Being up to date with the best practices regarding special needs education is a must for both parents and professionals. We have put together a list of 14 free courses taught by a variety of professionals from recognised institutions. These courses cover a range of subjects, such as Autism; ADHD; Global Delay Development; Social, Emotional and Behavioural Disorders; Classroom Management; Parenting; Sensory Integration; Intellectual and Learning Disability; and Hearing Loss.
This course aims at providing teachers a better understanding of how to support special
educational needs in the classroom better, nonetheless, it can also be a great tool for
parents wanting to learn more about special educational needs. It shows how with simple
changes, teachers can make their teaching and their classroom more inclusive. Furthermore,
it aims to help teachers to identify strategies to get the additional support they need.
Although the course providers are no longer attributing certificates, you can still have access
to all its content and learn useful strategies to support your students.
Click here to access this course.
By The State University of New York, University at Buffalo
This course provides an overview of ADHD diagnosis and treatment. Course participants will
learn evidence-based approaches for diagnosing this developmental disorder that begins
early in childhood, as well as, two evidence-based treatment approaches - the Daily Report
Card and Parenting Strategies. The course will help you to identify the key areas of
functional impairment, symptom presentation, and diagnostic decision-making for youth
with ADHD. It teaches you how to develop a behavioural intervention suitable for treating
ADHD in the school setting, and how to apply effective parenting and teaching strategies for
supporting youth with ADHD in the home, classroom, and neighbourhood.
Click here to access this course.
By University of California, Davis
Aimed at educators, clinicians, therapists, medical staff, family, and employers, this course
explains the characteristics of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) ,and their implications for
behaviour, learning and the ability to process information. It will give you a fundamental
understanding of what ASD is, how it is diagnosed, the primary areas of impairment, and
why prevalence is increasing. In addition, it examines the developmental and sensory-motor
differences that may impact academic, play, social and self-help skills at different stages of
life, including the transition to higher education and employment. It will help gain a better
understanding of how sensory regulation differs for individuals on the spectrum and explore
practical tools for identifying triggers and communicating feelings.
Click here to access this course.
Kim Griffin offers a free sensory course that explores the basics of sensory processing
disorder and sensory integration. It is designed for teachers, parents, and professionals who
want an introduction to sensory processing disorder. The course explores different models
of sensory processing disorder and sensory integration, and you will learn about the eight
senses, rather than the classic five you might have been heard of.
Click here to access this course.
In this course, you will learn about how social-emotional skills, mental health, and learning are
related. It will walk you through the reasons why schools should promote student mental health,
and review school activities to support skill development and prevent social, emotional, and
behavioural challenges. It will also help you identify strategies for students at risk of developing
problems and highlight interventions that can be used for students with mental health needs.
Click here to access this course.
This course aims to answers the question, “Does autism really exist?”. It provides an
excellent introduction to ASD, and you can hear first-hand the testimony of people with
autism about their own experience of being on the spectrum. You don’t need any prior
experience or qualifications to do this course. Still, it might be of interest to practitioners in
the field of autism, healthcare workers, people on the autism spectrum, and parents or
carers.
Click here to access this course.
This course is for you if you are interested in learning about the different modalities of schooling
for students with autism, including general special schools, autism-specific special schools,
autism units within mainstream schools, and being in a mainstream classroom.Teachers discuss
the benefits and challenges of these different types of education, what constitutes good
practice within autism education, and the implications for inclusion.
Click here to access this course.
This health course focuses on the stories of people with intellectual disabilities around the
world, as well as their families and supporters. Learners will be made aware of the
challenges and aid received in healthcare for people with intellectual disabilities, including
their experience of specific syndromes and communication difficulties. Additionally, you will
also hear from family members as they discuss complex care, rare syndromes, early death,
and planning for independence. The course is open to anyone but will be of particular
relevance to those in advanced medical, allied health, and disability.
Click here to access this course.
In this course, you will learn about the most common developmental and behavioural
disorders affecting children, such as ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, learning disorders,
and concussions. The course focuses on how schools can support children by recognizing
common symptoms and understanding the diagnosis process. The course includes scenarios
that provide first-hand clinician experience working with children with ADHD and
management options for the most common developmental and behavioural disorders.
Click here to access this course.
This course was primarily created for professionals - physicians, physician assistants, nurses, nurse
practitioners, psychologists, social workers, therapists, and early education specialists. It provides
the knowledge and tools for the primary care clinician to identify children at risk for developmental
delays, and to refer them for appropriate therapeutic and diagnostic services. Using text, case-based
learning, videos, and screencasts, this course will provide the knowledge and tools necessary to
perform recommended developmental screening and surveillance and to refer at-risk children for
Early Intervention services.
Click here to access this course.
By University of California, San Diego
Parenting itself is far from a science. However, many of the popular advice shared on the
media is neither reliable nor based on scientific evidence. This course provides a survey of
important scientific findings spanning a range of topics that are central to the lives of
parents, such as diet, sleep, discipline, learning, screen time, impulse control and
vaccination to help parents – or future parents – make sensible, informed decisions.
Click here to access this course.
Early identification and intervention of hearing loss are crucial to children’s lifelong learning
outcomes. It is well documented that later identification of hearing loss can lead to
significant delays in children’s speech, language, literacy, social and emotional development.
Taught by multidisciplinary paediatric experts, this course gives learners the foundational
knowledge that can be applied immediately in a broad range of health, educational, and
home settings. You will learn about the basics of hearing and vestibular systems and early
hearing screening programs; watch clinic videos related to diagnosis, treatment &
management of hearing loss; and listen to personal interviews with children who are deaf or
hard of hearing.
Click here to access this course.
The goal of this course is to learn evidence-based practices to support infants and young
children's social and emotional development.The course is designed for anyone that works
with children presenting challenging behaviour. It explores the developmental trajectory of
children with early-onset aggressive behaviours; positive behaviour support program
models and intervention efforts that promote positive early childhood mental health; and
evidence-based classroom management skills. You can expect to leave the course with a
solid understanding of how to design supportive environments.
Click here to access this course.
This short course on working with students with special education needs is ideal for parents
and teachers of all backgrounds. Children with special needs have different requirements,
especially when it comes to classroom learning. Having an in-depth understanding of
educational psychology can help those in the field of special education to fulfil their roles
better. This course will help you make your working day a little easier and more productive.
Click here to access this course.
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