A new online course providing information about the day-to-day needs of a person with autism and their family has been co-designed by Torrens University Australia and people with autism of all ages and from various areas of the spectrum.

The five-week Voices of Autism course is aimed at educators, parents, relatives and health workers who care for someone on the autism spectrum.

Professor Mick Grimley, Dean of Education at Torrens University, said the number of people with autism spectrum disorder had increased significantly in Australia in recent years, with around one in 150 people identified with autism.

“Given this free course is offered online, we have the potential to reach people all over the world and therefore enable the broader community to see autism through a positive, contemporary lens, while also helping improve the quality of life of those with autism,” Professor Grimley said.

Course co-designer Paul Micallef said the course would help the wider population better understand this often misunderstood condition.

“As a person on the autism spectrum, I’ve always found it challenging to get people to understand things from my perspective. For them, it may sound too strange or unbelievable,” Mr Micallef said.

“By sharing our stories and our approach to life situations, I believe we can create an impact on people’s understanding of our day-to-day lived experiences and bring real and positive change for people living with autism.”

Registrations for the course are now open at www.torrens.edu.au/mooc-the-voices-of-autism. The course will run from April 30 – June 1. The workload is around two hours per week and can be undertaken on-demand. All participants will receive a certificate upon completion.