Twenty-five teachers were selected to participate in the distance education course, which is provided by the University of Birmingham in association with St. Patrick's College of Education, Drumcondra, Dublin.
The course runs for one year. The tuition fee per participant is £1,090 sterling. There are also travel and subsistence costs of some £600 per participant. Applications for the course were invited from permanent teachers working with children with autism spectrum disorders in posts sanctioned by the Department.
An advanced certificate in special education: autism (children) or a post-graduate certificate in special education: autism (children) will be awarded to the successful participants by the University of Birmingham. The course includes two workshops, six tutorials and three reading assignments – one of the workshops took place in Dublin in January and the other in Birmingham in April.