EDPY 478 / PSYC 478: Autism Spectrum Disorder (Rev. C3/C3) Report a Broken Link

Unit 1


BBC – My Autism and Me

Thirteen-year-old Rosie takes viewers into her world to explain what it's like to grow up with autism. She also introduces other children who have the condition: Tony, who gets totally obsessed with things but struggles to make friends; Ben, who has suffered from terrible bullying; and Rosie's own little brother Lenny, who turns the house upside-down daily to try to make sense of things.The presenter, Rosie, was born with autism. She says even though living with it is difficult, it makes her unique and who she is. As well as hearing her story, you'll find out how autism affects Ben, Tony, and Lenny.

Autism – What We Know (And What We Don’t Know Yet)

Geneticist Wendy Chung shares what we know about ASD—for example, that autism has multiple, perhaps interlocking causes. Looking beyond the worry and concern that can surround a diagnosis, Chung and her team examine what has been learned through studies, treatments, and careful listening.

A World Apart: Living with Autism

In this news report, Joe talks about his experience living with autism—and perhaps shatters preconceptions of what autism is.

Early Signs of Autism Video Tutorial – Kenney Krieger Institute

This video is a nine-minute tutorial on ASD behavioural signs in one-year-olds. The tutorial consists of six video clips comparing toddlers who show no signs of ASD to toddlers who show early signs of ASD. Each video is presented with a voice-over explaining how the specific behaviours exhibited by the child, as they occur on screen, are indicative either of ASD or of typical child development.

Unit 2


Evidence-Informed Practice

Evidence is everywhere, and it's always evolving. Evidence-informed practice means staying connected to up-to-date knowledge and using it to grow. This animated video provides information about what evidence-informed practice is.

Introduction to Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA)

This short video segment introduces the basic concepts behind and application of applied behaviour analysis (ABA) for children with autism spectrum disorder and severe learning disorders.

Introduction to TEACCH

This short video introduces the basic concepts behind and application of the Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication Handicapped Children (TEACCH) therapeutic methodology.

The TEACCH Approach

This video demonstrates a variety of tools and tasks used within the TEACCH approach, such as how to create and use structured environments, visual timetables, visual schedules, and activity systems.

Unit 3


Autism’s Effect on Siblings

This news report offers information on the effect of autism on siblings (e.g., feeling lonely or left out).

Autism Everyday: Impact on Families. Realities and Real Stories.

This documentary-style video shows what life can be like with a child with autism.

What My Family Wants You to Know About Autism

AJ and Garrett are 4-year-old identical twins with autism. Their 6-year-old sister Angelina shares about her brothers' challenges and triumphs.

Unit 4


Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) Instructions

This instructional video demonstrates how to conduct an FBA.

Learning: Negative Reinforcement vs. Punishment

This video details the differences between positive and negative reinforcement as well as positive and negative punishment.

Developing Reinforcers Trailer

The foundation of good teaching is utilizing powerful reinforcement to motivate students to learn as well as to behave appropriately. This video will show you how to be creative in developing new sources of reinforcement, which is especially useful for students who have limited interests.

Antecedent Based Interventions

This video describes antecedent-based interventions, which are evidence-based practices that can strengthen executive function skills.

Operative Conditioning – Negative Reinforcement vs. Positive Punishment

This video provides an example of negative reinforcement vs. positive punishment from the TV show The Big Bang Theory.

ABA Autism Training – Reinforcement

This video defines and gives examples of different types of reinforcers, describes the proper way to deliver reinforcers, and provides suggestions to ensure that reinforcers maintain their interest for the child.

Unit 5


ABA Autism Training – The Discrete Trial

This video provides an overview of the components of a discrete trial—the discriminative stimulus, the response from the child or prompt from the therapist, and finally, the reinforcement or correction.

ABA Autism Training – Incidental Teaching

This video covers the four basic steps of incidental teaching: 1) create an engaging setting; 2) wait for the child to initiate; 3) prompt the child for a fuller request; and 4) provide the desired outcome.

When Do We Use Shaping to Teach?

This video explains shaping, a teaching technique that rewards successive approximations as the learner moves closer to the target.

Chaining Hand Washing

This brief tutorial defines backward chaining and provides an example of the procedures.

Old School ABA (NOT What We Do Today)

This is the way many people think ABA is done today, but ABA has evolved.

Teaching Colors – Contemporary ABA

Now watch how contemporary ABA is done (in a fun and natural way).

Unit 6


The Verbal Operants

This video reviews of all the verbal operants (e.g., echoic, mand, tact, intraverbal) and how they can facilitate language development.

Verbal Behavior – Autism Therapy Video

This is brief example of the echoic verbal behaviour.

Unit 7


Social Skills Video: Think It or Say It
Social Skills Video: Seeing Someone Else’s Side
Social Skills Training: Taking Turns Speaking

These videos show social skills training for children with autism who may have difficulties in social situations.

Teaching Interactions Trailer

This is a brief example of teaching interactions, one strategy to help teach social skills to students with ASD.

Unit 8


ABA Autism Training – Generalization

This video defines generalization and discusses the importance of ensuring that children generalize their skills across different people, settings, stimuli, and responses.

Rethink Autism Tip: Generalize Skills from the Classroom to Everyday Life

This video provides a brief overview of different types of generalization and examples.

Unit 11


Apps for Autism
Are Autism Apps Overblown?
Studying Autism and iPads
Finding Good Apps for Children with Autism

Unit 14


Autism: Coming of Age

This video is part of a documentary that provides an inside look at the lives of individuals with autism and some of the impending challenges they face as they transition to adulthood.

How Autism Freed Me to be Myself – Rosie King

You met Rosie at the beginning of this course. Now, in this TED Talk, you meet Rosie again at sixteen years old. She says, “People are so afraid of variety that they try to fit everything into a tiny little box with a specific label.” She wants to know: Why is everyone so worried about being normal? She sounds a clarion call for every kid, parent, teacher, and person to celebrate uniqueness.

Case Study


Case Study Background Information

Audio Files


Introduction Audio File (MP3)

Case Study Audio File (MP3)