enrich the support of autistic students
• devise holistic and neurodiversity-affirming strategies to support learning, communication, health, well-being, and social development in autistic students
• generate neuro-affirming strength-based IEPs and transition planning using case studies and personal experience
• design a presentation relevant to your professional context and interest

Application Requirements

Courses and Post-Graduate Certificates are approved by TQS for Category Upgrade. If you would like these courses to be used towards Category Upgrading, you must have a valid BC Teacher Certificate.

ECEs, EAs, and other education professionals are welcome to take the courses without Certification.

Course Materials

Accommodations

Applicants who require accommodations for a specific learning need (e.g., learning disability) within their AQ/ABQ course, should click here for further information and support.

Have a question? Contact us!

Refund Schedule

If you drop a course:

1. by the midpoint of the course, you will receive 100% of your course fee.
2. after the midpoint, before the end of the course, you will receive 50% of your course fee.

For more about our refund policies, visit our Fees & Refunds page.