Depends on the people as a whole yes more information is out there and the advances in medication allows the culture as a whole to live with disability when prior to the last century disabled people did not live long what we gained in the last century medically was remarkable what we gained in technique is astounding most of these kids wouldn't have made it past young ages between accident inability to percieve danger and disease most disabled kids (as we have now) and very able kids just didn't survive. As a parent I look for extra opportunities for my child to be in situations that allow me to have some action to either prevent or stop a melt down those groups or places are at least aware of special needs kids and some places we go mine is only minimally disabled because she is around kids that have more special needs than she does in those places yes they are very aware they are the therapist or parents of the other children I am trying to plan a vacation birthday I am wrapping everything into places that have sensory reduction facilities.six flags, all of them carry a special certification with the right "card" the guarantee to fast pass your child and have places on site ppl not just kids can be calm and reduce the sensory overload the "card" is free I think it's ibcces I will double check that but it alerts anyone one that offers those amenities that you have a special needs child. So I even try to go places that recognize my child may have some extra needs. Flip side of the coin we were in Walmart
The checker rudely asked if my daughter had torrets I know I spelled that way he got ugly with me I blew it of to he was young maybe he didn't understand but then I alerted his manager that confirmed he has problems asking parents about their kids that are special needs. It's 6 to 1 half a dozen

Yes, and No.
They know about it, but if not directly impacted by it, they know nothing about it.
16 years after Stephen was diagnosed, some people still treat it as a contagion.

More education of the medical community needs to be made, more specialized training for speech therapists needs to happen, and more investment in creating OT places. State government has done a good job getting insurances to pay.,

Couldn't find any recent polling about autism. I'd say that younger people are more aware of autism as they have more contact with peers such as relatives and other students. Older people may be clueless if they don't have any family members with autism or don't much contact with younger people. Remember that most people DX with autism were born after 1990.

You may want to watch the 1963 movie "A Child is Waiting" on how kids get treated back then. A lot more institutionalization was taking place. In the movie, I still remember a couple of parents dropped their son off and just drove away. Kind of sad but it had Judy Garland and Burt Lancaster so it was a first class production.

I think in the long run most kids today with autism non specified will be rediagnosed after covid and lock down the just started diagnosing kids with one or 2 traits of autism as autistic mostly because the therapies work for so many issues the child might have. Mine is most likely Hypoxic Ishceme Encepolapathy (brain damage from lack of oxygen in the brain for mine it was at birth) but my kid needs the same therapies as autistic kids she has some traights but not all or even most it will be interesting to see where this all goes in 10-20 years