ADEPT

This training was developed by UC Davis Health’s UC Davis MIND Institute and the Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (CEDD). All instructional content in the ADEPT lessons remains the work of UC Davis; we are sharing/embedding it here so families we serve can access the training in a single, easy-to-find place while ensuring UC Davis receives clear, front-and-center attribution.

ADEPT Overview

ADEPT (Autism Distance Education Parent Training) is a self-paced, interactive learning program for parents/caregivers. 

It focuses on practical, everyday strategies for teaching functional skills and supporting positive behavior, using principles from applied behavior analysis (ABA) in a parent-friendly format.

This training is intended for parents and caregivers supporting a child with autism or other related neurodevelopmental disabilities, especially those who want step-by-step approaches they can use at home and in daily routines.

We want this training to be usable for as many people as possible. ADEPT includes accessibility-focused options and workarounds, including:

  • Captions: Most audio-based slides include a captions option.
  • Screen Readers: Slides are generally compatible with screen readers, but you may need to click inside the lesson frame first so your device treats it as the active/focused content.
  • Video Transcripts: Each lesson includes a downloadable PDF transcript that includes the spoken content and a description of what's happening visually.

If you run into accessibility barriers on a specific lesson, please contact us.

To make the lessons easier to apply, we provide downloadable worksheets and checklists alongside the modules. 

These are meant to support hands-on practice (for example: planning what happens before a routine, listing reinforcers/motivators, breaking skills into steps, tracking progress, and journaling behavior patterns).

The documents below can be printed out or filled out digitally while you watch. To start, pick one form that matches the lesson you're working on.

Module 1 Module 1 Module 1

Module 1 focuses on teaching functional skills (building skills systematically, planning instruction, and handling common learning hurdles).

Module 2 Module 2 Module 2

Module 2 focuses on positive behavior supports (understanding behavior patterns and building plans that prevent problems and strengthen communication/skills).