Become a Neuroaffirming School-Based OT!
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Do you WANT to be neuroaffirming but feel STUCK in a behaviorist setting?
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Do you WANT to write neuroaffirming OT evaluations, IEP goals, and accommodations . . . but you DON'T KNOW where to start?
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Do you offer both push-in and pull-out OT . . . but feel like you aren't really helping your Autistic students?
In this introductory-level, pre-recorded professional development, speaker and course author, Dr. Lisa Marnell will teach OT practitioners to support Autistic students without using a deficit-focused lens, confidently write strength-based evaluations, ethical goals, and accommodations, provide meaningful push-in and pull-out OT support—rooted in research and aligned with OT values, and offer education to advance the learning of administration, teachers, and other school staff.
What Schools Expect from You . . .
You became an OT to support human dignity, sensory regulation, and meaningful participation.
Yet, schools often expect OTPs to write compliance-based goals, push task completion (and compliance) over nervous system safety, and treat handwriting drills and rewards-based motor skill practice as “therapy.” But that’s not occupational therapy—and it’s not neuroaffirming practice!
If you worry your "traditional OT" isn’t working for your Autistic students, you're probably right.
But there IS a way to practice in schools that is:
✅ Ethical
✅ Research-aligned
✅ Neuroaffirming
✅ Practical in real school settings
That’s exactly what this course teaches you—step by step.
How is This Course Different?
This Course!
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Lack-of-fit evaluation model
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Participation-centered OT
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Research + OT ethics + autistic voices
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Strength-based documentation
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Real school application
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Educational advocacy tools“
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This is for OTPs who want to lead—not follow outdated methods.
Other Courses:
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Deficit model
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Compliance & behavior charts
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"One right way" programs
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Deficit language
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Abstract theory
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A “Stay in your lane” mindset
What This Course Offers . . .
The course integrates evidence, OT theory, neurobiology, and Autistic lived experiences while remaining practical and functional for real school settings!
✔ Understand “lack of fit” as the ROOT REASON Autistic students struggle in school—not because of “deficits”
✔ Write ethical evaluations, goals, and accommodations
✔ Use strengths-based IEP language that protects student identity and language
✔ Provide meaningful push-in and pull-out support for regulation, engagement, and access\
✔ Use neurobiological research to explain student learning differences to staff
✔ Align your work with OT values of dignity, respect, and meaningful participation
✔ Advocate without conflict using OT theory + evidence + educational alignment
✔ Collaborate with teams using respectful, professional language that shifts thinking
Why Buy This Course Right Now?
THE SCHOOL YEAR IS ALREADY PASSING BY . . .
Every year we “wait" to change our practice is another year Autistic students are misunderstood, mislabeled, and pushed to mask who they are - all of this worsening their mental health.
HONORING STUDENTS MATTERS A LOT TO YOU!
You know in your gut that your OT practice should do better for Autistic students—so the time to step forward is NOW. The shift to neuroaffirming practice happens because people, like OTs, change themselves and lead others.
YOU WANT TO FINALLY FEEL CONFIDENT
If you wait for the "PERFECT TIME" to sign up, you will find there is no "PERFECT TIME" to do what’s right. Buy now and you will learn the OT approaches to use, the research to support your direction, the ways to document strenghts (not deficits), and how to lead others through change.
And with LIFETIME access to course materials and updates, you'll get the LIFETIME support you need!
What will you receive with
"Insight to Autism for School-Based OTs?"
✔ 8 AOTA contact hours/0.8 AOTA CEUs
✔ 8 pre-recorded modules with case studies
✔ Guidelines to complete neuroaffirming evaluations
✔ A Neuroaffirming Evaluation Report example
✔ A library of neuroaffirming assessments
✔ Push-in and pull-out OT support strategies
✔ 300+ neuroaffirming goals
✔ 400+ individualized accommodations
✔ A 45-page course workbook
✔ Ongoing resource emails from Dr. Lisa
✔ An OT Intake Form for Referring Adult
✔ 6 simple collection sheets to gather affirming data
as well as . . .
✔ A fully written evaluation example (based on case study, Amara, an autistic student who presents impressive strengths, but faces a "lack of fit" in her first grade classroom.
$219 for LIFETIME Access!
Is This Course For YOU?
YES!
Are you an OTP Who Fits the Following?
