A Spectrum of Voices Panel

Mitzi Ritzman Author

03/22/2021 Added

303 Plays

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A Spectrum of Voices

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[00:00:02.450]Good afternoon, everyone.
[00:00:04.340]My name is Mitzi Ritzman.
[00:00:05.760]I am an associate professor in the department
[00:00:08.130]of special education and communication disorders
[00:00:11.050]at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
[00:00:13.620]And one of my very favorite parts
[00:00:16.190]of the way I get to spend my time
[00:00:17.693]is with these young folks who are here today
[00:00:20.270]to share with you about their experiences
[00:00:23.990]as they identify on the autism spectrum.
[00:00:26.400]So each of them are going to introduce themselves to you
[00:00:29.470]and then we are going to move into a panel presentation.
[00:00:33.750]So, Beth you'll start us off.
[00:00:36.760]Hi, I'm Beth.
[00:00:38.380]I'm 26 years old.
[00:00:41.450]I don't have a job at the moment.
[00:00:43.320]I'm looking for a new one.
[00:00:44.720]But I am going to school to get a history degree,
[00:00:48.550]a bachelors in history,
[00:00:49.820]and I'm helping my mom with her Sheltie rescue.
[00:00:52.710]So I guess that is one thing I'm working on.
[00:01:08.050]Ellen.
[00:01:12.210]I'm Ellen.
[00:01:13.070]I'm 24 years old.
[00:01:14.970]I'm working part-time as a cashier at Scheels.
[00:01:28.060]Hi, my name is Ethan Barber.
[00:01:30.250]I am currently 19 years old.
[00:01:32.340]Right now I'm not doing too much
[00:01:34.240]but soon I'm gonna get a job at,
[00:01:36.870]but soon I will have a job at Target.
[00:01:45.690]Hello, my name is Jerry Patrick Na.
[00:01:48.210]though I am known to my close friends and family as JP Na.
[00:01:51.760]I am 19 years old and currently stuck at home,
[00:01:54.700]cycling between Metro work and internship work.
[00:01:57.460]Part-time, I used to work as a courtesy clerk at Hy-Vee.
[00:02:01.730]I left about a year ago
[00:02:02.870]and decided to focus specifically on my Metro classes.
[00:02:07.810]I am also partaking in,
[00:02:10.620]I'm also partaking in the online classes at NTC
[00:02:13.270]as well as the UNO Transition.
[00:02:20.120]My name is Justina and I am 26 years old.
[00:02:23.770]I work part-time for a public library.
[00:02:30.370]Hi, my name is Sophia Kosmoski.
[00:02:32.720]I am 19 years old and I am a college student studying
[00:02:37.880]at Metropolitan Community College.
[00:02:43.510]How old were you when you received your diagnosis
[00:02:47.040]and what was this like for you and your family?
[00:02:53.455]Well, I was 16 when I got my diagnosis.
[00:02:57.880]I had spent two months up at a hospital
[00:03:01.650]in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin,
[00:03:03.540]and that's when I got my diagnosis.
[00:03:06.860]I had been going for treatment for my OCD,
[00:03:09.540]which was pretty severe at the time.
[00:03:11.070]And the therapist I was working with was like,
[00:03:15.077]"you know, you got some stuff that,
[00:03:18.467]"you know, some symptoms of autism."
[00:03:22.210]That's not exactly how he said it (mumbles)
[00:03:25.090]But it made sense.
[00:03:25.950]My mom had been advocating that, you know,
[00:03:29.867]"I'm pretty sure she's on the spectrum,"
[00:03:31.600]but nobody would listen to her
[00:03:32.750]until I was up in Oconomowocs.
[00:03:43.900]I was diagnosed at 17.
[00:03:46.920]It was a relief to my family
[00:03:49.570]since they had known that I had autism
[00:03:54.410]since I was very young.
[00:04:04.890]So I would say I was diagnosed,
[00:04:08.240]I wanna say, at three years old.
[00:04:12.010]At that time my mom and dad
[00:04:16.220]didn't know too much about autism
[00:04:17.950]and I had to do a lot of research
[00:04:19.600]to kind of understand it a little bit more.
[00:04:27.260]I was three years old
[00:04:28.630]when I was diagnosed on the spectrum.
[00:04:30.850]At the time, my parents had no idea what autism was.
[00:04:34.920]So after I was diagnosed,
[00:04:37.230]my mom got involved in an autism organization
[00:04:39.860]to better understand my needs.
[00:04:42.880]Thanks to her and many other parents
[00:04:44.670]the organization created many events
[00:04:46.750]that I felt comfortable attending.
[00:04:54.340]I received my autism,
[00:04:57.960]or Asperger's syndrome at the time,
[00:04:59.510]diagnosis when I was almost 15 years old
[00:05:02.530]and it's been frustrating.
[00:05:05.260]Receiving my diagnosis helped my family and me feel
[00:05:08.290]like we finally had an accurate diagnosis
[00:05:10.850]that described most of the difficulties I had experienced
[00:05:13.830]from the time I was a toddler,
[00:05:15.690]since we always felt like my prior diagnoses
[00:05:18.450]did not understand any challenges I faced.
[00:05:20.830]It was a relief to finally feel
[00:05:22.230]like the missing diagnosis had been made.
[00:05:27.770]I received my diagnosis at age three.
[00:05:31.340]It was kind of a relief to my parents
[00:05:33.700]but it also made them kind of anxious
[00:05:35.730]because it would be hard to advocate for me at the schools.
[00:05:42.070]I learned about my diagnosis when I was nine years old.
[00:05:46.870]And it was kind of hard for me
[00:05:51.050]to process the information about my diagnosis at the time.
[00:06:01.250]What are your favorite things to do, hobbies?
[00:06:08.870]Well, for me, I'm mostly there playing video games
[00:06:12.350]or watching TV shows with my mom.
[00:06:14.210]Right now we're going through the entire series of Bones.
[00:06:25.280]Some of my hobbies is spending time with my family,
[00:06:29.290]reading, watching TV, playing with my family's dogs
[00:06:33.660]and posting pictures of my family's dogs on social media.
[00:06:44.960]For me, I would say that it is most definitely games.
[00:06:51.920]No matter what kind of situation it is,
[00:06:57.080]I would always just want to play games.
[00:07:01.250]It didn't really matter what kind of game.
[00:07:03.930]I was always just an interactive person
[00:07:07.920]who loved playing games with others.
[00:07:17.620]My hobbies are the typical teenager stuff,
[00:07:20.140]playing video games, watching movies and TV shows.
