how computers can help an individual with autism
TRANSCRIPT
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For the record, Autreach is a loose
network of like minded autistic activists
here in the UK and abroad with ongoing
connection and sharing of views.
Autreach IT is my bit of this network
- a social enterprise offering IT services
run by autistic people for the autistic
people who need them most
see www.autreachit.co.ukfor more1
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Why has Information Technology
including Internet become a Human
Rights issue?
United Nations has declared it a human rights
violation to withhold Internet accesswww.wired.com/threatlevel/2011/06/internet-a-
human-right/
see also the Cisco Connected World Technology
Report (CCWTR)www.cisco.com/assets/sol/ent/business_trend/bor
derless/ccwtr/CCWTR-infographic.html
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UN
Article 21: - Freedom of expression and opinion,and access to information
States Parties shall take all appropriatemeasures to ensure that persons with disabilitiescan exercise the right to freedom of expressionand opinion, including the freedom to seek,receive and impart information and ideas on anequal basis with others and through all forms ofcommunication of their choice, as defined inarticle 2 of the present Convention, including by:
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Much legislative support from both
this and the previous government
Valuing people now (DOH 2009) Addressingthe issues for people with complex needs is
really about embedding the principles of
personalisation within all aspects of planning,commissioning and delivery of supportservices. It is also about recognising that thevery particular support needs of an individual
will mean very individualised supportpackages, including systems for facilitating
meaningful two-way communication.
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Award .D. (2009) Ratification of the UNCRPD: United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.Raidiowaveshttps://www.radiowaves.co.uk/story/ 43493/title/ratificationoftheuncrpdunitednationsconventionontherightsofpersonswithdisabilites Accessed 9/10/2011
Blackstone .S. (1992) Rethinking the basics.Augmentative Communication News 5(3)
Care Services improvement partnership (2007) Safeguarding Adults with Learning Disabilitieshttp://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CF0QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.hull.ac.uk%2Ffass%2Fpdf%2FSafeguarding%2520Adults%2520Report.pdf&ei=k7eRTtOuFIi1hAfJ653rDw&usg=AFQjCNG_P2Evzq0lsoW4CDjRZB1xR1N_tA&sig2=-WpBkulyenT3j9ZST8uh7QAccessed 9/10/2011
Department of Health (2010) Equality and excellence: Liberating the NHS. Department of Healthhttp://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_117353 Accessed9/10/2011
Department of Health (2009) Valuing people now: a new three-year strategy for people with learning disabilities Making ithappen for everyonehttp://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_093377 Accessed9/10/2011
Department of Health (2007) Services for people with learning disabilities and challenging behaviour or mental healthneeds http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_080129Accessed 9/10/2011
Office of the Communication Champion (2010) Augmentative and alternative communication: a report on provision forchildren and young people in England, September 2010http://www.herefordshirelink.org/files/downloads/page/2010/12/augmentative_and_alternative_communication_a_rep_17952.doc Accessed 9/10/2011
NHS Choices (2010) Specialised Services National Definitions Set. NHS Choiceshttp://www.specialisedservices.nhs.uk/documents/index/document_category_id:26
United Nations (2006) United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilitieshttp://www.un.org/disabilities/convention/conventionfull.shtmlAccessed 9/10/2011
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Why?and Why it specially matters if
speech is too challenging.
Not being able to speak does not
mean not being able to think, or
contribute, or enjoy oneself
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Not being able to speak does not
mean not being able to think,
see Richard Mills Introduction to this talk for
some of the evidence
also please see
www.scientificamerican.com/article....al-of-
autistic-kids
and www.autismandcomputing.org.uk
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Background understanding ofautism in this talk
in autism there is a different distribution of processing
resource N such that switching from one interest to anotheris painful/ shocking or at least challenging - the steeper theattention tunnel formation tends to be, the harder it is toshift processing resource to a new focus and the harder it isto handle sudden extraneous events. In our view this
pattern, with intensive deep absorption and potential superlevels of local processing activity alternating with confusionand perhaps cognitive defeat, underlies the social issues inautism and the linguistic ones as well as the often foundsensory and coordination challenges. This is based on the
interest model of mind I proposed in my PhD Language andInterests (UCL 1986) which makes sense of a wide range ofresearch results re cognition and perception across thewhole spectrum of humanity.
