1.01 (V) Course Introduction
[MUSIC] Hi. I'm Patty Schetter, Behavior Analyst and Project Coordinator for Autism Education Initiatives with the Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities at the UC Davis Mind Institute. This class is a collaboration between the Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, the UC Davis Mind Institute, a world leader in research and treatment for neuro-developmental disabilities, and UC Davis Extension, an internationally recognized leader in educational outreach for more than 50 years. With the increasing rates of Autism Spectrum Disorders, the need for accurate information has become paramount. Many families, educators and professionals are feeling the impact of these increases and don't know where to go to get credible facts about autism. This class will provide a foundation for your understanding of autism spectrum disorders. You'll learn about the core features of autism spectrum disorders and how autism is typically diagnosed. We'll cover early signs and indicators, as well as the developmental challenges across the lifespan. You'll learn about patterns of strength and weakness that are common among those on the autism spectrum. This will help you understand how and why certain intervention approaches have been developed. And which may work well for certain learners. Then, we'll explore some of the sensory, and emotional regulation challenges, and discuss how these aspects of the disability impact those who are affected. And finally, we'll provide an overview of the current treatments and interventions that are supported by research. We hope that you find this introductory class informative and that it provides you with a good foundation in understanding autism spectrum disorders. Welcome to the class and good luck. [MUSIC]
