Autreat 2011

Building Independence: Update on Assistive Technology and Augmentative Communication (AT/AAC)

Barbara S. Delsack, MSPA/CCC-SLP

This presentation will be an update on assistive technology and augmentative communication devices, applications and strategies that promote independence and vocational success. It will also include discussion on ways to influence the further development of AT/AAC tools that meet individual needs.

Barbara Stern Delsack, MSPA/CCC/SLP, is a Speech-Language Pathologist and Assistive Technology Specialist with Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland, on the InterACT Team. Mrs. Delsack has worked in the area of Autism for the past 23 years. In addition, she is an Adjunct Professor at Montgomery College and at The George Washington University. Mrs. Delsack serves on the Board of Directors Autism National Committee (AUTCOM).

Hearing Voices: Attributions and Echoes

Jim Sinclair

Recognition of autistic differences has given rise to many legends, theories, explanations, and characterizations -- some by neurotypicals about autistics, some by autistics about ourselves. The stores we're told, and the stories we tell ourselves, are different for different people under different circumstances and in different generations. This workshop will explore some of these attributions and their lasting impact on autistic people's self-perceptions and self-presentations.

Jim Sinclair was an autistic child during the late Bettelheim and early behavior-modification eras, an autistic young adult during the repressed-memories-of-sexual-abuse era, and an autistic graduate student during the megavitamin, gluten/casein/yeast, and heavy-metal-poisoning eras. Jim is now an autistic counselor, as well as being coordinator of Autism Network International.

Autistic Parenting

Melody Latimer

Autistic adults face many challenges when becoming Autistic parents. Many new and veteran parents offer the same sets of worries and concerns, such as sensory overload, marriage disputes and perceived inadequacies. Autistic adults many times become fearful of what may or may not happen, leading them to never pursue parenthood. In this session, attendees will discuss managing sensory issues, alternate ways of showing affection, combating harmful stereotypes and how to give children adequate opportunities for developmental growth. As well, there is hope that by attending, Autistic adults can gain the confidence, if they want, to pursue parenthood.

Melody Latimer is an Autistic parents with two Autistic boys. She also runs a website for Autistic parents. Melody has been a panelist for the Autism Society of America's "Speaking for Ourselves" presentation and speaks regularly to parents of Autistic children about Neurodiverse approaches to parenting. She is a member of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) and runs the Dallas-Ft. Worth chapter. She is currently the chair of the ASAN Newsletter committee.

Applied Behavior Analysis: History and Issues

Alexander Cheezem

Many controversies relating to autism center around applied behavior analysis (ABA) and its assorted applications towards autistics of all ages. Unfortunately, many relevant advocacy efforts are undermined by fundamental misconceptions and misunderstandings about ABA. This presentation will cover the fundamentals of ABA, the history of ABA as applied to autism, and a wide variety of common misconceptions about and misunderstandings of ABA both within and without the field of autism. In addition, I will be covering a variety of issues relating to ABA which can form potential targets for advocacy and reform efforts.

Alexander Cheezem is a graduate student in Nova Southeastern University's Masters in General Psychology program. He has approximately three years of clinical experience with autistic children of all ages. He has completed the full coursework required for board certification as a behavior analyst and intends to sit the certification examination upon graduation.

Accomodations in Schools

Crystal Abbott

Once Auties reach teens or adulthood, they are expected to take active roles in their own accommodations in middle school, high school, and college. Because each Autie is unique in their talents and needs, no "set" of accommodations can suit any individual and school officials lack the knowledge of how to accommodate each student. This presentation is meant to empower each Autie with ideas and choices about accommodations to make their education more fulfilling and less of a struggle.

Crystal Abbott graduated from Wesleyan University last year. Xe was diagnosed in middle school, but was given the opportunity to sculpt xyr own accommodations in college. Xe was the first diagnosed Autie at Wesleyan and largely had to make stuff up. Xe now has a bachelor's degree in anthropology.