[00:07:23.490]Prior to the pandemic,
[00:07:24.530]I was part of a bowling league.
[00:07:26.760]And very occasionally I dabble into creative writing.
[00:07:30.540]Also, I will participate
[00:07:32.460]in online D&D sessions with friends.
[00:07:35.170]For those who don't know,
[00:07:36.003]that's Dungeons and Dragons.
[00:07:37.370]We've moved to a discord ever since the pandemic hit.
[00:07:45.953]I like curating, playing an online game
[00:07:48.430]and talking with my online friends
[00:07:51.070]who also play the game,
[00:07:52.230]watching figure skating when it is on TV,
[00:07:55.130]and searching different things
[00:07:56.178]when I go to the libraries on history or autism,
[00:07:59.030]traveling, spending time with my family,
[00:08:02.040]playing games and taking my family's dogs for walks.
[00:08:07.900]My favorite hobbies are gaming.
[00:08:11.700]I also like to do drawing
[00:08:14.190]and specifically fan art of my favorite games.
[00:08:19.330]I also like to go for walks outside,
[00:08:22.180]crochet and do book binding.
[00:08:25.600]And I also like to play Dungeons & Dragons and Traveler.
[00:08:31.990]And for those of you who don't know,
[00:08:34.480]those are tabletop RPGs
[00:08:37.230]that involve storytelling and science fiction and fantasy.
[00:08:45.640]What are some misconceptions you've heard about autism
[00:08:49.160]and how do you respond to clear them up?
[00:08:56.840]Sorry, my cat just decided to make himself known again.
[00:09:03.090]Some common misconceptions that I've heard a lot of
[00:09:07.060]is that we're not smart,
[00:09:08.780]that we're forever stuck in a childish state of mind,
[00:09:13.150]that we can't fend for ourselves.
[00:09:15.930]And it may be true for some of us,
[00:09:18.310]but for a lot of us, it's not.
[00:09:20.040]We can have jobs,
[00:09:21.120]we can have families and we're,
[00:09:24.880]I think we're pretty smart, excuse you.
[00:09:26.670]Sorry (laughing)
[00:09:34.320]One common misconception I've heard a lot in my life is
[00:09:37.720]you don't seem autistic or you don't look autistic.
[00:09:41.420]And I usually respond that autism is a spectrum
[00:09:45.010]and that it presents itself differently
[00:09:46.940]in every autistic individual.
[00:09:54.670]One of the most common misconceptions
[00:09:59.110]that I remember slash hearing would probably be
[00:10:03.890]that every person that has autism is the same.
[00:10:08.630]And that is not true.
[00:10:11.650]We are all different in our own special way.
[00:10:17.110]And autism is actually one of the main things
[00:10:22.110]that probably gives us some of those things.
[00:10:29.370]In terms of the misconceptions about autism,
[00:10:31.540]two come to mind to me.
[00:10:33.260]One is that people with autism don't talk.
[00:10:36.080]I know many people on the spectrum.
[00:10:38.310]Some don't talk, many do talk, some talk too much.
[00:10:42.370]We all struggle with communication.
[00:10:44.300]But it's one of the things that I work on the most.
[00:10:47.280]Another that's brought this up
[00:10:49.010]is that autistics are not smart.
[00:10:51.730]Many with autism have expertise in one area
[00:10:54.780]and may have struggles in others.
[00:10:56.620]But is that really different from any other person?
[00:11:04.840]I don't typically hear this common misconception myself,
[00:11:07.960]but people my family has known for years
[00:11:11.120]have often told my parents
[00:11:12.310]that they are surprised I have autism.
[00:11:14.700]My parents tried to explain
[00:11:16.040]how autism impacts people differently
[00:11:18.070]and it wants them comfortable around someone.
[00:11:20.590]My autism is not as noticeable.
[00:11:22.830]In addition, 'cause I'm on the higher end
[00:11:24.700]of the autism spectrum and I wasn't diagnosed
[00:11:27.250]until I was almost 15 years old,
[00:11:29.650]my autism was not as obvious as it might have been
[00:11:34.100]if I was on the lower end of spectrum.
[00:11:36.660]Finally, I think some people do not accept my autism
[00:11:38.980]because I sometimes mask
[00:11:40.810]or try and hide my symptoms in public.
[00:11:42.630]I normally let my guard down or take the mask off
[00:11:45.380]when I'm with people I know fairly well
[00:11:46.987]and when I'm at home with my parents.
[00:11:53.066]When I think of common misconceptions about autism,
[00:11:57.650]a few come to mind.
[00:11:59.000]One is that we're all secret geniuses.
[00:12:03.180]while some autistic people may be smarter in some areas
[00:12:08.460]than they are in others,
[00:12:10.290]we all have our unique challenges and abilities.
[00:12:14.820]Second misconception is
[00:12:19.580]that people like to think that all our needs are special
[00:12:23.010]or that we have special needs.
[00:12:25.690]I actually consider my needs
[00:12:28.840]to just be like access needs or accessibility needs.
[00:12:34.670]And you know, I don't think it's fair to say
[00:12:38.510]that our needs are special in any way,
[00:12:41.410]because all people have things that they need
[00:12:46.530]to help them succeed.
[00:12:49.730]Third, and my parents don't believe this
[00:12:56.750]but some people online do,
[00:12:59.270]is that there is a right way
[00:13:04.140]to refer to someone on the autism spectrum.
[00:13:08.470]For example, person with autism versus autistic person.
[00:13:14.310]I actually do not have a preference
[00:13:17.740]about which of these phrases that you use.
[00:13:22.030]Although I do know that many people in the autism community
[00:13:27.510]who do prefer to use an autistic person.
[00:13:31.540]However others may prefer a person with autism.
[00:13:39.380]Is there one situation or scenario
[00:13:42.360]that occurs during communication with others
[00:13:45.270]that you find particularly frustrating or challenging?
[00:13:52.580]I find sarcasm a bit difficult to understand
[00:13:58.040]especially when somebody is just constantly sarcastic
[00:14:02.560]and then I can't tell if they're just joking
[00:14:05.390]or if they're being serious.
[00:14:13.427]In this day and age with the pandemic,
[00:14:16.500]and working as retail cashier,
[00:14:20.030]I'm oftentimes communicating with customers face to face
[00:14:24.830]and I find it very difficult to
[00:14:29.010]understand the emotions that are being conveyed by customers
[00:14:32.820]during conversation when they're wearing a mask.