please see www.autismandcomputing.org.uk for varied
supporting arguments 8
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Why does anyone like IT?
it spares so much effort
it gives so many opportunities to
develop and exchange ideas
its pace, and its time and place in our
lives can be controlled
it makes communication so easy 9
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Why do autistic people like IT?
it spares so much effort
it gives so many opportunities to develop andexchange ideas
its pace and its time and place in our lives can becontrolled
it makes communication so easy
PLUS
communica
tion is the key tounblocking issues with society
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IT plus Internet = Access
Access to
current culture: arts, sports, politics encyclopaedic information
communication family, friends; key people,
bureaucrats, MPs, social workers, etc
social networks
armchair commerce
bargains
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poor people worldwide benefit most
education
opportunity
scope
connection
employment
most autistic adults are poor
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Why does anyone like touch screen
handheld devices?
all the above PLUS
portable
personal
intimate
immediate
shareable
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Why do autistic people like touch
screen handheld devices?
As above, very keenly felt
AND
communication is the key to unblocking
issues with society
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Why do people who dont use speech like
these devices?
Possibly all the above PLUS
Voice Output Communication Aids - VOCAs
non-speech options
creativity, play, music, video
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http://carlysvoice.com/ - changing the world of autism
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http://carlysvoice.com/
Carlys Voice changing the world of autism
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Why people say they need these
devices
on tap entertainment
on tap connection with friends, family, and the
levers of power on tap sharing and communicating with
people near and far
on tap recording video, audio
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why people who dont speak need
these devices
all the above PLUS
equal footing, well, relatively equal
communication potential not speaking doesnot mean not having something to say!
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Some of Drew Goldsmiths videos
www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfOgXSCNp-g
http://vimeo.com/20504935
www.pbs.org/pov/voicescape/2011/drew-morton-goldsmith-middleton-wis.php
SEE ALSO for more by Drew and several otherswww.modelaircraftmuseum.com/apps/videos/s
how/12786381-something-about-us
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Being treated as an equal
texts
emails
voice output communication aids
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The Alternative:
typically, people who dont speak
are meagrely entertained are minimally connected with others
have little to share
have no means of communicating effectively have no access to the levers of power
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Individually they tend to be seen as idiots
collectively they tend to be= seen as disposable: allcost no benefit
https://ballastexistenz.wordpress.com/
commercially they are seen as both a source of fundsand a drain on those funds sometimes a spectaculardrain!
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sanctions?
Few and rarely enforced legal penalties for failure
Costly alternatives of angry and unfulfilled
people
see NAO 2009 report
www.nao.org.uk/publications/0809/autism.aspx
and Knapp 2007
www.autismspeaks.org.uk/document_downloads/Reports/economic_costs_of_autism_knapp_rom
eo_beecham.pdf
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cost in cash
two staff for every outing
secure setting
over all high staffing levels
replacement of materials
staff turnover
empty beds
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cost in Quality of Life
exclusion
depersonalisation
stupefaction
neglect
abuse
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what could the benefits be?
a sense of personal efficacy
opportunities for creativity and play27
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a sense of personal efficacy
freedom from boredomopportunities for creativity
and play
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what could the benefits be?
opportunities for discovery and lifelong
learning
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recognition as a real person, who can be
understood
ability to be socially useful30
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.capacity to join the ongoingdiscussions that constantlyreshape the social world
.chances to connect with otherpeople on an equal footing
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service providers have the satisfaction of
doing their jobs properly
personal emotional rewards of seeing peoplefulfilled and engaged with evidently valuable
concerns and projects
save money
everyone will be happier?32
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excerpt from CBS 60 minutes
Autism Apps
produced by Karen Sughrue
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Thanks due
Too many to say but, specifically for this talk
Wendy Keay Bright for Reactickles and Somantics
clips www.reactickles.org& www.somantics.org
Saskia Baron for getting us the CBC Apps DVD
Charlotte Stace for research, advice and feedback to
for a small grant and much support to Autreach IT
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