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Public School Professional Development in Autism Project (PDA)
Core Function: Technical Assistance and Outreach Training
The Public School Professional Development in Autism Project (PDA) was designed to provide training to school districts across the nation to increase their capacity to meet the needs of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This goal is achieved through providing training and support for school districts, families and communities to ensure that students with ASD have access to high quality, evidencebased educational services in their local school districts.
PDA project activities are designed and conducted by a consortium of professionals dedicated to improving educational services and the quality of life for students with ASD and their families. Members of this consortium are from the University of Washington, University of Colorado at Denver, University of South Florida, Oakstone Academy/Children’s Center for Developmental Enrichment in Ohio, University of Kansas Center for Research, Inc., and Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education.
PDA has 6 sites located around the country that provide training and support to schools and families in providing services for students with ASD. Site-based training activities are offered to over 200 local school districts. All of these training activities are based on the strong foundation of evidence-based practice and are tailored to meet the needs and unique circumstances of individual schools. Site-based training include on-going follow-up and consultation, and a range of regional and national training opportunities are implemented to reach a broader audience.
Other activities for this project include (1) synthesizing the extant research data and evidence-based practices into educational materials that are accessible to different groups of consumers, including families, teachers, paraprofessionals, and future educational professionals; (2) working with diverse groups of consumers to evaluate training and dissemination efforts and to integrate this feedback into program modifications; and (3) communicating information to consumers through varied dissemination networks that are accessible and efficient and capitalize on technology.
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