A special education teacher in Canyon Country talked to KHTS recently about an autism education group she belongs to, and how it can help families who have a child with autism.

The California Autism Professional Training and Information Network (CAPTAIN) is a program funded by the California Department of Education that supports the understanding and use of evidence-based practices for those on the autism spectrum. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control, 1 in 54 children in the U.S. have autism, as well as nearly 136,000 students in California schools. CAPTAIN seeks to improve academic, social and vocational outcomes for autistic individuals, starting with Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) training in schools.

“Evidence-based practice means it’s backed up by data, that it is proven to help individuals with autism,” said Diane Luna, a CAPTAIN Cadre Member at Leona Cox Community School in Canyon Country. “A Google search will not help an individual with autism or their parents, there’s a lot of information out there (…) CAPTAIN provides a resource and prevents misinformation.” 

In order to implement these practices, CAPTAIN’s mission, according to their website, is to provide statewide access to training and resources in EBPs that are culturally sensitive, family-centered, cost-effective and competency-based. In education, EBPs can assist students in the California Common Core State Standards and develop College and Career Readiness.

“We’re all about evidence-based practices (…) the CAPTAIN website provides free research training for people, whether they’re parents or teachers or people with autism themselves,” Luna said. “I don’t think people realize how many people have autism.”

CAPTAIN plans to hold a training and forum summit on Nov. 1, 2021 by invitation only. The CAPTAIN website also provides free research-based information, training, and resources for families, educators, service providers and people with autism. 

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