Our Professional Short Course on Reframing Autistic Communication and Socialisation is an enlightening and practical course that delves into the unique ways Autistic individuals communicate and socialise. Rooted in the double-empathy problem, this course repositions communication as a cultural exchange, challenging outdated and pathologising views. It will enhance your understanding of Autistic clients and students, equipping you with the knowledge and strategies to support authentic and meaningful interactions.

Throughout the course, you will engage with affirming research and invaluable insights from Autistic lived expertise, providing a balanced and respectful approach to understanding Autistic communication.

Who is this course for?

Our Professional Short Course on Autistic Communication and Socialisation is designed for professionals seeking a deeper understanding of Autistic communication and how to support meaningful interactions.

This course is ideal for those working with Autistic individuals across various settings, including:

• Medical and Health
• Psychology
• Allied Health
• Education
• Disability Support
• And more.

What can I gain from this course?

Participants who complete this short course will:

• Gain a nuanced understanding of Autistic communication as a form of cultural exchange, fostering greater respect and connection
• Learn about the characteristics of Autistic communication, with a focus on receptive language differences, and expressive language nuances like prosody and echolalia
• Explore the importance of presuming communicative competence and understanding the diverse ways Autistic people communicate, including the use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)
• Debunk common myths about Autistic socialisation, uncovering the positive impact of Autistic space and the natural, authentic ways Autistic people build connections and enjoy friendships
• Recognise the harmful effects of masking and understand how to support Autistic individuals in embracing their authentic selves.

What makes this course unique?

Unlike other courses offered on Autism, Reframing Autism’s Professional Short Course on Reframing Autistic Communication and Socialisation is developed, designed, and presented by an all-Autistic team. It is not only information-rich, but actively centres Autistic experience as meaningful, and approaches Autism from a perspective of building broad and genuine wellbeing for every Autistic individual and the Autistic community.  

Enrol now to deepen your understanding and transform how you approach Autistic communication and social connection.

Delivery and structure: 

All materials and lectures are online, pre-recorded, and available on-demand. 

The course content will be available in read-only form once the coursework is completed.

Workload:

6 hours (plus 2 hours for the self-study pre-requisite Autism Essentials or Autism Essentials + Professional Development Certificate course, if not already completed).

A certificate of completion for 6 hours will be issued at the end of the short course if all mandatory elements are completed. These elements include reviewing the materials and completing the multiple-choice quizzes.

Reframing Autism's values

There are some key ideologies upon which all of Reframing Autism’s work is based, and which will run throughout the course. These include: 

• Always presume competence. 
• All human beings, regardless of intersectionality, or support or communication needs, deserve acceptance, authenticity, and autonomy. 
• Just as Dr Ross Greene says, “kids do well when they can”, so too all Autistic individuals do well when they can. 
• Inclusion is a human right and comes when you belong and are welcomed as your authentic, intact Autistic self. 
• All Autistic individuals, regardless of intersectionality, or support or communication needs, are full and whole humans as they are, with the right to demand equity and to have their dignity respected. 
• Autism is not a disorder and Autistic people are not “less than”. 

Reframing Autism’s core values include to respect, accept, embrace and empower through gentle influence. Reframing Autism has a commitment to respecting diversity across intersectional and marginalised minorities and to providing as much of a safe space as possible for everyone. 

Self-selection criteria

This course presents information and perspectives that Reframing Autism believes are in the best interest of the Autistic community and its ongoing collective and individual wellbeing. Of course, we understand that not everyone shares our values and perspectives. The following information summarises the ideological underpinnings for our course. If you feel that there exists a significant “values mismatch” between your perspectives and ours, we encourage you to consider your openness to learning – and to having your thinking challenged – before registering.

For this Professional Short Course to be effective, each participant should be ready to be challenged. To get the most out of your learning requires a commitment to curiosity and a willingness to be open to new information or different perspectives.  

We may present information that is different to the way you have always thought about or done things. There may be some moments of uncomfortable self-reflection based on new information or new perspectives. You may disagree with some of these perspectives. We ask that you express your disagreement respectfully, and we undertake that same commitment to you.