Project ACCESS Training

Project ACCESS Autism Credential

Below are the three tiers of the autism credential.  These are not levels in the traditional sense in that one level is more advanced than the others.  Participants can complete any module in any level in any order (hence the name Pathways to Autism Credentials, or PAC).  Participants can customize their learning to their needs and situation. 

Level 1 Autism Credential (the Blue level)

Level 2 Autism Credential (the Green level)

Level 3 Autism Credential (the Red level)

Are you ready to do the deep dive into autism evidence-based practices (EBPs)?

  • Do you want to learn more about strategies based on applied behavior analysis (ABA)?
  • Do you yearn to be skilled at achieving behavior change in students that foster independence, help students achieve best outcomes in terms of academics and adaptive functioning, and optimize your smoothly running classrooms and buildings?
  • Do you want to achieve all this while earning graduate credit, certificates, and building a help network with colleagues and experts?

If you answer "Yes!" to these questions, then Project ACCESS' PAAC/PAATS program is potentially for you!

Participants in the first year of the program can earn the Project ACCESS Autism Team Support Specialists Certificate (PAATS). This group includes individuals that who work directly with students and are responsible for their programming or who provide related support services (certificated teachers, process coordinators, speech-language pathologists, psychologists, etc.). Participants in the second year of the program can earn the Project ACCESS Autism Credential (PAAC) in addition to PAATS. This group includes educators (any personnel holding a teaching certificate) that  who have a classroom and work directly with students with autism and are responsible for their programming (that is, are responsible for the IEPs--a minimum of two students with 120 minutes per day of programming is necessary for PAAC as the classroom coaching requires being able to work with the teacher with students).   We are hard at work developing companion programs for para-educators who are not currently PAAC/PAATS candidates.  We are also working on short tutorials for general education teachers and building administrators.  

Program completers will have completed training in evidence-based interventions, documented mastery of knowledge and skills through presentation of portfolio artifacts aligned to competencies, and experienced in-classroom coaching by experts in the field.  For PAATS, the training is the same but there will not be a coaching component.

The first year of training is now online! The price is now free for the year one credential.  The complete two-year program is OPT-IN for the second year which is not free but is low cost (currently $500 for the year). Each year of training now offers an independent credential. You can choose to complete the first year and then make a decision/application for year two (year one participation is required for year two) or you can apply for the two-year program up front.  Year two will include the in-the-classroom coaching component. You can find out more by reading our FAQ or FACTS to learn what each year includes by clicking on the buttons below.

PAAC Facts and PAAC FAQs

How do you apply?

  •  Acknowledge that the training takes one to two years depending on level of participation, requires internet access and a device for online learning. Each semester will be the equivalent of a 3-hour graduate level course in terms of time and effort commitment  (earning college credit is optional for participants, but the time/effort load is the same regardless and a Bachelor's degree is required). 
  • You will need to enlist the support of your local building principal or other local administrator. Administrators must commit to participate in a short introduction into the program (about an hour) and agree to do some support check-ins with participating teachers from time to time in order to learn how best to their staff . Administrator support (not evaluation) is a key piece of the program.
  • You will need to make sure that your district director of special education endorses your participation with a letter of acknowledgement. We will not ask your Special Education Director to do much, but we do want this person to sanction and support participation.
  • Complete the online application using these buttons

PAAC Application Form (for classroom teachers)

PAATS Application Form (for related service professionals and teachers who are not currently serving students with autism)