Strategies for Autistic Students in Pre-K through 12th Grade Classrooms: Using Evidence-Based Supports to Maximize Learning and Social Interactions (Series Begins Mar. 5, 2026)

For this webinar series, participants will automatically be enrolled in all 5 sessions.

Speaker

Michael J. Morrier, Ph.D., BCBA-D, Founder, Owner and Managing Member, Morrier Consulting LLC

Description

This five part webinar will provide strategies that can be used to support autistic students across the spectrum from pre-K through 12th grade. Evidence-based strategies will be described which can help teachers, support staff, and allied professionals provide meaningful participation of students in classrooms. Areas to be addressed include common challenges faced by teachers and support staff on how to meaningfully engage students and decrease challenging behaviors, while promoting positive social communication and interactions skills. Finally, strategies to reduce reliance on adult support and promote independence of students will be discussed.

Student engagement in classroom activities is the hallmark of learning for all students. This session will provide evidence-based strategies for supporting student engagement during school hours. Strategies that can be used with individual students and the whole class will be discussed.

Behavioral challenges can disrupt the learning of individual students as well as the entire classroom. This session will provide some positive methods that can be used within a classroom to decrease these challenges and promote a more positive environment for learning. A focus on the function of a behavior challenge will be highlighted as well as how to develop more positive replacement behaviors will be discussed.

Differences in social communication in individuals with autism is a core feature of this diagnosis and special education eligibility. This session will provide methods for promoting social communication between autistic students and their peers during academic and non-academic times of the day.

Educational environments are the perfect opportunity to provide meaningful peer-peer social interactions between autistic students and their neurotypical peers. This session will provide evidence-based strategies for building social interactions between students during the school day.

Many students with autism are taught to rely on adult support to participate in the school setting. This workshop will discuss methods for fading out individual adult support with students so they can be independent across school activities. 

About the Speaker

Michael J. Morrier, Ph.D., BCBA-D, (he/him) is the owner and founder of Morrier Consulting LLC, which specializes in providing training for autistic individuals and families on embedding applied behavior analysis techniques into everyday activities, as well as training professionals on how to administer the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS), 2nd edition for clinical and research projects. Previously, Dr. Morrier was an Associate Professor at the Emory Autism Center in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine (1992-2023). He received his bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst; his master’s degree in special education from the University of Georgia; and his doctorate degree in Special Education from Georgia State University. Dr. Morrier has been a Board Certified Behavior Analyst since 2007. Dr. Morrier’s experiences focused on expanding the ability of community-based practitioners to identify and diagnosis young children suspected of autism, validating telehealth platforms for diagnosis of young children, and providing social communication and interaction supports to young autistic children in inclusive settings. Dr. Morrier previously participated on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Autism Surveillance project (ADDM Network) as an expert clinical reviewer from 1999 – 2021, and currently is a member of the editorial boards of the Journal for Autism and Development Disorders, the Journal of Special Education, and Infant and Child Development. Dr. Morrier is currently the President of the Board of Directors for Hess Academy, a private school for pre-K through 8th grade students, and Program Committee Chair for the Atlanta Autism Consortium. Dr. Morrier served as the President of the Georgia Division for Early Childhood subdivision from 2015-2021. 

Membership Information

Most MPY webinars are available ONLY to current staff from member districts and organizations. Public school memberships include police and fire personnel. Former and retired employees and members of committees, including but not limited to, PTO/PTA, PAC, School Improvement Councils, Health Councils, Drug/Alcohol Councils, and school volunteers, are not considered MPY members.

PDPs and CEUs

MPY is an approved Professional Development Provider through the Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education (Provider No. F20180079). Professional Development Points (PDPs) are offered for most MPY professional development webinars. PDPs are issued in 10 hour increments, per DESE requirements.

Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are available for clinical staff through the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and the Massachusetts Mental Health Counselors Association, Inc. (MaMHCA). The NASW and the MaMHCA approve each event individually. CEUs may be given in hourly increments.

To receive PDPs and CEUs, participants must pass the quiz.

Event Cancellation Policy

If you are unable to attend a MPY webinar you must cancel, through Bonnie Mullen at bonnie@mpyinc.org, one business day before the webinar.

For MPY hybrid conferences, the date in-person registration closes will be posted on MPY’s website. Virtual conference registration will close one business day before the hybrid conference. You cannot cancel or switch your registration from in-person to virtual after in-person registration closes. Please email Bonnie Mullen at bonnie@mpyinc.org with any questions regarding registration.

Register

FREE
MEMBER PRICING

All sessions are 9:30 – 11:30 am.

  • Session 1: March 5, 2026, Supporting Engagement in the Classroom
  • Session 2: March 19, 2026, Using Positive Methods to Decrease Behavior Challenges in the Classroom
  • Session 3: April 2, 2026, Supporting Social Communication Skills in the Classroom
  • Session 4: April 16, 2026, Supporting Social Interaction Skills in the Classroom
  • Session 5: April 30, 2026, Developing and Supporting Independence in the School Setting