[00:14:41.090]For me, I would most definitely say that sarcasm is the
[00:14:47.640]big issue that I currently have when the end,
[00:14:52.940]kind of in both ways
[00:14:55.080]of I sometimes say things that I mean to be sarcastic
[00:15:01.647]and I also be like get comments
[00:15:06.030]that I think are not sarcastic when they are
[00:15:11.990]and I have issues sometimes comparing those apart.
[00:15:20.070]In terms of frustrating situations,
[00:15:22.530]two have them come up the most frequently in my life.
[00:15:25.720]My biggest challenge with autism is sensory processing.
[00:15:29.640]If I'm in a particularly noisy area,
[00:15:32.090]I cannot properly filter the sounds around me
[00:15:34.320]and focus on what I'm supposed to be hearing.
[00:15:36.730]For example, when I was working at a grocery store
[00:15:39.440]as a courtesy clerk,
[00:15:40.660]I found it difficult to hear instructions
[00:15:42.630]from my customers and managers
[00:15:43.970]with all the loud noises going on around me.
[00:15:47.330]The other issue I have is delayed reactions to conversations
[00:15:50.440]that make me go unnaturally quiet.
[00:15:52.890]If I can't think of a response,
[00:15:54.370]I just inexplicably go quiet.
[00:15:57.690]My mom calls it possum mode.
[00:15:59.600]Like I just go quiet as a possum.
[00:16:09.930]There are several situations that occur
[00:16:11.740]during the communication with others
[00:16:13.240]that I find challenging.
[00:16:15.580]One thing is I find it difficult
[00:16:17.120]to understand what people want me to do
[00:16:19.200]when they talk quickly
[00:16:20.810]and when they talk about different things
[00:16:22.380]and they're not clear in their original topic,
[00:16:26.060]when they don't want me to delay when they ask me a question
[00:16:28.350]without giving me a chance to prepare my answer,
[00:16:32.490]and when they give me directions
[00:16:33.347]in all the numerous complicated steps.
[00:16:42.770]One challenge that I have
[00:16:45.390]is when people don't say what they mean.
[00:16:47.960]Like sometimes people in conversations,
[00:16:50.870]instead of just saying the exact phrase
[00:16:54.840]that means what they want it to mean,
[00:16:56.890]they'll use euphemisms and hidden meanings in phrases.
[00:17:03.350]And this confuses me
[00:17:04.760]because I often interpret things literally
[00:17:08.890]which results in me having to ask for clarification
[00:17:12.700]about what people meant when they said a certain thing.
[00:17:18.180]Also, I really do kind of relate to JP
[00:17:25.920]who said that sometimes like needing,
[00:17:33.070]sometimes like just going quiet when,
[00:17:36.620]like I don't have an answer right away.
[00:17:43.420]What do you wish people did more of when talking to you,
[00:17:47.100]for example, slowing down your rate
[00:17:49.850]or giving you time to think of an answer?
[00:17:55.480]Well, I prefer to have time to think of an answer.
[00:18:02.490]I also would prefer, like Sophia said,
[00:18:07.170]people say what they mean
[00:18:08.640]and not just kind of beat around the bush.
[00:18:18.490]I wish that people would give me more time
[00:18:20.500]to think of a response when they are talking to me.
[00:18:26.150]And like Sophia and Beth said,
[00:18:30.500]I would like it
[00:18:31.730]if people would be more literal when speaking
[00:18:34.990]instead of using euphemisms and stuff like that.
[00:18:45.900]For me specifically in relation to talking,
[00:18:50.930]there is nothing specific that comes to mind.
[00:18:54.560]I know I'm still not perfect with speaking,
[00:18:59.430]not in the slightest,
[00:19:00.430]but like in relation to what I need more of
[00:19:07.950]in relation to talking,
[00:19:09.330]there is nothing specific I can necessarily think of.
[00:19:16.920]What I'd like people to do the most is
[00:19:19.290]just have an open mind.
[00:19:21.840]They should understand that nobody with autism is alike
[00:19:24.410]and listen to each individual person
[00:19:26.510]in how they work differently.
[00:19:28.780]In my cases, like Ellen pointed out,
[00:19:31.590]I would prefer,
[00:19:32.423]I would like for people to give me more time
[00:19:34.410]to process the information given to me
[00:19:36.210]and not assuming my delayed silence is intentional.
[00:19:44.400]I wish people would slow down their rate of talking,
[00:19:47.220]tell me when they are changing the topic of conversation,
[00:19:51.280]give me time to think before answering their questions
[00:19:53.650]or allowing me to give them my answers later,
[00:19:56.030]repeat information as needed
[00:19:57.390]and either have them or me write down directions
[00:20:00.720]or the different steps they want me to follow
[00:20:02.450]if they are not already written down.
[00:20:09.364]I wish people would give me time to think about my answer.
[00:20:14.890]I also wish people would slow down their rate a little bit.
[00:20:20.700]And also going with my answer to the last question,
[00:20:25.340]I wish people would say what they mean and be more literal.
[00:20:30.430]And also I would like people to not assume
[00:20:33.670]that just because someone is autistic means
[00:20:36.800]that they want to be talked to like a child.
[00:20:44.950]Like, I just would like people
[00:20:47.640]to talk to autistic people the way
[00:20:50.820]that they prefer to be talked to.
[00:20:57.280]What transition supports worked well
[00:21:00.000]when you were moving from elementary school to middle school
[00:21:04.500]or middle school to high school?
[00:21:07.480]Also any that were not so helpful.
[00:21:13.260]Well, I didn't really have much help transitioning
[00:21:16.040]from elementary to middle school.
[00:21:18.870]Having to go from class to class was definitely jarring.
[00:21:22.310]I got lost the first day (laughing)
[00:21:24.440]I was like an hour late to one of my classes
[00:21:26.770]because I got lost and I'm just like,
[00:21:28.667]"I don't know where I am, I'm lost." (laughs)
[00:21:33.558]Middle school or high school was a little bit easier
[00:21:36.090]because I had gotten down
[00:21:38.010]the whole moving from class to class
[00:21:40.000]and my mom helped me map out where my classes were
[00:21:44.530]and where my locker was
[00:21:46.660]so I knew where I was going on the first day.
[00:21:48.840]That definitely helped.
[00:21:54.380]I didn't have any transition supports
[00:21:58.300]going from elementary school to middle school
[00:22:00.277]and middle school to high school.
[00:22:02.210]That would have been nice.
[00:22:03.430]And it would have been really helpful.
[00:22:07.330]But I just didn't have any.
[00:22:14.500]So for me, the like main support that I got
[00:22:19.440]from transferring between the elementary and middle
[00:22:24.520]as well as middle to high was just
[00:22:26.950]my parents before the school started,
[00:22:36.220]we went through my schedule in the school
[00:22:40.980]so I would know where all my classes are.
