2026 Education and FASD International Conference • Oct 23, 2026

Learning with FASD: Development of an evidence-based professional learning course on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder for Australian educators

1:30PM to 1:55PM PDT / 25min

Background

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) affects an estimated 3.64% of Australians, meaning there is likely one child with FASD in every Australian classroom. However, FASD remains underdiagnosed and underrecognised in Australia’s education system. Learning with FASD is a website that provides evidence-based resources to assist educators to understand and support students with FASD. In 2026 we aimed to address the gap in FASD training for the education sector developing a short, evidence-based professional learning course for educators.

Methods

Development was informed by focus groups and interviews with educators, parents/caregivers of young people with FASD, and FASD and education experts.

Results

Focus groups with educators (N = 16) and parents/caregivers (N = 10), and interviews with experts (N = 4) were used to identify key areas of focus for the professional learning course. Priority areas included: i) information that helps educators to understand FASD and how it may present in a school environment, ii) evidence-based actionable strategies to support learning and behaviour; and iii) information that assists educators to understand the impact of FASD on parents and caregivers and helps them to work collaboratively with families. Based on these findings, a one-hour online professional learning course was developed. The course is divided into three modules that focus on: 1) Understanding FASD, 2) Classroom strategies, and 3) Family engagement. The course contains evidence-based information in a mix of formats (e.g., video, text) and is aligned with the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. An evaluation is currently underway.