Google had a booth at the Autism Society of America conference last month so they could show off their free software program SketchUp. SketchUp was originally developed for users to create, modify and share 3D models. Turns out SketchUp helps folks with autism develop some skills, too. Check out this youtube video to see some of the autism SketchUp success stories.

On Tuesday I visited the Google Chicago office to brainstorm possibilities of how to reach out to people with autism and let more of them know about SketchUp. Google has heard the success stories from people with autism and is interested in spreading the word so others may benefit.

The Google office was exactly what I expected: incredibly hip surroundings, staff in flip-flops, even lava lamps in the reception area! What came shining through all this grooviness while speaking with the staff at Google during my visit is their desire to contribute back to their community. What a bonus to have such a well-known company take an interest in the world of autism.

So I am on the bandwagon, reaching out about SketchUp. Download the SketchUp program for free and let us know what you think.

The Autism Society of America, along with dozens of other disability groups, signed a letter supporting Sotomayor’s confirmation. The letter was sent to Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Jeff Sessions (R-AL).

I’m sure ASA members enjoyed seeing Judge Sotomayor sworn in as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court on Saturday! A story in the Los Angeles Times acknowledged that Sotomayor’s experience as a Latina seemed to overshadow discussions about her qualifications during the debate and confirmation hearings. The reporter wrote that other aspects of her background that might influence her decisions were hardly mentioned in the Senate fight.

After she is sworn into office Saturday, she will be the only justice whose first language is not English. She has had diabetes since childhood — a medical condition classified as a disability under federal law.

A story in the New York Times compared Sotomayor’s attitude about her disability to the no-nonsense way she handles herself in court.

Judge Sonia Sotomayor carries a small black travel pouch, not much larger than a wallet. It contains the implements she needs — a blood sugar testing kit, a needle and insulin — to manage diabetes, a disease she has had for 46 years. Friends say she is not shy about using it.

“She’ll be eating Chinese dumplings,” said Xavier Romeu Matta, a former law clerk to the judge, “and she’ll say, ‘Excuse me sweetie,’ and pull out the kit and inject her insulin.”

That no-nonsense attitude, combined with the attention to detail that characterizes her legal opinions, has been a hallmark of Judge Sotomayor’s approach to Type 1 diabetes, according to friends, colleagues and her longtime doctor, Andrew Jay Drexler.

The Los Angeles times story reported that some lawyers are saying Sotomayor’s experience with a chronic illness is bound to influence her views.

“She may be a strong voice for access to healthcare,” said Sylvia Lazos, a law professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. “She will be a real player in the debates over what is a disability.”

The Los Angeles Times article said that advocates for people with disabilities have suffered some major defeats in the Supreme Court the last decade, and they are very hopeful about Sotomayor’s appointment.

“We’re very excited. We don’t feel we have had a champion on the current court,” said Andrew Imparato, president of the American Association of People with Disabilities.

One of the best places to learn from the experts is at the Autism Society of America’s annual conference. This year’s conference had plenty of learning opportunities — people with autism shared their gifts and educated us neurotypicals about their challenges. Lars Perner, Judy Endow, and Sondra Williams (all individuals with autism spectrum disorders) delivered presentations and participated in a panel discussion regarding the Culture of Autism. The panel was masterfully facilitated by Brenda Smith-Myles. The panelists didn’t all agree about the current existence of a “culture” of autism, but all of them conveyed the unique nature of their autism and how it may contribute the emergence of a culture.

With years of experience as a professional in the field, I am regularly humbled by what I can still learn about autism. Sharing time and engaging in communication with people with autism will always be a contributor to my learning. Perhaps we can all learn from the experts a bit more at next years Autism Society conference in Dallas!

From a press release put out by the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law:

Her empathy is evident, as is her understanding that judges’ decisions interpreting these federal laws have real-life consequences for people with disabilities and their opportunity to participate in American life.

Lastly, a quote from Andrew J. Imparato, President and CEO of the American Association of People with Disabilities:

When we met with the White House Counsel, we emphasized the importance of President Obama using this opportunity to put someone on the Court who has a demonstrated commitment to and understanding of the laws that protect our civil rights and safeguard our human dignity. Based on our preliminary analysis of Judge Sotomayor’s extensive record on the bench, we are encouraged that she may be the champion we have been looking for. Her jurisprudence in the disability area shows that she has a good understanding of the real-life implications of her decisions, and sees the important connections between disability rights laws and other civil rights laws. Her personal experience as a woman with childhood-onset insulin-dependent diabetes gives her additional insights that can inform her approach to disability issues. We look forward to studying her record in more detail, and working on a bipartisan basis with the Senate to make sure that her approach to disability law is explored as part of the confirmation process.

The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law reviewed a selection of Judge Sotomayor’s district court and Second Circuit decisions. Read the analysis and “judge” Sotomayor for yourself.

In a TASH Connections newsletter, Ralph Edwards, Chair of the TASH Diversity Committee, said it this way:

It is our hope that [people] will understand how having a disability and being faced with racism and ethnic discrimination compounds the challenge of accessing meaningful services…Employment, health status, life expectancy, access to housing and support services, educational attainment, involvement in
the criminal justice system, etc. are more negative for individuals of color with disabilities. While this is not new information in the disability movement, it hasn’t generated research, policies, funding, and programs commensurate with the scope of the problem.