[00:22:49.200]So I did not actually attend a middle school
[00:22:52.570]or a high school.
[00:22:53.690]After fifth grade, I went straight to homeschool.
[00:22:56.260]So I'm not sure how much of this question reflects my life.
[00:22:59.910]However, as a part of my homeschool,
[00:23:01.770]my mom created a huge load of assignments
[00:23:03.960]for me to get done
[00:23:05.140]but while also training me
[00:23:07.090]to plan when I was going to work on them
[00:23:09.330]each day via a daily planner.
[00:23:12.010]This skill has helped me stay on top of my assignments
[00:23:14.700]at Metro Community College.
[00:23:20.583]I've been in Individualized Education Program or IEP
[00:23:24.370]from the time when he was diagnosed
[00:23:25.773]with a speech disorder and gross and fine motor skills.
[00:23:28.910]That was just before my fourth birthday.
[00:23:31.450]My IEP was used to ensure I continued to receive
[00:23:34.530]the special education services I needed
[00:23:37.280]since I moved from school to school.
[00:23:39.310]And continuation in the same school district
[00:23:40.980]for my education
[00:23:43.220]from a special education preschool until school graduation
[00:23:47.160]also aided my transition from elementary to middle school
[00:23:49.437]and middle school to high school.
[00:23:51.570]And addition, my parents were always active in my education
[00:23:54.470]and insisted that I received the services
[00:23:56.667]and accommodations I needed to succeed,
[00:23:59.449]and encouraged me to self-advocate
[00:24:00.890]to ensure my needs were met.
[00:24:07.740]At first, I was diagnosed when I was three
[00:24:10.510]so like I had an IEP ever since I was in kindergarten.
[00:24:17.030]But I actually had like an additional transition
[00:24:23.600]between like one elementary school to another
[00:24:27.480]because I actually moved from out of state
[00:24:33.720]in like fourth grade
[00:24:35.600]and I did not have much preparation at all
[00:24:40.240]for that transition.
[00:24:43.490]The transition between elementary
[00:24:46.257]and middle school went a lot smoother
[00:24:48.580]because I had a summer school class
[00:24:51.730]that was called something like preparing for middle school
[00:24:58.000]and that actually helped me a lot
[00:25:00.570]with the transition between elementary and middle school.
[00:25:05.700]Transition between middle school
[00:25:07.677]and high school was a little bit harder
[00:25:09.830]because there wasn't a class that was like that.
[00:25:14.180]However, going to summer school did help me get a feel
[00:25:18.150]for the layout of the high school.
[00:25:22.760]And also like, my IEP helped me
[00:25:27.540]with a lot of the other aspects of transitioning.
[00:25:37.750]Did you have peer supports in school?
[00:25:40.550]And if so, what was helpful about these interactions?
[00:25:45.860]Not really.
[00:25:47.020]I was a kid that nobody wanted to sit with at lunch.
[00:25:50.090]She was weird and carried bunch of manga books around.
[00:25:54.990]I didn't really understand why until I got my diagnosis.
[00:26:00.040]So I didn't really have any friends.
[00:26:06.880]I didn't have any peer supports
[00:26:09.804]in elementary school and middle school or high school.
[00:26:14.830]I was the kid who got bullied in middle school
[00:26:17.130]and the kid who didn't have anyone to sit with at lunch so.
[00:26:34.464]Can you come back to me with this question?
[00:26:42.420]In the elementary, I had a circle of friends
[00:26:45.660]while at homeschool this was a bit harder because,
[00:26:49.380]especially now,
[00:26:50.670]but we hosted various events
[00:26:52.360]for various homeschoolers in our community.
[00:26:54.720]These included a book movie club
[00:26:56.400]where we would read a book
[00:26:57.610]then host 20 plus kids at our house
[00:26:59.910]to watch the movie version.
[00:27:01.920]Then there was a film crew
[00:27:03.460]where we were assigned various film-related projects
[00:27:05.820]and met weekly to critique and support each other.
[00:27:08.750]We had a Dr. Hoop group,
[00:27:10.640]that had us researching historical events and locations
[00:27:14.414]that appeared in episodes of the TV show Dr. Hoop.
[00:27:17.710]And then lastly, there was culture and cuisine
[00:27:20.130]where we would meet at a local restaurant
[00:27:21.670]to try different cultures' food.
[00:27:27.660]I participated in the
[00:27:29.160]neuro-active social educational experience or IC program
[00:27:33.440]from my sophomore through senior years of high school.
[00:27:36.470]In IC, there were student peers who did not have autism
[00:27:39.280]in addition to other students who have autism.
[00:27:42.200]The weekly after-school meetings focus on lessons
[00:27:44.800]in different social skills,
[00:27:47.230]taught by the program facilitators in high school,
[00:27:49.160]social education teachers,
[00:27:50.880]with role playing, practice sessions,
[00:27:54.520]for about half of each meeting.
[00:27:56.720]There were also monthly attendance
[00:27:58.020]to restaurants and ice drink,
[00:28:00.080]pumpkin patch museums to other local venues
[00:28:02.970]to practice social skills.
[00:28:05.452]The weekly meetings and monthly activities
[00:28:07.550]were helpful for me because they allowed me
[00:28:09.660]to meet other smaller-age students who have autism
[00:28:13.428]and interact with other student peers
[00:28:14.870]who did not have autism,
[00:28:16.010]and allowed me to practice social skills
[00:28:17.490]in a safe environment.
[00:28:22.220]I had circle of friends group meeting weekly
[00:28:27.010]from like since I was in seventh grade in middle school.
[00:28:34.834]But it was so a lot more active in high school.
[00:28:39.450]And circle of friends is like,
[00:28:43.160]it's kind of like a club that meets at school,
[00:28:48.380]like during lunch or like during the guided study period
[00:28:54.150]and during school hours.
[00:28:56.280]And it's like,
[00:28:59.580]and it gets together like a group of autistic students
[00:29:07.900]and students with other disabilities as well
[00:29:11.567]and also allows them to learn how to interact
[00:29:17.410]with the non-autistic and students without disabilities
[00:29:28.439]and also allows like the students without disabilities
[00:29:36.780]to learn about students with disabilities and,
[00:29:41.270]And it was actually pretty helpful
[00:29:44.220]in like getting me to be able to interact
[00:29:50.010]with a group of people in an environment
[00:29:56.430]that was comfortable for me to interact in.
