When your child receives an autism diagnosis, the world gets overwhelming fast. Special Learning gives you the knowledge, the tools, and the support to help your child thrive. Most of our parent resources are free.
Visual schedules, social stories, flashcards, and daily living skills resources. Created by board-certified professionals. Downloaded by thousands of families worldwide. Yours to use immediately.
Understand ABA Without the Jargon
ABA Level 1 for Families explains applied behavior analysis in clear, practical language. What it is, how it works, and how to apply it at home. No clinical background required.
Screening and Support
Concerned about your child's development? Our free 37-question Autism Early Screening Checklist gives you a starting point. Our V-CAT remote ABA therapy program starts with a free 60-minute consultation with a BCBA, with no obligation afterwards. The consultation is free; the therapy program itself is paid.
A Journey, Not a Sprint
Building independence skills step by step. From basic communication to daily living. At your pace. On your schedule.
Get the free parent tools now
Every free tool and parent guide we have is on our free resources page right now — nothing to wait for. Leave your email and we’ll add you to our free-resources list; nothing to buy, unsubscribe whenever.
We ask for your email only to add you to our free-resources list. We never sell your information.
This course is extremely valuable. I viewed the videos and added them to the class notes while my grandson had ABA in our home. I could see examples of the class concepts firsthand by watching the BCBA and RBT provide treatment. I liked how thorough and professional the instructions were. You set the bar high and expect perfection. I also appreciated the ongoing support you provide to the learners.
Kathryn Watts
Grandma and RN
I am very happy I found your training course! I am learning a lot of new things and I am also seeing so many mistakes I have been doing while working with my son. Thank you so much for everything!
Anna Oliver
Parent, Russia
I never imagined I would learn this much! I am so happy I made this training. I have invited my coworkers to do it too. This is the best training I have ever done.
Ana da Cunha
All Free Resources in One Place
Visual schedules, social stories, screening checklist, behavior tracker, and more. No account required. No cost.
No. While we serve behavior analysts and technicians, many of our resources were created specifically for families. Our parent toolkit, visual schedules, social stories, and ABA Level 1 are all designed for non-professionals.
No. Free resources are available without an account.
Start with our free Autism Early Screening Checklist, then download visual schedules and social stories. If you need personalized guidance, our V-CAT program offers a free 60-minute initial consultation with a BCBA. V-CAT itself is a paid remote therapy program; pricing is discussed during that consultation.
ABA Level 1 for Families covers the fundamentals of applied behavior analysis in language designed for families, not clinicians. You can also explore our free guides, glossary, and tools to start understanding the basics at no cost.
A plain-language primer on the foundations of ABA, free — open it here. We ask for your email only to add you to our free-resources list — we never sell your information.
Free. Every guide and tool is on our free resources page right now — nothing to wait for. We ask for your email only to add you to our free-resources list. We never sell your information.
Journey to Independence
A free 6-chapter guide for families navigating autism
From first signs to lifelong independence — written for families like yours, free always.
Special Learning offers free guides, video training, and tools designed specifically for parents — including a First 30 Days roadmap for newly diagnosed families, an autism signs checklist, and parent training modules. These are available at no cost and don't require a professional background to use.
Parents can learn foundational ABA strategies through free resources including video guides on reinforcement, prompting, and data collection. Special Learning's parent-facing library includes step-by-step tutorials parents can apply immediately at home, developed by Special Learning, a BACB Authorized Continuing Education (ACE) Provider (OP-14-2437).
After an autism diagnosis, the most important first steps are: (1) request a full developmental evaluation to understand your child's specific strengths and support needs; (2) request Early Intervention services (ages 0-3) or an IEP evaluation through your school district (ages 3-21), both are free federal rights; (3) connect with a developmental pediatrician who can recommend the right therapy combination; and (4) connect with other autism families for practical support.
Every U.S. state has an autism insurance mandate, but a mandate does not reach every plan: self-funded (ERISA) plans set their own rules and are exempt from state mandates. Ask member services whether your plan is fully insured or self-funded — that answer decides which rules apply to you, and coverage, age limits and caps vary by plan and by state. Coverage typically requires a diagnosis, a referral from your pediatrician, and a letter of medical necessity. Contact your insurance company's behavioral health department to start the authorization process. Speech therapy and occupational therapy are also commonly covered under similar provisions.
ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) uses structured teaching, reinforcement, and data tracking to build specific skills. Other evidence-based approaches include speech-language therapy (communication), occupational therapy (daily living and sensory), the Early Start Denver Model (play-based, ages 12-48 months), and AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication, for nonspeaking or minimally speaking individuals). Most children benefit from a combination. The right mix depends on your child's age, profile, and goals — a multidisciplinary evaluation team can help you prioritize.