✔ You want to become a confident, ethical practitioner for Autistic students
✔ You know traditional goals and reports harm Autistic students—but aren’t sure what to do
✔ You want a structured evaluation + goal-writing framework rooted in neuroaffirming OT
✔ You are ready to move beyond fine motor + handwriting-only OT
✔ You want to collaborate better with teachers, admin, and behavior teams—without conflict
✔ You believe Autism is not a behavioral disorder and support should follow nervous system needs
✔ You want professional language backed by research to advocate for students
✔ You want clear tools you can use immediately in your documentation and sessions
NO!
Are you an OTP Who Fits the Following?
✘ You believe Autistic students need to be “trained” to act neurotypical
✘ You support compliance-based or ABA-style behavioral control as part of effective OT support
✘ You are looking for handwriting worksheets and pencil grip drills
✘ You want quick-fix behavior hacks instead of real ethical practice applications
✘ You think masking is a reasonable school success strategy and kids need to get used to it for life
✘ You believe OT should only focus on fine motor and sensory “calming”
✘ You are uncomfortable reflecting on traditional OT practices that may cause harm
✘ You beleive that "gently" introducing stressors in an Autistic child's life helps them in the long term
What Are People Saying About
Dr. Lisa Marnell's Teaching?
Mae, OTR -
"I felt relaxed and focused in Dr. Lisa's course. Visual graphics were concise and clear. Her specific examples were very helpful. And Lisa speaks clearly and had a good pace for learning."
Hannah, OTR -
"As a new OT graduate, I really enjoyed the examples. Dr. Lisa shares for interventions and accommodations. Thank you so much! I would love to learn about other courses from Lisa and Kids Master Skills to use as AOTA CEUs in the future.
Jessica, COTA -
"I love the way Dr. Marnell teaches using examples, pictures, and straightforward slides. As an Autistic person she says she is a categorical thinker and I see that - she teaches by putting information is such well-organized categories!
Oscar, OTA -
"I appreciate the detailed explanations Lisa offers about sensory needs, biology, motor skills etc., explaining how the child might feel and how we can truly make the situation easier for the child with our OT knowledge. Inspiring!"
What Are People Saying About
"Insight to Autism for School-Based OTs"?
Alishia, OTR -
"I loved the content! I think as OTP's . . . we know forcing writing, compliance, social interaction, etc. may not be what is best for the child. We fight against the norms of the education system and I appreciate the evidence that backs up our thinking."
Sarah, COTA -
"I enjoyed the case studies and the examples on how to apply these within the school setting. "
Vanessa, OTR -
"I loved the entire course! The evaluation module was my favorite."
Emma, OTR -
"I appreciated how Dr. Marnell provided information regarding our responsibility to address the needs of Autistic student through goals that are meaningful and supportive. I think this PD was set up and executed exceptionally well. "
Learn More About The Course Delivery
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Hosted on the Thinkific learning platform, this course uses a distance learning, independent, on-demand format.
COURSE PLATFORM & CONTENT DELIVERY FORMAT:
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This course is targeted to occupational therapy practitioners and set at an introductory learning level.
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No prerequisite coursework is required.
TARGET AUDIENCE:
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
In this PD activity, Dr. Marnell presents eight pre-recorded modules to enable school-based OTPs to embrace evidence-based OT practice to support Autistic children and teens in school. Topics will cover foundational knowledge, including current neuroscience, autistic development, social and sensory processing in autism, evidence regarding autistic lived experiences, as well as the commitment of AOTA to honor diversity, equity, and inclusion for marginalized populations of autistic students. OT learners will master strategies to shift their school-based service delivery to embrace neuroaffirming and strengths-based approaches. As presented below, learning material within the eight modules covered in this PD will enable OT participants to master research-based, practical knowledge as well as hone the confidence they need to develop professional expertise in supporting meaningful occupation for autistic students through a neurodiversity-affirming lens.
TIME ORDERED AGENDA & LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Module 1:
TITLE: Why Adopt Neuroaffirming OT Practice in Schools?
(44 Minutes)
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
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List two official AOTA publications that highlight moral and/or ethical professional obligations within OT practice.
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Cite three negative mental health statistics in autistic students that have been reported by American health organizations within the last five years.
Module 2:
TITLE: Autistic Neurobiology Relates to Student Function and Learning
(65 Minutes)
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
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Describe three differences in autistic neurobiology that impact the processing and actions of autistic students.
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Use “gating theory” to explain the neurobiological process in which an autistic student is unable to tune out distressing sensory input.
