Charting the Cs 
Conference 2025:

To Literacy and 
Beyond

Cooperation 
Communication 
Collaboration

Overview of Autism Navigator Participation

April 28, 2025

Brandie Hain, ECSE teacher

Lexi Knudsen, ECSE teacher

Anne Mattson, Speech Language Pathologist




What is Autism Navigator?

Autism Navigator is a web - based instructional program developed by the Florida State 
University Autism Institute to increase the capacity of primary care, early 
intervention, and other service providers, as well as families, to better serve young 
children with or at risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

●Collection of online resources and tools
●The courses are separated based on service delivery, ages and settings. 



What is Best Practice in Early Intervention

We know that best practice in Early Intervention is the coaching model also known as 
the Evidence - based Quality Intervention Practices (EQIP) Coaching Model 

Why Autism Navigator? 

●Evidence - based 
●Builds professionals’ capacity in Autism Spectrum Disorder and their ability 
to help families



Let's Break it Down:

Service Delivery: 

●Coaching 
●Variety of providers based on need
●Observation, support
●Home-based/daycare, natural environments in the community
●Routines, activities, interests



Autism Navigator for Early Intervention Providers: 
KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS

Autism Navigator for Early Intervention Providers: Knowledge Skills 
enrollment 

Autism Navigator for Early InterventionProviders

-Pilot program through the Minnesota 
Department of Education
-14 Zumbro Education District (ZED) 
providers participating
-5 units, total of 30 hours of study


Unit 1: Improving Early Detection 

Unit 2: Collaborating with Families 

Unit 3: Developmental Perspectives 

Unit 4: Evidenced - Based Intervention 
Strategies 

Unit 5: Addressing Challenging 
Behaviors 


Real - Life Application of the Course: 

●Self - Study 
●Partner with co - worker 
●Constant conversation in workspace 
●Meet as a larger group for questions, feedback, reflection, and real - life 
application 
●Meet quarterly with researchers from the University of Florida



Unit 1: Improving Early Detection

Why early detection is important

Far better impact on : 

intellectual ability placement for 
kindergarten

Core diagnostic features of autism:

●Impaired social communication and 
interaction 
●Restricted, repetitive patterns of 
behaviors


Tools/ Resources: 

●Communication and Symbolic 
Behavior Scales Developmental 
Profile (CSBS) 
●The Systematic Observation of Red 
Flags of Autism Spectrum Disorder 
(SORF)


Autism Navigator logo

Unit 2: Collaborating with Families

●Central role of the family in the early identification 
and intervention process


* This unit helps providers support family’s 
knowledge and impact of ASD

Autism Navigator logo

Unit 3: Developmental Perspectives

●Natural Environment: How people and activities 
help learning 
●Developmental Trajectories for: Play, Social 
Communication, Language, and Emotional 
Regulation


Autism Navigator logo

Unit 4: Evidenced-Based Intervention Strategies

●Intervention outcome priorities in ASD
●What teaches parents?
●How do we coach them?
●Monitoring progress


Autism Navigator logo

Unit 5: Addressing Challenging Behaviors 

●Understanding the impact that ASD has on a child’s responses 
and relationships resulting in challenging behaviors:
●Deepening your understanding of:
ocore deficits of ASD
ocollaborating with families
odevelopmental perspectives
oEvidence - Based Intervention Strategies 





Autism Navigator logo

What We Have Found Beneficial During our Course with 
Autism Navigator:

Autism Navigator logo

Conversations Taking Place:

●Understanding 
●Large Group
●One - on - One Coaching 
●Mentoring 



Improvements 

What we might do differently…


QUESTIONS????


Resources and References:

•Autism Navigator:https://autismnavigator.learnercommunity.com/
•Baby Navigator: https://babynavigator.com/why-join-for-baby-navigator/
•Communication and Symbolic Behaviors Scales Developmental Profile (CSBS)https://firstwords.fsu.edu/pdf/Checklist_Scoring_Cutoffs.pdf
•Systematic Observation of Red Flags of Autism Spectrum Disorder (SORF) 
•https://autismnavigator.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/SORF_Manual_V1.pdf
•https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5734914/
•Social Communication Growth Charts (SCGC) 
•https://babynavigator.com/why-join-for-baby-navigator/



Additional Resources: 

•Autism Navigator: Does offer thei18 - month - oldnline course for free. 
oAutism Navigator About Autism in Toddlers 
•All you need to do is register 






•Baby Navigator: 
oFree resource for families that are expecting all the way up to an 18 - month - old. https://babynavigator.com/why-join-for-baby-navigator/






Charting the Cs logo: Cooperation, Communication, Collaboration.
THANK YOU!

Brandie Hain, ECSE teacher (bhain@zumbroed.org
) 

Lexi Knudsen, ECSE teacher (lknudsen@zumbroed.org
) 

Anne Mattson, Speech Language Pathologist (amattson@zumbroed.org
) 


Charting the Cs logo: Cooperation, Communication, Collaboration.
Charting the Cs Conference 2025

Statewide Professional Development to Support the Workforce and Low Incidence 
Disability Areas in the State of Minnesota. 

This presentation is partially funded with a grant from the Minnesota Department of 
Education using federal funding, CFDA 84.027A, Special Education – Grants to States.