A Deeper Understanding of Autistic People
Develop your knowledge of research with and about autistic people to understand the experience of autistic people of all genders, with this online course from the University of Kent.
Duration
4 weeks
Weekly study
3 hours
100% online
How it works
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Understand the diagnostic process and barriers to accessing diagnosis
Recognising whether a person is autistic can be a key step in helping them access appropriate support and achieve self-knowledge.
On this four-week course from the University of Kent, you’ll explore the diagnostic process and the barriers many autistic people face in accessing diagnosis. You’ll learn what it means (and doesn’t mean) to be autistic to help you gain a deeper understanding of autistic people.
Examine the specificities of autism in women, girls, and other marginalised gender identities
We know that research has historically focused on autistic men and boys, and that this has impacted the way autistic people of all genders are viewed.
You’ll learn about the experiences of autistic women, girls, trans and/or non-binary people, and consider the impact that gender identity, and other inequalities, have on the accessibility of diagnostic and support services.
Unpack the social model of disability
The social model of disability holds that barriers within society are what make a person ‘disabled’, not medical conditions.
You’ll examine differences between the medical and social models of disability, and why these influence how autistic people are treated within services and society more broadly.
Discover new developments in research with and about autistic people
Over the four weeks of the course, you’ll be introduced to new developments in research with and about autistic people, as well as theories used to explain autistic differences.
Your learning will be guided by autistic and non-autistic academics at the University of Kent, who’ll share their expertise on what it means to be an autistic person.
Week 1
An introduction to autistic differences
Welcome and introduction
To begin, we ask "what is autism?" and think about the importance of the language we use. Image by Prayitno, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Neurodiversity and social communication
In this activity you wil reflect on your own experience of autism, and we'll think about 'neurodiversity' and social communication
Similarities and differences
We discuss what it's like to be autistic - what are the similarities and differences we see?
Week 2
Diagnosis
Diagnostic pathways
In this activity we consider diagnostic pathways and criteria. Image: www.freevector.com
Current criteria
In this section we look at the current diagnostic criteria and the barriers to diagnosis. Image: "Criteria" by Nick Youngson, http://www.nyphotographic.com/ CC BY-SA 3.0 via http://pix4free.org/
Responses to diagnosis
Here we think about the practical consequences of diagnosis
Week 3
Gender and diversity
The role of gender and diversity
Here we consider women, girls and gender diversity, as well as other forms of diversity and issues that arise particularly with regard to access to diagnosis. Image by Odolphie from Frome, England, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Barriers to diagnosis
Which types of autistic people do we still need to know more about? Also, the role of co-occurring conditions and diagnostic overshadowing. Image by Matthew Paul Argall, https://www.flickr.com/photos/79157069@N03/, CC BY 2.0
Support
In this activity you'll think about the support needs of autistic women, girls and other marginalised groups
Week 4
Theories
Theories
We present an overview of theories that attempt to explain autistic differences, from older discredited theories to the most recent developments
Practical impact of theories
Here we think about how 'theoretical' ideas translate into 'practical' experience. Image: Duke Innovation Co-Lab, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Conclusion
We complete the course with a summary of our learning over the last four weeks
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