STUDENTS WITH ASPERGER’S DISORDER
HIGH FUNCTIONING AUTISM: TRANSITION TO COLLEGE
>> I THINK WE’RE GOING TO GET STARTED. HELLO, THANK YOU FOR COMING. I’M JOHN O’NEAL
AND I’M THE MARKETING DIRECTOR AND ALSO A MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE. THANK YOU FOR ALL FOR
ATTENDING TODAY’S EVENT. AND I’M EXCITED TO HEAR THE PRESENTATION. AT THE END OF THE EVENT,
WILL BE Q AND A OPPORTUNITIES. BEFORE I READ THE BIOGRAPHIES, I WOULD LIKE TO BRING TO YOUR
ATTENTION TO A COUPLE THINGS. AS YOU WALKED IN, YOU WERE HANDED THE BROCHURE FOR THE
BOOK PROJECT WITH ALL THE REMAINING EVENTS. YOU WERE HANDED AN EVAL FORM AND PLEASE FILL
IT OUT FOR US TO COLLECT.
FINALLY, THE FEBRUARY EVENT THAT IS COMING UP WITH TEMPLE GRANDIN. I URGE YOU TO
ATTEND IF AT ALL POSSIBLE. DETAILS ON HOW TO SECURE TICKETS ARE IN THE BROCHURE.
NOW I’D LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE SPEAKERS. THEY HAVE IMPRESSIVE AUTOBIOGRAPHIES. I’M JUST
GOING TO READ. PATRICIA SCHETTER IS A PROJECT COORDINATOR AT THE U.C. DAVIS M.I.N.D. INSTITUTE.
SHE PROVIDES TRAINING, COACHING AND RESOURCES AND SAFE PRACTICES, AND PROVIDES TRAINING
TO SERVICE COORDINATORS, CLINICAL STAFF AND FAMILIES. IN ADDITION, SHE IS THE FACULTY ADVISOR
AND INSTRUCTOR, IN AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS. OTHER PROJECTS INCLUDE THINK TRANSITION,
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, WHICH PROVIDES TRAINING AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES FOR
PROFESSIONALS. SUPPORTING YOUTH WITH DISABILITIES. PRIOR TO COMING TO UC DAVIS, SHE WORKED
AS A CLASSROOM TEACHER, BEHAVIOR ANALYST. SHE IS THE AUTHOR OF “LEARNING R.O.P.E.S.” AND
“PERCY LEARNS TO FLY,” A BOOK ABOUT DIFFERENCES AND DISCOVERING STRENGTHS.
JOE SPECTOR HAS WORKED FOR THREE YEARS AT THE STUDENT DISABILITY CENTER AND CHAIRS
THE AUTISM COMMITTEE. JOE HAS WORK AS A PSYCHOLOGIST IN THE FIELD OF AUTISM FOR OVER 30
YEARS. HIS FIRST EXPERIENCES WERE AT THE UCLA INSTITUTE, WHERE DR. LOVAAS HAS THE
TREATMENT CLINICS. THE TREATMENT WAS BASIC AND AVERSIVE. SINCE THEN HE HAS OBSERVED
DRAMATIC CHANGES, BUT HE DOES REGARD OUR BODY OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT IT AS HUMBLING, AS WE
BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH MORE WE NEED TO LEARN ABOUT AUTISM. JOE WORKED SCHOOLS,
CLINICS, PRIVATE PRACTICE AND TREATMENT CLINICS. PRIOR TO HIS WORK AT DAVIS, JOE WORKED AS
AN ATTORNEY REPRESENTING SCHOOL DISTRICTS ON EDUCATION MATTERS.
