Autism Network International Webinar with Autism NOW April 14, 2011

8/6/2019 Autism Network International Webinar with Autism NOW April 14, 2011

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Introduction to AutisticCommunity and Culture

Jim Sinclair

Autism Network International

www.ani.ac


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51 weeks a year, I must immerse myself in

a foreign country and speak a language

other than my mother tongue. At Autreat, I

no longer have to translate my language

into another. My passport is always valid.


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AUTISM IS

Neurologically based

Pervasive developmental disabilityOnset before age three

Lifelong


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AUTISM IS NOT

Emotional disturbance

Psychosis

Intellectual disability

Curable

Outgrowable

Hopeless

Tragic


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AUTISM AFFECTS

Sensing

Seeing

Hearing

Feeling

Smelling

Tasting

Balance

Body awareness


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AUTISM AFFECTS

Focusing

Speed

Range

Shifts

Comprehending

All or part?

Context

Implications

Meaning

Thinking

Emotion


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AUTISM AFFECTS

Learning

Remembering

Applying

Generalizing

Moving

Planning

Initiating

Coordinating

Responding

Stopping


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AUTISM AFFECTS

Communicating

SpeechExpressive

Receptive

Other symbolic communication

Sign, writing/typing, pictures, etc.

Nonverbal signals

Visual Auditory

Receptive

Expressive


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AUTISM AFFECTS

Interacting

Individual

Group

INTEGRATING

Putting it all together


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Here people who could paint and draw

equally shared experiences with those

who can't hold a pencil or a brush. People

who are very articulate equally sharedexperiences and understood those who

could only jump or clap their hands or

point to letters on a letter board or pictureboard to respond to a question.


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It's wonderful to be among people who see

my daughter for the beauty that she has to

offer.


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WHAT IS AN AUTISTIC-FRIENDLY

ENVIRONMENT?


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Things you will not find at Autreat:

Crowded, noisy hotel or conference center

Exhausting, intensive schedule

Inescapable sensory bombardment

Pressure to interact if you don't want to

Focus on "celebrities"

Focus on causes, cures, or ways to make

us more normal


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Things you will find at Autreat:

Small college campus with plenty of outdoor space to get away and

be alone or with friends.

Smoke-free, perfume-free environment

Opportunity to explore autistic social contacts, if desired

Respect for the choice to be left alone, if preferred

Focus on positive aspects of autism

Child care for autistic and non-autistic children

Four days of continuous immersion in an autistic-friendly environment


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Autistic Social Skills


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Negative/

Passive

Positive/

Active

Utilitarian

Involve not endangering selfor violating others rights

May be demanded

Involve practical skills

May be strongly encouraged

Subjective

Involve not being offensive

May be strongly encouraged

Involve mutualenjoyment/satisfaction

Strictly voluntary

Functional Approach to Social Skills


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AUTISTIC PEOPLE IN GROUPS

May not recognize people

Wear name badges

Introduce yourself and others

May not function well in groups

Keep group processes simple

Explain rules clearly

Allow people to opt out


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AUTISTIC PEOPLE IN GROUPS

May not be motivated to do somethingjust because others are doing it

Dont expect automatic joining

May orbit at a distance

Might be where the person is

comfortable, or might indicate

difficulty initiating

Invite, but dont push


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SETTING THE STAGE FOR SUCCESS

Autistic people are likely to have fun, and be

fun to be with, if we are:

Oriented

Interested

Free to choose

Supported with transitions


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Oriented

Predictability and familiarity

Make schedule in advanceand

stick to it!

Repeat information

Provide visual cues

Inform us of any necessary schedule

changes as early as possible


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Interested

Find out our interests

Build activities around interests

If you can tap into a special interest,

go with it!

Be creative with fixations


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Free to choose

Offer a choice of activities

Allow us to wait and watch

Allow us to stop and start again


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fun to be with, if we are:Supported with transitions

Recognize that change is difficult

Advance notice

Visual and auditory cues

Countdown

AVOID SURPRISES!


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Respect sensory sensitivities:


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Do not shout to get our attention. Speak in a quiet and calm voice.

Get permission from everyone in the area before using flash photography.

Many of us have olfactory sensitivities or respiratory allergies and

asthma.

** If you are wearing cologne, aftershave, or other scented personal care

products,

** if you smoke,

** or if you have been near people who are smoking and now smell of smoke

yourself,

please maintain a respectful distance and ask whether the person hasdifficulties with these substances before approaching.


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Interaction signal badges

RED means no interaction at all

YELLOW means interaction with familiar people

is OK, but this is not a good time to meetstrangers.

GREEN means please initiate interaction.

No badge means whatever happens is OK.


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Black circle means do not

photograph.


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No pretending, No explaining, No

embarrassment, No exclusion, No

isolation, No UNACCEPTABLE questions,

No UNACCEPTABLE comments, NoUNACCEPTABLE people, No tears.


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I felt free to fill the days in my own styles

and my own being. What a wonderful

relief.


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This was the first place I wasn't criticised for

being different. In fact, my most different

and strange behaviors were the ones that

were the most normal in thisenvironment!!!!!!!


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It showed me that being me was okay, and

that my ways of doing things weren't

wrong or defective, just different, and

perfectly all right.


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I enjoyed everyone I met even if I do not

recall the names of everyone and I

wanted to thank you all for sharing the

time and the space with us. My boys havenever been so accepted in their life and

that made all of us very comfortable.


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We had a good time laughing,

listening and sharing with youall. We loved the feeling of being

accepted and liked for beingourselves!

Autism Network International Webinar with Autism NOW April 14, 2011

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