Autism Through Many Lenses ISSUE 11
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autism through many lenses ISSUE 11 Learning to DRIVE A Welcome to the Autistic Community from ASAN The “SEX Talk” NEW LAW ADDRESSING Elopement ARTIST, CONSULTANT & AUTISM SELF-ADVOCATE KIRSTEN LINDSMITH VIEWS THE NON-AUTISTIC WORLD THROUGH AN ANTHROPOLOGICAL LENS ZOOM Autism through Many Lenses 1 ISSUE 11 TO W O FOUNDERS Sharon Cummings Sharon Fuentes Jodi Murphy H PUBLISHERS Sharon Cummings Sharon Fuentes EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Sharon Fuentes EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Sharon Cummings Cover photo provided and shared with permission by Kirsten ART DIRECTOR Lindsmith. Several photos through- Suzanne Chanesman out the magazine courtesy of Pixabay and Morguefile. CopY EDITOR Jennifer Gaidos For submission/writing guidelines, please review the information on WEBSITE DESIGNER & WEBMASTER our website. For our Media Kit, Elizabeth Roy advertising information, questions or comments, email us at PROJECT CoordiNATOR/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER [email protected]. Conner Cummings Zoom Autism Magazine LLC, its AdvisorY BOARD MEMBERS founders, directors, editors and contributors are not responsible Alex Plank Dena Gassner in any way for the actions or results Barb Rentenbach Michael Buckholtz taken by any person, organization Carol Greenburg Stephen Shore or party on the basis of reading information, stories or contributions 3 WAYS TO READ ZOOM MAGAZINE! YOU CHOOSE! in this publication, website or related products. This publication is not intended to give specific advice SPECIAL THANKS to your specific situation. This publication should be viewed as Maripat Robison, Dr. William Harrison, entertainment only, and you are Ron and Owen Suskind, David Finch, encouraged to consult a professional Ed Zeitlin, Mark Friese, Conner Cummings, for specific advice. Roger Fuentes, Jacob Fuentes, Bella Fuentes and all the others who contribute in so many ways No part of this publication may be by writing, promoting, acting as ambassadors copied in any form or by any means READ ONLINE READ ON IPAD DOWNLOAD PDF and rolling up their sleeves wherever needed. without written permission from WITH FREE JOOMAG APP Zoom Autism Magazine LLC. We are so grateful for your help. 2 ZOOM Autism through Many Lenses ZOOM Autism through Many Lenses 3 SWAT: Special Ways and REGULARS IN THIS ISSUE... Techniques for Educating Students with Autism for Maximum Academic and Balance . 28 Social Inclusion (Part Three): Output Participation . 44 Close Up . 50 In this continuation in the series, Stephen Shore examines strategies for providing Cummings and Goings . 42 needed Output and different techniques for helping a student engage in meaningful Participation in class. Legislation Lens . 30 Letter from the Editor . 06 SPECIAL ADDITIONS Zoom In . 18 COVER STORY The Culture Shock This Issue’s Q&A Question of Autism What skill/goal do you want to accomplish that you have not Kirsten Lindsmith shares how autistic culture isn’t inherently met yet? . 48 disabled or wrong. It’s just different . 22 RETOUCH by David Finch . 38 See what some of our Facebook readers had to say... David Finch is back, and this time he brings “ Glad I just found this page. I love donuts in this humorous piece! reading the personal comments.” FEATURES - Kelly M. Artist Spotlight . 20 Stiano Quadracci, a 16-year-old autistic Learning to Drive . 08 Welcome to the Autis- The Importance of Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook so that student and poet shares the real meaning of tic Community . 14 Talking About Sex . 32 you can be a part of our discussions too! There are some aspects of driv- life! ing that may give autistic indi- Learn how and why ASAN Without proper education, we viduals additional challenges. (Autistic Self Advocacy Net- may be setting up our autistic Spotlight on Success . 54 This article will break down work) has put together a hand- loved ones for a life of victim- Coming Next Issue: Creating a culture some of these areas as well as book that is written in acces- ization. The article is filled with When Scott Krammer received his autism offer first-hand perspectives of INCLUSION in our families, schools and sible plain language, addressed resources that will help make diagnosis in 2010, he quickly learned that community! from several autistic adults. directly to the autistic reader. the subject less uncomfortable. there were no adult support groups he could COLUMNS go to … so he created his own! 4 ZOOM Autism through Many Lenses ZOOM Autism through Many Lenses 5 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR it was even more thrilling to see him overcome parent to an autistic individual, an educator or his own fears