[00:29:59.304]And also it gave me one day out of the week
[00:30:05.190]where I actually got to eat lunch with people
[00:30:07.730]because normally I wouldn't like to sit in the cafeteria
[00:30:12.790]because it was noisy.
[00:30:18.980]Ethan, would you like to answer this question?
[00:30:22.429]Yes, I would.
[00:30:23.330]So for me,
[00:30:27.150]I am a pretty friendly person
[00:30:29.700]so getting along with others
[00:30:32.350]wasn't really too hard with me in my school
[00:30:38.890]and having like clubs like game club
[00:30:42.730]as well as a circle of friends to go to
[00:30:45.990]also really helped me interact with others
[00:30:49.730]and get to know each others while having fun as well.
[00:31:01.040]As you think about your experiences after high school,
[00:31:05.030]what has been most helpful for you
[00:31:08.030]in transitioning to college classes and/or work environment?
[00:31:16.190]Well, for starters,
[00:31:17.390]my mom definitely helped me with transitioning
[00:31:21.100]into college and work.
[00:31:25.360]She explained to me what to expect
[00:31:27.660]and if I needed help with anything, she would help.
[00:31:30.680]She's still helping me. (laughing)
[00:31:33.570]And speaking of transitions,
[00:31:35.000]transitions itself also helped me
[00:31:39.220]with college and everything.
[00:31:40.440]It's still helping me.
[00:31:46.300]So first off, I'd like to say,
[00:31:48.000]I'm sorry if you hear construction in the background.
[00:31:51.770]The neighbors are having a new porch put in in the backyard.
[00:31:57.100]But in the answers to the question,
[00:32:00.700]I work with Pace Partnership for Autism Community Employment
[00:32:05.660]and they have been a big help for me
[00:32:07.940]with my work at Scheels.
[00:32:09.440]They help me get accommodations at work and support.
[00:32:16.800]I also attend UNO Transitions
[00:32:20.320]and they helped me learn and understand
[00:32:23.000]how to communicate with others better
[00:32:25.090]which is really helpful.
[00:32:31.920]So, one of the main things that helped me was actually
[00:32:36.530]in relation to the way
[00:32:38.760]that my high school actually did their classes,
[00:32:42.950]the way that they did their classes is,
[00:32:46.890]well, it's technically more complicated
[00:32:49.650]but at the same time close enough
[00:32:54.320]to be basically almost the exact same
[00:32:58.370]as the way college classes would do it
[00:33:01.160]except for a less period of a time,
[00:33:04.210]because most teenagers don't usually have
[00:33:07.610]as big attention spans
[00:33:12.020]although we have to make sure to use more in college.
[00:33:19.300]So I guess we're just saving it for college.
[00:33:24.100]But anyway, back on track,
[00:33:26.430]the way that our high school did the schedule is that,
[00:33:32.740]like every day our schedule was different.
[00:33:36.830]But like each week it was the same.
[00:33:39.670]So it kept a pattern,
[00:33:41.840]you know, on Mondays, you have these,
[00:33:44.020]and Tuesday, et cetera.
[00:33:47.270]And that using that schedule,
[00:33:51.270]it really helped me make sure that I am used to the
[00:33:58.730]kind of scheduling that college classes have.
[00:34:06.750]So, like I mentioned earlier,
[00:34:08.650]one of the biggest helpful skills that I learned was,
[00:34:12.250]as a homeschooler,
[00:34:14.270]learning how to plan when to do my assignments,
[00:34:17.530]usually of which were due at the end of the week,
[00:34:21.160]planning times in every day to get them done.
[00:34:25.090]That has mirrored my experience quite a bit at Metro
[00:34:28.170]and it's helping me do very well in the classes.
[00:34:32.270]However, I also have disability services accommodations
[00:34:36.040]that make Metro classes easier.
[00:34:39.530]I have extended test times,
[00:34:42.360]music during tests,
[00:34:44.080]breaks and separate quieter locations for tests.
[00:34:47.520]These accommodations, I do not have to use all of them,
[00:34:50.360]but I have them on standby
[00:34:51.919]and I let my instructor know
[00:34:53.770]if I want to put them into effect.
[00:34:56.640]Knowing I have them on standby
[00:34:58.730]and that I can use them anytime
[00:35:00.250]makes these classes much easier to get through.
[00:35:02.820]With nine classes I've taken in total,
[00:35:04.960]I have only really needed
[00:35:06.180]to use my extended test time accommodations
[00:35:08.190]only in the last three.
[00:35:14.100]Having formal accommodations in place helped me
[00:35:17.380]when I was taking college classes
[00:35:19.020]and were vital to my ability to graduate with honors,
[00:35:21.980]with both an associate and bachelor's degree.
[00:35:25.670]The ability to take classes part-time and transfer credits
[00:35:28.500]from one educational institution to another
[00:35:31.290]also added to my successful college and career.
[00:35:34.600]Knowing how to advocate for myself
[00:35:36.280]and not being afraid to ask for help
[00:35:38.710]has been beneficial for me at work.
[00:35:41.560]Working with Autism Action Partnerships,
[00:35:43.770]Partnership for Autism Career Employment
[00:35:45.840]or Pace Career Advisors was invaluable in obtaining my job
[00:35:50.180]and my on-the-job training.
[00:35:52.620]Ongoing support from my immediate supervisor,
[00:35:56.010]who was aware of my autism diagnosis,
[00:35:58.550]has also been key to my success at work.
[00:36:05.150]I think what has been most helpful
[00:36:07.660]in like helping me transition to college is
[00:36:12.340]learning how to,
[00:36:15.910]learning from various transition classes in high school
[00:36:21.610]and also in like,
[00:36:24.900]I think also working with like the Easter Seals Program
[00:36:30.170]and UNO Transitions to work on skills
[00:36:34.340]that would help me advocate for myself.
[00:36:37.360]Like, specifically one of the skills that I needed to learn
[00:36:41.900]was how to disclose my autism diagnosis
[00:36:47.210]and how to use it to advocate for disability services
[00:36:54.120]and accommodations at the college.
[00:36:59.260]And also, I think what also helped is
[00:37:05.260]taking a few college-level classes in high school
[00:37:09.420]just to get a feel for like
[00:37:12.130]what the type of coursework is going to be like in college.
[00:37:19.200]And also, I think another thing I really liked is doing the,
[00:37:30.400]I believe it was
[00:37:31.233]like the Easter Seals bring your A game to work,
[00:37:35.350]which specifically focuses on job skills
[00:37:40.420]and how to disclose your disability to an employer
[00:37:45.050]and how to fill out job applications
[00:37:47.870]because at the time I was working as an intern
[00:37:53.050]at The Rose Theater.
[00:37:59.670]What challenges do you face in these environments,
[00:38:02.820]either academically or in a work setting
[00:38:05.890]and what supports help you be more successful?
[00:38:12.650]I guess, advocating for myself.
[00:38:15.500]I mean, I've solely been learning how to do that
[00:38:17.910]and I think I've gotten better.
[00:38:19.700]But I still need help at times
[00:38:21.890]figuring out what I need to tell people specifically
[00:38:24.807]and how to get the help I need.
[00:38:32.170]So some of the issues I have at work specifically
[00:38:37.780]is communicating with managers in regards to,
[00:38:42.810]sometimes getting my work schedule in place
[00:38:46.400]and just communicating about accommodations.
[00:38:49.660]And Pace Partnership for Autism Career Employment,
[00:38:53.980]they help me get those accommodations in place
[00:39:00.660]and they help me communicate with the managers as well,
[00:39:04.700]and they do a great job of that.
[00:39:13.140]So for me, one of the biggest challenges is
[00:39:16.440]just keeping up.
[00:39:18.770]You know, in Metro,
[00:39:20.660]there's a lot of assignments thrown at you,
[00:39:24.410]and you sometimes don't have a lot of time
[00:39:26.890]to complete the assignments.
[00:39:28.960]So for me specifically,
[00:39:32.390]one of the biggest challenges is keeping up.
[00:39:35.760]But one of the things that kind of helps me is that
[00:39:39.370]it's part of my,
[00:39:45.400]I forgot what it's called,
[00:39:46.870]but like part of my accommodations kinda help help me
[00:39:57.700]keep up a bit better with the assignments that I have.
[00:40:07.400]So, I've mentioned before my delayed reactions.
[00:40:10.000]But there's also a form of stress
[00:40:11.910]of what I'm going to amount to in the end
[00:40:13.990]that contributes to some of my struggles.
[00:40:17.560]As a result,
[00:40:18.481]our transition into Metro started in high school
[00:40:21.740]with one class per quarter.
[00:40:23.630]And it was a class that I was fully interested in,
[00:40:25.750]introduction to stop motion animation.
[00:40:28.540]From there, we did two more classes,
[00:40:32.830]one every quarter up until I graduated from high school.
[00:40:37.880]And after that point,
[00:40:39.010]I had enough confidence to try three at once.
[00:40:42.330]And so far, I've done two quarters
[00:40:44.240]where I've done three classes at once.
[00:40:46.300]So that's good.
[00:40:52.400]One challenge that I faced
[00:40:53.720]when I was taking online college classes
[00:40:55.900]was being able to ask my professors for help in person.
[00:40:59.800]So I had to seek assistance
[00:41:01.630]in their virtual office hours or via emails.
[00:41:04.740]However, I struggled more with one of my professors
[00:41:06.553]who had me to call him with my questions
[00:41:08.970]instead of sending emails.
[00:41:10.830]Since I'm not comfortable talking on the phone,
[00:41:14.620]I need information written down to retain it
[00:41:16.727]and to check that I am doing something correctly
[00:41:20.490]because I frequently miss information unless I'm asked
[00:41:25.740]to also get clarification by written form
[00:41:29.220]like an email later during my (indistinct)
[00:41:33.095]Another challenge I face is,
[00:41:35.250]at work sometimes remembering the different processes
[00:41:38.190]for doing certain tasks.
[00:41:40.840]To help me, my supervisor created a processes document
[00:41:43.910]for all of my coworkers on how to do different tasks.
[00:41:47.980]This aids me and ensures
[00:41:49.130]we are all doing tasks the same way
[00:41:51.370]without singling out
[00:41:52.203]that I am the reason for the processes document
[00:41:55.190]and allows me to refer to the document
[00:41:56.630]if I don't remember how to do something.
[00:42:03.420]Sometimes I struggle with paying attention
[00:42:07.320]to people who are speaking.
[00:42:09.995]So like sometimes I'll get called on
[00:42:13.480]but I missed the question that was being asked.
[00:42:18.570]And this is especially challenging on Zoom
[00:42:23.070]where I can't always tell who's talking
[00:42:26.800]'cause everyone's screen shows at the same time.
[00:42:34.360]And some other challenges I have are that like,
[00:42:40.840]speaking in front of people makes me kind of nervous
[00:42:51.842]and it's like sometimes,
[00:42:55.490]and it's like,
[00:42:58.290]and like a lot of my classes are on Zoom
[00:43:02.620]so I have to communicate with other people in the classroom.
[00:43:07.470]It's just kind of challenging.
[00:43:08.530]But another challenge I have
[00:43:12.696]is accessing the the Canvas
[00:43:16.652]and finding everything on the Canvas app
[00:43:23.730]and keeping up with assignments,
[00:43:26.690]which is kind of stressful because
[00:43:33.640]sometimes I get a little bit,
[00:43:39.570]sometimes I just get kind of nervous
[00:43:41.710]about like if I'm going to miss an assignment or a meeting.
[00:43:50.800]Has there been a specific teacher
[00:43:53.040]or a professional in your life
[00:43:54.700]who is especially memorable or meaningful?
[00:43:57.680]And why was this person so helpful?
[00:44:02.170]Well, there's been quite a few
[00:44:03.590]in my middle school and high school years,
[00:44:05.360]but the one that stands out the most for me is Ms. Berryman.
[00:44:10.260]She probably has a different name now.
[00:44:11.390]She's probably married but (laughs)
[00:44:13.640]She was my middle school history teacher in sixth grade.
[00:44:16.890]And it was her first year teaching.
[00:44:20.630]And honestly, if she had not taken time out of her day
[00:44:23.760]to help me with not just her assigned homework,
[00:44:27.410]but other classes' homework,
[00:44:30.260]I probably would have failed sixth grade.
[00:44:39.920]For me, my geography teacher in high school, Mr. Neff,
[00:44:46.140]he was an amazing teacher,
[00:44:47.700]he made learning fun,
[00:44:50.300]he took time out of his day to make sure that I was
[00:44:54.910]staying on top of things in his class.
[00:44:57.930]And he was very understanding of my difficulties in school
[00:45:03.820]and just incredibly helpful.
[00:45:14.730]So for me,
[00:45:16.450]one, I don't really have one.
[00:45:20.840]I actually,
[00:45:24.321]I have two different ones
[00:45:25.720]and those would be Mr. Ryan and Mr. Journagan.