THE TITLE OF TODAY’S PRESENTATION IS “STUDENTS WITH ASPERGER’S DISORDER/HIGH
FUNCTIONING: TRANSITION TO COLLEGE.” WELCOME THEM. (APPLAUSE)
JOE SPECTOR: PATTY IS THE ULTIMATE EXPERT AS FAR AS I’M CONCERNED ABOUT TRANSITIONING
STUDENTS FROM HIGH SCHOOL. PATTY IS THE ULTIMATE EXPERT WHEN IT COMES TO TRANSITIONING
FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO COLLEGE. KEVIN OVER HERE IS A STUDENT AT UC DAVIS. AS WE GET TOWARDS
THE END OF THE FORMAL PRESENTATION, WE’LL HAVE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. AND KEVIN IS
AVAILABLE TO OFFER A STUDENT’S PERSPECTIVE. ALSO IN THE AUDIENCE IS JOSHUA HORI.
ALSO, A BRIEF COMMERCIAL, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE UC DAVIS AUTISM COMMITTEE FOR
PROVIDING THIS PRESENTATION. AND ALSO FOR SETTING UP THE TABLE OUTSIDE WITH MATERIALS AND
THE SIGN UP SHEET.
TODAY’S AGENDA. IT IS HARD FOR ME TO STAND IN ONE PLACE HERE.
WE’LL BE STARTING WITH A FEW BRIEF COMMENTS ABOUT TEMPLE GRANDIN’S BOOK, “THINKING IN
PICTURES.” ANYBODY HAVE A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT? IT IS A REALLY NICE BOOK. PATTY WILL BE
PRESENTING WITH A POWERPOINT AND TALKING ABOUT CHARACTERISTICS OF AUTISM AND ABOUT
TRENDS IN AUTISM DIAGNOSIS, AND ABOUT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES IN TRANSITIONING FROM HIGH
SCHOOL TO COLLEGE. I’LL BE JOINING IN ALONG THE WAY AS PATTY PRESENTS, WITH A FEW COMMENTS.
WE’LL THEN SHOW A VIDEO OF UC DAVIS STUDENTS WITH AUTISM AND THEY WILL BE RESPONDING
WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR BACKGROUND AND OTHER CHALLENGES. OUR GOAL TODAY IS TO FINISH
CLOSE TO 1:00, AND LET’S HOLD OFF QUESTIONS UNTIL THEN FOR THOSE THAT CAN STAY. WE ASK THAT
THIS PARTICULAR PRESENTATION NOT BE VIDEO TAPED BECAUSE THERE IS SOME REAL PERSONAL
INFORMATION THAT WILL BE BROUGHT OUT. I WILL WALK OVER HERE AND HOPE THAT YOU CAN HEAR ME.
I DID WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT TEMPLE GRANDIN’S BOOK. IT HAS A LOT OF INFORMATION. ONE
OF THE THINGS THAT STRUCK ME IS, THIS WAS WRITTEN BY A VISUAL LEARNER. IT TOOK ME A WHILE TO
GET INTO IT BECAUSE THE ORDER DID NOT HIT ME RIGHT AWAY. I HAD TO RELAX AND VISUALIZE JUST AS
TEMPLE GRANDIN TALKS ABOUT. AND THAT IS ONE OF THE MOST PROFOUND ASPECTS OF THIS BOOK.
SHE TALKS ABOUT THINKING IN IMAGES, BEING A VISUAL LEARNER. I RELATE TO THIS BECAUSE I’M A
VERY VISUAL LEARNER. IT IS A DIFFERENT WAY OF PROCESSING, IT IS A DIFFERENT WAY OF
REMEMBERING AND EVEN A DIFFERENT WAY OF SOCIAL INTERACTIONS.
ORIGINALLY, HER THEORY WAS STUDENTS AND ADULTS, CHILDREN WITH AUTISM, PROCESS MOSTLY
IN IMAGES, MOSTLY IN VISUAL, BUT AS TIME WENT ON, SHE ACTUALLY OBSERVED THERE WERE THREE
KINDS OF PROCESSING PATTERNS THAT YOU SAW IN PEOPLE WITH AUTISM. FIRST IS THE VISUAL
THINKER, WHICH SHE RELATES TO. ANOTHER IS A MUSIC AND MATH THINKER AND THEY THICK IN
PICTURES. AND FINAL, THE VERBAL LOGIC THINKERS, WHO THINK IN AN ORDERLY WAY ABOUT VERBAL
INFORMATION.