Self-Determination: Best For Us, Better For The Community

Marc Rosen and Ivan
Ivan

Self-determination is the term most commonly used to describe community-based living arrangements with supports. In this presentation, Marc and Ivan will provide a crash course on how it works, why it works better than any other option offered thus far, and the politics surrounding it. They'll also provide information on how to best make use of self-determination, and suggestions on how to advocate for stronger self-determination options in one's own community(ies).

Marc Rosen is the coeditor of "Perspectives: Poetry Concerning Autism and Other Disabilities", former Long Island Autism Examiner for Examiner.com, a member of the National Youth Leadership Network's Governing Board, and one of the founders of The Bards Initiative (a regional poetry organization). He currently works as an advocate and consultant in the fields of autism, education, and disability while pursuing a Master's in Social Work, and finds being autistic to be an advantage in helping his clients. He will be coediting "Perspectives 2", a sequel to the internationally-praised "Perspectives Anthology", in the fall, and expects to release his first full-length book of original poetry before the end of 2011.

Ivan is 27 years old, one of three members living in one body. Studies mathematics in college. Interest in autistic advocacy comes from being on the spectrum along with his in-body siblings.

Driving with Autism

Linda McCumber, MS, OTR/L, CDI, CDRS

Driving with Autism: How a Certified Driving Rehabilitation Specialist (CDRS) and Occupational Therapist can assist in the process of determining the potential for individuals on the spectrum to become safe, licensed drivers.

Linda McCumber is an Occupational Therapist, Certified Driving Instructor in New York and a Certified Driving Rehabilitation Specialist. She is currently employed by the Sunnyview Driver Rehabilitation Program in Schenectady, NY. Ms McCumber specializes in driver training services for individuals with physical or cognitive disabilities. She has extensive experience providing driver training for individuals on the autistic spectrum.

Adults Who Are Self-Diagnosed or Late-Diagnosed: A Presentation and Discussion

Paula C. Durbin-Westby, staff member, Autistic Self Advocacy Network

This workshop will be an interactive presentation about, for, and with adults on the spectrum. Topics we will cover include the needs and perspectives of adults on the spectrum, including people who are Autistic Cousins, self-diagnosed, diagnosed later than childhood, misdiagnosed etc. However, there is no age limit. Some people may consider themselves to have a “late diagnosis” at age 15 or 20, for example. We will discuss learning about our autism, making sense of experiences, disclosure, accessing supports, services, and healthcare, and other topics people might want to discuss.

Situated Functioning: Facilities, Difficulties, and Problems of Living

Matthew Moore, Doctoral Candidate, History of Consciousness Department, UC Santa Cruz

Individuals on the spectrum are routinely described in terms of their level of "functioning," often modified as either social or intellectual functioning, with the result that the entirety of their dis/ability and personhood gets summed up as either high- or low-functioning. In practice, functioning labels work in conjunction with the concepts of intelligence and retardation to rank individuals and assign relative worth. I offer "situated functioning" " with the terms "facilities" and "difficulties" as alternatives for intelligence and retardation " as a more nuanced approach that better accounts for complexity, contingency, and emergent potential. I reposition individuals as functioning in relational, variable, and complexly articulated situations " where every body engages with changeable, spatially and temporally specific, environments. Drawing from the work of autistic authors, I argue that thinking with situated functioning and facilities/difficulties calls for recognition of collaborative encounters, assistive technologies, and augmentive creativity.

Matthew is a graduate student in the History of Consciousness Department at the University of California, Santa Cruz. He is working on a dissertation that focuses on the autistic rights movement, the power of diagnostic categories, and the politics of dis/ability. He thinks of himself as autistic cousin, although some ANI members suspect he's firmly on the spectrum. He's cool with that, too.
  

"Ask an NT" Panel

Jim Sinclair
Panelists: TBA

Mainstream autism conferences often have panels of autistic people to answer questions about the experience of autism. This is our chance to ask a panel of neurotypical people all those things we've wondered about NTs and why they do the things they do.