TITLE: Establish a Neurodiversity-Affirming School-Based OT Practice
(36 minutes)
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
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State four responsibilities of school-based OTPs as defined by current, official AOTA publications.
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State three occupational therapy approaches commonly used by school-based OTPs that do not align with current neuroscientific evidence.
Module 3:
TITLE: Neurodiversity-Affirming Evaluation and Report Writing
(104minutes)
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
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List three occupational therapy assessments that are occupation-based and suitable for use with autistic elementary school students.
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Describe how an occupational therapist can complete an unstructured classroom observation to assess motor skills and praxis of a non-speaking autistic student.
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When reviewing a page from a school-based OT evaluation report, identify three phrases that are deficit-based rather than strengths-based.
Module 4:
TITLE: Collaborate and Create Neurodiversity-Affirming IEP Goals
(64 Minutes)
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
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Explain how “Lack of Fit” between an autistic student and their school environment negatively impacts their participation in academic and functional activities.
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State the two main categories of accommodations that can be integrated into IEP goals to improve the educational engagement of autistic students.
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Cite two peer-reviewed articles published in the last five years that report educational and functional benefits from writing strengths-based IEP goals for autistic students.
Module 5:
TITLE: Develop Neurodiversity-Affirming School-Based Accommodations
(46 Minutes)
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
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List five teaching accommodations that support individualized learning differences in autism.
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Describe four ways in which environmental accommodations within the classroom positively impact the learning and function of autistic students.
Module 6:
TITLE: Neurodiversity-Affirming Support and Data Collection
(52 Minutes)
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
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State three evidence-based strategies to develop therapeutic rapport with autistic students.
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List three ways in which OTPs can integrate an autistic student’s interests into therapeutic interventions.
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Explain how to use a one-page data collection checklist to measure the effects of a specific intervention on an autistic student’s academic engagement.
Module 7:
TITLE: Lead Your Organization Through the Process of Change
(48 Minutes)
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
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State one main assumption for each of the three OT leadership theories presented.
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Identify two reasons to listen to the opinions and concerns of staff as a school explores neuroaffirming practice.
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Cite two peer-reviewed articles from the past five years that can be presented to administrators as evidence that neuroaffirming practice improves autistic student engagement in learning.
Module 8:
Other Details . . .
INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS:
This PD includes the following instructional methods:
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Lecture
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PowerPoint presentation for each module
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Informational and instructional graphics
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Case studies of Autistic students!
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Learner pauses with active learner prompts
AOTA Continuing Education Units (CEUs) and Contact Hours:
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AOTA approval for CEUs or Contact Hours for this PD activity has been granted.
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This PD activity, Insight to Autism for School-Based OTs, offers 0.8 AOTA CEUs and 8 AOTA Contact Hours.
Professional Development Activity Completion Requirements:
In order to receive a certificate of completion, learners must follow these instructions:
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Watch the 8 recorded modules in their entirety.
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Complete the two-question to four-question quizes at the end of each module, achieving a passing score of 80%. Multiple passing attempts are permitted.
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A final course survey must be completed to ensure this PD is continually improved and the learning delivery platform, course content, and/or instructional methods are optimal to support learners.
Special Needs Accommodation Requests:
PD activity participants with special learning needs are invited to reach out to Dr. Lisa Marnell by e-mail in order to request accommodations at KidsMasterSkills@gmail.com. Dr. Marnell will respond to the learner within 24 hours of receiving the request and will seek clarification as needed.
Complaint Resolution:
Complaints related to any professional development at Kids Master Skills may be submitted by e-mail to Dr. Lisa Marnell at KidsMasterSkills@gmail.com. Upon complaint receipt, Kids Master Skills will follow its formal policy on complaint resolution, which is available in full upon request.
PURCHASE "INSIGHT TO AUTISM FOR SBOTS!
FINANCIAL & NON-FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE:
Neither speaker, Lisa Marnell, nor the professional development provider, Kids Master Skills, have financial or non-financial interests or relationships to disclose in regard to this PD activity.
CONTACT LISA MARNELL AT
KIDS MASTER SKILLS
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Cancellation by the PD provider, Kids Master Skills, will entitle all registered learners to receive a full course refund within 3 days of written notice.
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Learners may cancel registration prior to starting the second course module on any Kids Master Skills' PD course and will be eligible for a full refund, which will be sent within 3 days.
STANDARD CANCELLATION POLICY: