The HANDS Summer Intensive Trainings: Learn It. Practice It. Use It.
Since 2004, the HANDS in Autism® Summer Intensive Trainings have helped shape confident, capable professionals who support individuals on the autism spectrum. What began as a single, focused training has grown into a recognized professional learning model that blends evidence‑based strategies, real‑world application, and flexible delivery options to meet today’s diverse needs.
Year after year, participants from across Indiana, the United States, and around the world choose HANDS for training that goes beyond theory. With consistently high satisfaction ratings spanning more than two decades, the Summer Intensives continue to set the standard for meaningful professional development that participants take back to their classrooms, clinics, and communities.
Designed with busy professionals in mind, the program now offers multiple ways to engage: a fully immersive 5‑day onsite experience, a convenient week‑long online option, or a hybrid model that blends live interaction with independent learning. This flexibility allows participants to choose the format that best fits their schedules while maintaining the depth and quality that HANDS is known for.
At the core of the HANDS Summer Intensive is its deeply practical, hands‑on approach. Participants learn by observing, practicing, and working directly with students in structured classroom environments. These experiences offer rare opportunities to apply research‑supported strategies often not available through traditional professional development while receiving real‑time coaching and feedback from HANDS experts with extensive experience across educational, clinical, and community settings.
What truly sets the HANDS Summer Intensive apart is its lasting impact. Data collected from 2004 through 2025 show consistently high ratings near the top of the Likert scale, reflecting the program’s effectiveness, relevance, and adaptability. Ongoing improvements to the curriculum, thoughtful integration of online and hybrid formats, and strong partnerships with schools and communities ensure the training remains responsive and forward‑thinking. As one participant shared, “I loved being here this week, I'm grateful for this opportunity and have learned so much.”
Whether you’re a returning participant looking to deepen your practice or a first‑time attendee ready to learn, connect, and grow, the HANDS in Autism® Summer Intensive Trainings offer an experience that equips you today and makes a difference long after summer ends.
HANDS in Autism® Transition & Vocational Programming Training
Time is running out to secure your spot in the upcoming HANDS in Autism® Three-Day Transition Training, happening April 15–17!
This highly interactive training is designed for professionals supporting transition-age youth and young adults with autism and other developmental disabilities. Participants will gain practical, evidence-based strategies they can immediately apply in school, workplace, and community settings.
Over the course of three days (8:30 AM – 4:30 PM ET), attendees will build skills through a combination of instruction, hands-on practice, and coaching from experienced HANDS trainers. Training topics include:
- Day 1: Visual structure, assessment, data collection, and goal writing
- Day 2: Skills teaching, prompting, task adaptations, and social skills
- Day 3: Behavior intervention and generalization strategies
Participants will engage in real-world problem solving, simulated practice, and collaborative learning designed to strengthen programming decisions and improve outcomes for individuals they support.
Whether you are a teacher, case manager, job coach, transition specialist, or service provider, this training offers valuable tools to enhance your impact and support meaningful independence for those you serve.
💡 Don’t miss out—registration is closing soon
👉 Register now: Click Here.