[00:45:31.400]And these two people always helped me
[00:45:34.560]when I was getting stuck with the assignments
[00:45:39.610]and they helped me like move forward with
[00:45:44.190]the assignments that I had.
[00:45:47.330]So, yeah.
[00:45:58.474]I don't remember too many names.
[00:46:00.240]But occupational therapy was a really good help
[00:46:03.560]in getting me accustomed to the sensory field environments.
[00:46:07.800]However, my transition to homeschool was one of the more,
[00:46:11.480]was the most meaningful because it turned out
[00:46:13.380]to be the environment I could work the best in
[00:46:16.500]with one-on-one interactions with my parents on assignments.
[00:46:19.600]We found that out because in public school, whenever,
[00:46:25.350]I would often go to the,
[00:46:33.567]darn it, I already forgot the name,
[00:46:35.000]but there was a counselor who I knew as Ms. Smith
[00:46:39.610]who outside of the class,
[00:46:40.930]I would meet with her and go over like assignments.
[00:46:44.410]And it was those one-on-one assignments
[00:46:46.660]that I worked the best in.
[00:46:48.570]Once we concluded that,
[00:46:49.760]my parents decided that homeschooling would be the best fit.
[00:46:53.180]So, yeah.
[00:47:00.315]My foreign language teacher,
[00:47:01.715]I had several times when I was in high school,
[00:47:04.943]since she was a very memorable teacher for me,
[00:47:07.530]I still remember how this teacher allowed me to work alone.
[00:47:10.973]I have to miss my partner for group assignments
[00:47:13.260]since she knew I really
[00:47:14.093]sometimes struggled with assignments.
[00:47:16.243]I also spent time during the planning period
[00:47:19.400]when I had study hall helping me
[00:47:21.040]one-on-one with assignments for their class
[00:47:22.820]and sometimes finding me extra practice
[00:47:24.560]for challenging assignments.
[00:47:28.060]They also partnered me with such an understanding student
[00:47:32.420]when we had to practice dialogues
[00:47:34.890]because they knew other students wouldn't understand
[00:47:38.670]why I might not reply and to wait and be patient with me.
[00:47:45.180]One teacher that was really memorable for me
[00:47:48.240]in high school was my art teacher because,
[00:47:53.710]'cause like I didn't always know how to express myself,
[00:48:00.020]but like arts gave me a way of expressing myself,
[00:48:05.920]specifically visual arts because I'm better able
[00:48:10.830]to explain things through drawings
[00:48:14.190]or like through paintings
[00:48:18.470]than I am through like talking or writing.
[00:48:24.670]Like visual arts was always an easier
[00:48:29.620]and more accessible way for me to express myself.
[00:48:41.520]Are there any words that people use
[00:48:44.140]that some may view differently,
[00:48:46.290]like autistic, that you prefer?
[00:48:51.700]I'm fine with autistic
[00:48:54.330]because, I mean, I am autistic.
[00:48:56.320]So it doesn't bother me and there's a lot of,
[00:48:59.310]I've noticed, especially parents of people on the spectrum,
[00:49:04.140]they'll be like, "Oh, don't call them autistic.
[00:49:05.847]"They're more than that."
[00:49:06.680]But then it's like, well, yeah.
[00:49:08.060]But it's also part of us.
[00:49:14.040]I guess that's all I can really think of.
[00:49:20.500]For me, there's a few.
[00:49:22.840]But one of the main ones is
[00:49:26.650]that people generally refer to autistic individuals
[00:49:30.960]as either high functioning or low functioning.
[00:49:33.980]And I personally think low functioning sounds
[00:49:36.530]kind of demeaning.
[00:49:38.760]So I prefer the terminology low support needs
[00:49:41.910]or high support needs.
[00:49:44.660]But also I think autism is a disability
[00:49:50.660]and I think special needs is kind of
[00:49:57.020]a word I don't particularly agree with
[00:50:02.990]because I think it's a way
[00:50:04.160]of avoiding using the word disabled
[00:50:07.210]and a disability is not something to be ashamed of
[00:50:10.340]and it's not a bad word.
[00:50:18.670]So when I hear the comparison
[00:50:21.960]of a person with autism and autistic,
[00:50:31.780]I'm kind of like why is this a argument.
[00:50:36.690]You're comparing two sides of the same coin
[00:50:44.320]in that yes, they have different meanings
[00:50:47.150]and there's many differences to them,
[00:50:48.987]but when you look at them in a general sense,
[00:50:53.190]they're the same.
[00:50:56.260]Autism is always gonna be a part of us.
[00:50:59.290]We're always gonna be autistic.
[00:51:01.660]But at the same time,
[00:51:04.310]my autism is also what can push us forward
[00:51:10.670]to do many things.
[00:51:13.040]So when I kinda hear that stuff,
[00:51:20.020]it's like the real answer to that is,
[00:51:24.957]I'm an autistic person with autism.
[00:51:28.560]Now, even though that grammar doesn't work,
[00:51:33.152]that's the right answer because you're using both,
[00:51:41.550]instead of just trying to use one side of a coin,
[00:51:45.370]you're actually using both sides of the coin.
[00:51:50.660]So that's kind of my perspective on like the main terms
[00:51:57.560]for autism and person who's autistic and person with autism.
[00:52:08.100]For me, it's not really so much like
[00:52:10.530]what specific words you use.
[00:52:12.470]It's the tone in which those words are said.
[00:52:15.690]Like, I don't really mind being labeled as autistic
[00:52:19.280]or a person with autism or one on the spectrum.
[00:52:22.300]Call me whatever you want.
[00:52:24.130]Just make sure
[00:52:24.970]that the tone you're using to say it isn't hateful.
[00:52:28.920]Admittedly, I sometimes have trouble
[00:52:30.920]with keeping track of my tone
[00:52:32.920]and I've always been working on it.
[00:52:36.140]And I think that's all.
[00:52:37.560]So that is something to keep in mind
[00:52:38.910]when calling someone something.
[00:52:42.760]Also, I am more comfortable
[00:52:45.350]with the term disabled than handicapped.
[00:52:48.720]The differences are subtle,
[00:52:49.810]but handicapped describes more of like damaged.
[00:52:53.830]I don't see myself as that.
[00:52:56.890]If there's any words that I'm not comfortable with,
[00:52:59.020]that's probably the only one, handicapped.
[00:53:04.880]I prefer saying I have autism or they have autism
[00:53:08.140]when discussing on the people that have autism
[00:53:11.130]instead of saying I'm autistic or they are autistic.
[00:53:14.770]In addition, I do not like
[00:53:16.060]the terms high and well functioning
[00:53:17.610]to describe how autism impacts someone on the spectrum
[00:53:21.267]and how much support people need,
[00:53:23.960]or how their autism impacts them
[00:53:26.270]and change depending on the day,
[00:53:28.180]their environment or situation in their new lives.
[00:53:35.929]I do not think that the words disabled
[00:53:39.230]or autistic are bad words.
[00:53:41.520]In fact, I actually would prefer
[00:53:43.900]to be called autistic or disabled
[00:53:47.610]than to be called special needs
[00:53:50.580]because my needs are not special.
[00:53:53.350]They're just, like I said before,
[00:53:55.830]my accessibility needs.
[00:53:59.150]But like, also,
[00:54:06.030]I do not like the term high or low functioning
[00:54:09.070]because it tells an incomplete story
[00:54:12.050]about what the person needs
[00:54:14.837]and what the person is able to do.
[00:54:17.757]And I just don't like it.
[00:54:20.293]I also do not want to be referred to
[00:54:24.480]as a person with Asperger's
[00:54:27.240]because that's kind of an outdated diagnosis
[00:54:32.760]that isn't really used medically anymore.
[00:54:37.360]So I don't like it.
[00:54:43.690]We are going to combine the last two questions.
[00:54:48.630]So what advice do you have
[00:54:50.700]for professionals working with individuals with autism
[00:54:55.360]and/or what advice do you have for parents
[00:54:59.610]or other relatives of individuals who have autism
[00:55:03.170]or parents of children who do not have autism?
[00:55:08.160]Well, my advice would be to treat each case
[00:55:14.090]as an individual case.
[00:55:15.380]Don't just lump them all together
[00:55:19.010]and be willing to be patient because you're not,
[00:55:22.350]it's gonna take a while to find things that'll work.
[00:55:31.240]My advice is to treat each person with autism
[00:55:41.290]as an individual case,
[00:55:45.880]be understanding, have an open mind,
[00:55:50.290]and understand that people with autism,
[00:55:54.020]we often process information differently
[00:55:58.010]than those who are non-autistic,
[00:56:01.860]and just be understanding, be kind,
[00:56:07.393]and try to advocate for us
[00:56:09.600]if we cannot advocate for ourselves,
[00:56:11.350]but also understand that
[00:56:15.040]if we want to advocate for ourselves,
[00:56:17.110]then you should allow us to do so.
[00:56:24.060]So for me, there were two main things
[00:56:26.836]that I think that people should try and remember.
[00:56:35.270]Number one is treat them like you would anyone else.
[00:56:46.620]Even though it may seem
[00:56:48.520]like they should be treated different,
[00:56:52.720]treat them the same way you would
[00:56:57.300]in relation to other people.
[00:56:59.450]Sometimes it's just,
[00:57:03.030]we want us to feel like we aren't,
[00:57:11.010]we want to be treated like everybody else is.
[00:57:16.000]We don't want to be treated as different
[00:57:19.530]because that can sometimes be hurtful.
[00:57:22.580]But also the second thing would be
[00:57:25.810]to make sure that when they do need help,
[00:57:33.230]you help them in any way you can.
[00:57:37.300]And don't let the first part that I mentioned
[00:57:44.920]get in the way of helping them.
[00:57:48.360]When they need help,
[00:57:50.390]make sure you are able to help them what they want.
[00:57:55.800]Otherwise, try and treat them
[00:57:59.708]the way that you treat other people.
[00:58:04.930]Make them feel like they kind of,
[00:58:11.400]to make them not have the feeling
[00:58:16.090]that they are extremely different
[00:58:17.940]and they have to be treated differently.
[00:58:20.820]You just to have things work out.
[00:58:31.450]My advice for those who have to work
[00:58:33.680]with those on the spectrum is
[00:58:35.910]to not really have any expectations for their behavior,
[00:58:39.870]because like a bunch of us have already said,
[00:58:42.880]no one with autism is the same.
[00:58:44.970]We're all a little different in some way.
[00:58:47.820]So I would say get to know them first,
[00:58:50.870]understand their specific differences
[00:58:54.020]and operate around those differences.
[00:58:56.290]And if traditional methods do not jive with them,
[00:58:59.010]don't be afraid to think outside the box.
[00:59:05.160]My advice would be to make sure that a person
[00:59:08.860]who has autism is included in gathering and your groups,
[00:59:12.590]whether it's with your family or other relatives
[00:59:15.960]and even just friends.
[00:59:18.010]And if the person wants to be involved in groups
[00:59:20.850]but they're left out,
[00:59:21.840]try and get them involved without singling them out.
[00:59:25.750]Whether it's trying to find someone
[00:59:28.070]who's understanding in that group
[00:59:29.530]or joining the group with them
[00:59:31.820]and helping them initiate conversation and feel comfortable.
[00:59:35.550]And I would also recommend that people not make assumptions
[00:59:39.160]about other people who have autism until I get to known them
[00:59:41.680]and know that autism is just one part of a person,
[00:59:45.280]but the people who have autism have their own interests,
[00:59:49.770]dislikes, likes and change moods just like anyone else.
[00:59:59.340]Do not treat autistic adults like children.
[01:00:03.370]Autistic adults who are not children.
[01:00:08.329]And if you wouldn't treat a neurotypical person that way,
[01:00:16.680]then don't treat an autistic person that way.
[01:00:20.800]Do not use seclusion or restraint as punishments
[01:00:25.180]because they do not work
[01:00:26.810]and actually make behavior problems worse.
[01:00:34.070]Do not treat every,
[01:00:36.720]do not make every support for an autistic person
[01:00:41.530]a social skills class or a behavioral lesson,
[01:00:46.820]'cause like we actually learn better
[01:00:50.140]from actually experiencing things
[01:00:52.840]and then from simply being told in lecture format.
[01:00:59.740]Also teach autistic people how to self-advocate
[01:01:06.060]and believe autistic people
[01:01:08.610]when they say that something bothers us
[01:01:10.930]or when we say that our accessibility needs
[01:01:14.140]are not being met.
[01:01:16.440]And also going by what may have been said previously,
[01:01:21.910]if like a traditional method that,
[01:01:29.710]you can't always expect the traditional methods to work
[01:01:32.550]and if it isn't working for an autistic person,
[01:01:38.480]then you need to think of something else to try.
[01:01:49.030]I wanna thank each of you for being willing
[01:01:51.490]to share your experiences and perspectives.
[01:01:55.520]Your voices are the voices that matter the most.
[01:01:59.480]We will now open it up for questions
[01:02:01.310]and look forward to conversing with you.

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A Spectrum of Voices Panel

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