The College of Teacher Education at the West campus is preparing to launch a new online master’s program aimed at educating students to better address the needs of those with autism.

The program, offering a master’s degree of education in special education consultation and collaboration with an emphasis in autism, will launch Sept. 1.

The new degree is not only open to education students, but also a variety of students and professionals such as parents, nurses and doctors, said Kathleen McCoy, the program’s coordinator.

Autism, more appropriately known as ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorders), consists of a wide range of behavioral symptoms, some more readily noticeable than others.

Those looking to develop a better understanding of ASD are not required to take all of the courses included in the program. They may instead take only the curriculum that best suits them, though they will be ineligible for the degree.

The program will consist of 11 online courses, allowing students from around the world to enroll.

According to a brochure by The College of Teacher Education, classes include “Foundations of Autism Spectrum Disorders” and “Methods of Applied Behavior Analysis for Exceptional Populations.”

Sarah Jones, a recent graduate from the Mary Lou Fulton College of Education, said she commends ASU for furthering its involvement in educating people about autism and its many forms. A common myth is that many people consider autism to be trendy and over-diagnosed, she said.

“Some forms of autism are more pervasive than others and some forms are not as easy for the general population to notice because the individuals are so high-functioning,” she said. “There is a whole spectrum of autism disorders and people are simply affected differently.”

Since the origination of the Autism Spectrum Disorders Graduate Certificate in 2006, The College of Teacher Education has witnessed a great deal of enthusiasm from individuals interested in the program who have been unable to enroll because of its small size, McCoy said.

The West campus program that seeks to help alleviate this concern is known as the Special Education Consultation and Collaboration: Autism Emphasis.

While these two programs share many similarities, this most recent addition to The College of Teacher Education will allow students to attain a master’s degree, rather than a certificate, and is generally much larger in both size and scope.

“This is one step in a series of many steps to serve the needs of the [autistic] community,” McCoy said.

Reach the reporter at wmeeth@asu.edu.