Resources
Noteworthy Websites
Ariane Zurcher, author of Emma's Hope Page (Emma being her 12 year old autistic daughter), has assimiliated an awesome list of blogs and blog posts written by non-speaking and speaking autistics. Check out these and other resources that Ariane has included on her website.
The Autism National Committee is an organization comprised of self advocates and/or family members who provide valuable information and advocacy for autistic people.
The Autism Society, the nation’s leading grassroots autism organization, exists to improve the lives of all affected by autism.
The Autism Society of Wisconsin (ASW) is dedicated to improving the lives of all affected by autism in Wisconsin by providing information and referral, family support, advocacy, professional development, resource development, and by raising awareness and acceptance.
The Autistic Self Advocacy Network is a nonprofit organization run by and for autistic people. ASAN’s supporters include autistic adults and youth; cross-disability advocates; and non-autistic family members, professionals, educators and friends. ASAN was created to provide support and services to individuals on the autism spectrum while working to educate communities and improve public perceptions of autism.
Autism Women's Network is dedicated to building a supportive community for autistic women of all ages, our families, friends and allies. AWN provides a safe space to share our experiences in an understanding, diverse and inclusive environment. AWN is committed to recognizing and celebrating diversity and the many intersectional experiences of Autistic women.
Ollibean connects families, self-advocates, & professionals in the cross-disability community to help create online and offline communities in order to help us all make informed decisions, share stories and work together to create a more socially just, inclusive world.
Paula Kluth is a consultant, author, advocate, and independent scholar who works with teachers and families to provide inclusive opportunities for students with disabilities and to create more responsive and engaging schooling experiences for all learners. Paula is a former special educator who has served as a classroom teacher and inclusion facilitator. Her professional interests include differentiating instruction and inclusive schooling.
"In Wretches & Jabberers, two men with autism embark on a global quest to change attitudes about disability and intelligence. Determined to put a new face on autism, Tracy Thresher, 42, and Larry Bissonnette, 52, travel to Sri Lanka, Japan and Finland. At each stop, they dissect public attitudes about autism and issue a hopeful challenge to reconsider competency and the future." Excerpt from their website.
Published Manuscripts & Books
FREE -- A must read! This paper explores the symptoms of sensory and movement differences and the possible implications for autistic people. The paper emphasizes the importance of our acknowledgment that a social interpretation of differences in behavior, relationship, and communication can lead us far away from the lived experience of individuals with the autism label and those who support them. We suggest alternative ways to address the challenges faced by people with autism.
Anne and Martha provide us with the most comprehensive resource on understanding how sensory and movement differences impact the lives of people with autism. They provide us with a revised and expanded version of their original manuscript and also include 6 other manuscripts that will change your thinking about autism.
Kate and Nan have written an insightful and useful book that is a must read for teachers and others who work with and support people with autism in inclusive settings. "Walk a While in My Autism" is a manual of sensitivity presentations to promote understanding of people on the autism spectrum. It is a valuable resource for those supporting children, adolescents, and adults.
This book advocates and explores the use of alternative, nonaversive intervention procedures, demonstrating through case histories how appropriate methods can yield positive results, even for those with the most challenging behavioural problems.
Kate, Sharon, and Lisa provide us with the definitive resource on how to use video technology to enhance the lives of people with autism. These authors just don't tell you why this technology is so empowering, they provide readers with the necessary "how tos" of this approach. This book -- as well as Lights, Camera, Autism2 -- are must reads for those looking to use video technology to support those with autism.
Judy is a friend and colleague who has written extensively about her experience of autism. She uses poetry and art masterfully to provide us insights into her autism and how best to understand and support other autistic individuals.
Paula's books are required resources for anyone interested in supporting people with autism in inclusive settings. Her books are overflowing with practical ideas and suggestions for supporting students with autism and other disabilities in positive, empowering ways.
Michelle Garcia Winner has written prolificially on the topic of social thinking, Social thinking is what we do when we interact with people: we think about them. And how we think about people affects how we behave, which in turn affects how others respond to us, which in turn affects our own emotions. Her resources are practical and provide excellent ideas for promoting improved social thinking.