Who is Billy...?

The Positive Partnerships: supporting school aged students on the autism spectrum project delivers two components of the Helping Children with Autism package being implemented by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR). The aim of both components is to improve the educational outcomes for school aged children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

Positive Partnerships also provides an online learning platform with interactive self paced learning modules.

Billy is a graphic representation of any child with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and has been designed to assist users of the Parent Information Topics Course; online interactive modules to understand issues relating to children with an ASD from their perspective. Whilst he sits on top of his world, he guides parents and carers through five online interactive modules.

The information within the Parent Information Topics Course, online interactive modules can be applied to all children with autism regardless of age, gender, cultural background or intellectual ability. The information can be interpreted by parents and carers no matter what their circumstances or experiences.


www.autismtraining.com.au

   

Positive Partnerships Workshops

If you are a parent/carer of a school aged child with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), there is a national program of workshops and information sessions available to help you work in partnership with your child's school to improve their learning outcomes. The delivery of the workshops and information sessions will include:

  • workshops for parents/carers;

  • online courses and materials offered to support you if you are unable to attend in person;

  • the facilitation of parent networks and access to local expertise and information

The workshops and information sessions will complement the professional development
component for teachers and other school staff.

For further information go to: www.autismtraining.com.au

    
 
 

Online Learning Platform

The online learning platform contains information that is useful to parents/carers, teachers and others who work with children with autism
Three online courses that are comprised of interactive self paced learning modules are available on the platform.

  • 'An Introduction to Autism' – this course provides an overview of autism including the history, diagnostic process, the core characteristics and intervention approaches.  It is equally valuable to professionals and parent/carers

  • ‘Information Topics’ – this course is comprised of 8 modules covering the following topics"
    'Making Friends', 'Completing Work', 'Everyday Transitions', 'Sexuality, Hygiene and Personal Safety', 'Bullying', ‘Communication’, ‘Siblings’ and ‘Positive Behaviour Support’.  The modules while originally written for parents have been well received by teachers, therapists and other support staff.

  • ‘Parent/Carer Course’ – this course provides parents/carers who are unable to attend a face-to-face workshop with material about autism and supporting their child’s learning.  These modules contain video filmed at workshops and interviews with parents/carers.

Additional learning resources are also available:

  • learning resources including templates
  • fact sheets
  • workshop content
  • support materials
  • information sessions

Additional learning resources are also available:

  • fact sheets
  • workshop content
  • support materials
  • information sessions

For online learning go to: www.autismtraining.com.au

    

Autism Facts

Roll over the squares to reveal an autism fact

Fact 1   Fact 2   Fact 3   Fact 4   Fact 5

For more autism facts go to: www.autismtraining.com.au



The Positive Partnerships: supporting school aged students on the autism spectrum initiative is funded by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) through the Australian Government's Helping Children with Autism package.
5Amazing abilities in areas like mathematics, music or art are known as savant skills and occur in about 10% of people with autism. Some of these skills include the ability to play complex pieces of music after a single hearing, the ability to calculate enormous sums almost instantly and incredible memory and drawing skills.
4The language of children with autism often shows some interesting characteristics, such as being more formal than other children their age and using unusual words. Many children with autism also have difficulties understanding humour, sarcasm and irony and interpret language very literally, becoming confused by statements like “Give me a hand” or “It’s raining cats and dogs”.
3Reports from people with autism and those who know them well suggest that sensory information may be perceived differently to people without autism. Some people with autism have extremely sensitive hearing and may hear sounds like planes long before other people or might become distressed by noises like vacuum cleaners or hand dryers. Other people will seek out sensory experiences like jumping or will crave deep pressure on their bodies, squeezing into tight spaces or crawling under heavy blankets.
2Children with autism have difficulties with communication and social skills and generally have very strong interests in particular topics or activities. Their likes, dislikes, strengths, cognitive abilities and interests vary from student to student.
1The causes of autism spectrum disorders have not been established but research suggests that it is likely that there is a genetic component. Autism spectrum disorders are not caused by bad parenting or too much television.