and tackle this new accomplish- an autistic adult, we encourage you to read this ment. And accomplish he did. He passed the piece and explore the resources included. ecently, my 16-year-old autistic son course and received his learner’s permit! Jacob accomplished a huge milestone Will Jacob continue to learn to drive a car? I Our cover story this issue is an incredible piece R ... taking an online driving course think he will … eventually. For now, he still by the very talented Kirsten Lindsmith, who so that he could get his learner’s permit. To be needs to practice some of the skills that he will talks about being autistic in a world that was cer- perfectly honest, he was in no rush to do this, need in order to be successful doing so. If you tainly not designed with autistics in mind. Her but I gently nudged him to take the course. My are not sure what skills those might be, then you article THE Culture SHOCK OF Autism thinking was that if he got his permit and chose will want to read our article titled LEARNING is eye opening, and the drawings she allowed us to continue afterwards to get his real driver’s TO DRIVE in this issue. This piece paints a very to include are magnificent. It is a MUST READ license, great. If not, well, that would be great realistic picture of some of the challenges that for sure. too, for at least he would have an official form of autistic individuals may face when it comes to identification and some knowledge about traffic driving and offers some personal insights from There is so much packed into the pages of this safety. He eventually agreed and signed up for autistic adults who have been there. magazine that we know you will want to save the course. this issue as a pdf and perhaps even print it out The theme of this issue is “shining a light on to keep. It’s that good and that full of resources. One of the biggest surprises to us both was how some very hot topics,” which is exactly why we difficult the course was for him. His peers -re included the editorial THE IMPORTANCE OF Lastly, we could not have done this issue with- ferred to it as an easy A, yet for my boy, it was TALKING ABOUT SEX. We know this may not out the autistic individuals who candidly con- From the safety of our driveway, in a parked car, Jacob anything but. But he drudged through, and yes, be the most comfortable subject, but it is perhaps tributed their personal life experiences with us. practices sitting in the driver’s seat. I use the word drudge because that paints a very one of the most important! Whether you are the We are sincerely grateful that they have allowed vivid picture of what it was like for him. There us to share their insights with you, our readers. were all of these exceptions to the rules that, We think you will be happy they did, too. excuse the pun, drove him crazy. Not to men- tion, the pictures of crashes and cars on fire were Even when Jacob was just a little baby he enjoyed being behind enough to keep even me from wanting to drive the wheel. Until Next Time, again. While Jacob started off anxious and frustrated, eventually, I began to see something else ... a hint of excitement! He started asking me to phys- ically show him where things were located in the car. As he sat behind the wheel of my vehicle, I Sharon Fuentes saw a real sense of independence come over him. Editorial Director/Co-Publisher & Founder Sure, it was sad to see my baby growing up, but [email protected] 6 ZOOM Autism through Many Lenses ZOOM Autism through Many Lenses 7 A ZOOM EDITORIAL earning to drive a car is often looked at as a step towards inde- L pendence. Autistic individuals Be Mature can certainly learn to be safe, defensive drivers if they choose to do so, but for “When I was 15, I started some, the desire to drive alone may not Drivers Ed, and I did not take be enough. There are some aspects of it seriously enough and nearly driving that may give autistic individu- got into a serious accident. als additional challenges. This article Once a person with autism is will break down some of these areas mature enough, it would be & wise to take the intermediate Autism as well as offer first-hand perspectives from several autistic adults. step of using a simulator or a driving game to get the feel of Learning to Drive what challenges are present Physical Coordination when driving. Learning to The physical abilities most often associated with drive should be a more gradual safe driving include strength, range of motion process; [start] in an area that of extremities, and trunk and head/neck mo- is less congested and poses bility. While power steering and brakes (and other vehicle adaptations) may assist drivers, fewer challenges. Also, from maneuvering a vehicle still requires a great deal my own experiences, I have to of physical coordination.