HANDS in Autism® recently welcomed Perry Central Community School educators for our Three-Day Early Childhood Training, an engaging experience focused on evidence-based practices that support young children with autism and related developmental disabilities. Throughout the three days, participants demonstrated outstanding engagement, thoughtful discussion, and a genuine commitment to enhancing outcomes for the children and families they serve.
The training combined research-based instruction with hands-on practice, giving attendees opportunities to learn, collaborate, and immediately apply new strategies. Topics included individualized assessment and planning, visual supports, structured teaching, communication development, social engagement, behavior support, play-based learning, and promoting independence through meaningful routines and activities.
One of the highlights of the training was the exceptional participation from attendees. Participants actively contributed to discussions, collaborated with colleagues, asked insightful questions, and embraced opportunities to practice new skills. The collaborative atmosphere fostered shared problem-solving and encouraged professionals from a variety of disciplines to learn from one another's experiences.
The final day focused on applying strategies in authentic learning environments, allowing participants to work directly with children while receiving coaching and feedback from HANDS in Autism® staff. Many attendees described this hands-on experience as the most valuable part of the training. Participants especially appreciated learning how to teach play skills, facilitate social interactions, individualize activities, and build functional communication in ways that are meaningful and engaging for young learners.
Across the three days, participants identified numerous strategies they plan to implement immediately, including:
Using visual schedules, task boxes, and play supports to increase independence.
Teaching social and play skills through structured activities and play scripts.
Applying prompting strategies, task analysis, and forward and backward chaining.
Planning for generalization so skills carry over across people, settings, and activities.
Developing individualized activities that match each child's strengths, interests, and needs.
Supporting both academic learning and social-emotional development through evidence-based practices.
Collaborating effectively with team members and families to create consistent supports.
Participants also shared that they left feeling more confident, better organized, and equipped with practical tools they can immediately incorporate into their classrooms, clinics, and community settings. One attendee commented, "I have four pages of great information from today. I feel like today was really geared toward situations I will be in as an assistant." Others highlighted the value of practicing one-on-one interactions with children, learning from the HANDS staff, and seeing strategies modeled in real time.
The success of this training reflects the dedication of both our participants and instructors, who created an engaging learning environment centered on collaboration, innovation, and practical application. We are grateful to everyone who participated and contributed to making these three days such a meaningful professional development experience.
At HANDS in Autism®, we remain committed to providing high-quality training that empowers professionals, strengthens interdisciplinary collaboration, and improves outcomes for individuals with autism and related developmental disabilities across the lifespan. We look forward to welcoming future participants to upcoming training opportunities.