Scholarships to national disability conferences are part of this initiative — individuals of color with disabilities and/or family members are eligible to apply for scholarships. The upcoming Autism Society of America (ASA) conference is one of the disability conferences being supported by this effort. Those who are eligible and complete an application will receive a scholarship to attend the conference free, as well as a year long membership with ASA and TASH. Applications are due this Wednesday, July 15 on a first-come, first-serve basis. To learn more about the scholarship program contact TASH at 202-540-9016 or email them at pdjukes@tash.org or hkimmet@tash.org.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Autism

July 24th, 2007

What can reading a Harry Potter book teach us about autism? Well, ask a teenager with autism who also happens to be a Harry Potter fan — he can tell you!

James Williams is 18 years old and speaks about autism regularly at conferences. He spoke at the Autism Society of America (ASA) conference I recently attended with others from Easter Seals. The speech James gave at the ASA conference was about being “In Search of the Proper Autistic Friend”.

The transcripts to all of the speeches James gives are available at his Web site – that’s where I found out how someone with autism could relate to the characters in Harry Potter books. In his cleverly-titled speech, “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Autism”, James describes how Harry Potter sometimes has trouble approaching his friends. James can relate. He also relates to Hermione, who obsesses over wizardry, fixates on specifics and is often accused of being a know-it-all.

Most importantly, James says that Harry’s feelings of relief after being “diagnosed” as a wizard are similar to his own feelings of relief being diagnosed with autism. Before Hagrid told Harry that he was a wizard, Harry had no idea that wizards who are angry tend to use magic even if they do not want to.

“Kids with autism often make things happen that they can’t explain,” James says. “And if they don’t know they have autism, they don’t know why, no matter how hard they try, they are always getting in trouble.”

Harry did well when working with teachers who acknowledged and worked with his special talents and needs. James can relate.

Known as “Brandon’s Bill,” the legislation was signed last Tuesday, May 5th. In attendance at the signing ceremony were Laura Simonson with her son Brandon, a five-year-old with autism, and Shelley Oksness, senior vice president of program development for Easter Seals Goodwill Northern Rocky Mountain. Brandon received P.L.A.Y. therapy from Easter Seals Goodwill Northern Rocky Mountain.

Easter Seals Goodwill Northern Rocky Mountain worked with legislators, coalition partners like Autism Speaks and the Autism Society of America, parents and supporters. What began as a grassroots campaign of parents and providers ended as a new law. Governor Brian Schweitzer talked about his personal connection to the bill, raising a child with autism himself.

The new law requires that insurance companies cover up to $50,000 per year in coverage for children up to 9 years old, and up to $20,000 per year for services for children 9 through 18 years old.

The media is full of stories of individuals with autism and violent encounters with the police. In my hometown of Chicago a story was reported recently. This story is replete with training needs on both sides. The police officers were not able to identify signs of autism, and the young man with autism was unable to interact successfully with the police. Clearly there is opportunity for improvement.

There are several programs that have been developed to increase autism awareness for law enforcement. The Autism Society of America has a free resource for law enforcement (PDF). Dennis Debbaudt is a leading expert in law enforcement training and has dedicated his career to promoting safety for individuals with autism. Debbaudt’s website is ripe with resources for first responders.

Educators and parents must also take on the responsibility of supporting individuals with autism to develop the skills necessary to interact with law enforcement. Individuals with autism typically require direct instruction to learn new skills. Throughout childhood and youth, individuals with autism must be taught the skills of interacting with law enforcement professionals (e.g. not running away from them, keeping hands out of pockets). Debbaudt has a great resource to help guide this learning process (PDF).

I would like to think that people who choose law enforcement as a career do so because they are dedicated to keeping our communities safe. I also believe that individuals with autism can learn skills that allow them to successfully engage in community life. Training is needed, for both the law enforcement and autism communities.

An article in AARP Magazine about Superbrain Yoga links to a video and describes the exercise step by step:

Step 1 Place your left hand on your right earlobe, thumb on the front of the lobe with fingernail facing outward and second finger behind the earlobe. Then, with your right hand, grasp your left earlobe, again keeping your thumb on the front of the lobe, facing outward. Press both earlobes simultaneously, making sure your left arm is close to your chest and inside your right (which devotees say helps energy travel upward to the brain).

Step 2 As you press on the earlobes, squat down, keeping your back straight. Do 10 to 12 deep bends, inhaling through the nose on the way down and exhaling through the mouth coming up. You may place a chair underneath you as a safety precaution.

Step 3 Repeat daily

Okay, I admit it. I’m a skeptic. But heck — this little exercise only takes five minutes out of one’s day. And hey, maybe that’s five minutes away from the internet, away from big-screen TVs, away from cell phones. Who knows … that just might help your brain. At the very least, it could give you time to think!

Easter Seals (in conjunction with the Autism Society of America) did look at the question (quite recently I might add: July, 2008 — Report Published in December, 2008) as part of a larger “Living With Autism” study.

Using our Easter Seals Living with Autism Study as a reference, the Left Brain/Right Brain post determined that reports of a high divorce rate among families with autism are “urban legends.” The post encouraged readers to download the Easter Seals Living with Autism Study to see the results for themselves.