VISUAL LEARNING IS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT STYLE. VISUAL LEARNING IS A DIFFERENT STYLE. NOT
ONLY IN LEARNING ON CAMPUS, BUT ALSO IN SOCIAL INTERACTION. AND I’D LIKE TO USE A
SPONTANEOUS VIGNETTE TO DEMONSTRATE WHAT A VISUAL LEARNER MIGHT DO IN A SOCIAL
INTERACTION. YOU HAVE TO TAKE A PICTURE, IF YOU SEE A NAME, YOU MIGHT HAVE TO TAKE A PICTURE
IN YOUR MIND TO SEE WHAT THE NAME IS. A VERBAL LEARNER MAY NOT HAVE THE ASSOCIATIVE
FLUENCY, AND THEY HAVE TO PREREHEARSE, WHAT YOU WILL SAY IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS, MAY EVEN BE
GOING TO THEIR ADVISOR. THE GOAL IS NOT TO CREATE LINES OR CLICHÉS, BUT TO MAKE IT
COMFORTABLE.
SAY I’M WALKING AROUND THE ROOM AND I EYE SOMEONE I WANT TO MEET. GOOD AFTERNOON, I’M
JOE, WHAT IS YOUR NAME?
>> CATHERINE.
JOE SPECTOR: I’M THINKING REAL HARD, I WANT TO REMEMBER THIS NAME, CATHERINE. WHAT
KIND OF WORK DO YOU DO?
>> I’M A MARRIAGE FAMILY THERAPIST.
JOE SPECTOR: MARRIAGE FAMILY THERAPIST. I’M REPEATING IT, TRYING TO MAKE AN IMAGE. THAT
IS IMPORTANT WORK, IT’S NICE TO MEET YOU, CATHERINE. WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO OUT FOR COFFEE
SOME DAY?
>> CERTAINLY.
JOE SPECTOR: OKAY, THANK YOU. I PREREHEARSED WHAT I WANTED TO SAY. I MAY HAVE BEEN
OVERWROUGHT WITH ANXIETY ABOUT THIS, BUT I DO HAVE THE BENEFIT OF BEING MARRIED TO
CATHERINE AND IT MAKES IT A LITTLE BIT EASIER. SO LET’S GIVE AN APPLAUSE TO CATHERINE.
(APPLAUSE)
SO, VISUAL ORDER MAY HAVE CHALLENGES. YOU HAVE TO BE BRIGHT AND INSIGHTFUL AND OFTEN VERY
GOOD WITH CONCEPT FORMATION. WHAT I DO OBSERVE IS THAT SOMETIMES THE WORLD OF GRADUATE
STUDY IS EASIER THAN FOR AN UNDERGRADUATE WHO NEEDS TO MEMORIZE A LOT OF INFORMATION.
ANOTHER POINT THAT SHE BRINGS UP, I THINK IT WAS ON PAGE 35 AND 36, THERE IS BASICALLY TWO
PERSPECTIVES AS FAR AS I CAN TELL ABOUT AUTISM RIGHT NOW AND HOW IT DIAGNOSE IT.
ONE IS, THAT IT IS A SPECTRUM DISORDER. YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF ASD OR AUTISM SPECTRUM
DISORDER. THAT IS SUPPOSED TO IMPROVE FROM THE DIFFERENT DIAGNOSIS LIKE ASPERGER’S,
PERVASIVE DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDER. THIS IS A SPECTRUM.
PATTY HAS HEARD MANY TIMES THAT MY PERSPECTIVE IS THE OTHER PERSPECTIVE THAT TEMPLE
BRINGS UP, THEY ARE DISTINCT CLASSIFICATIONS. YOU MAY HEAR ME TALK ABOUT THE AUTISMS,
PLURAL, OR SOME TALK ABOUT AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER. THERE IS NO PERFECT ANSWER. AND THE
RESEARCH WANTS TO FIND OUT IF THEY ARE CONNECTED OR DISTINCT GROUPS. IT IS A NICE BOOK AND I
URGE PEOPLE TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
SO, THAT BEING SAID, PATTY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO START WITH THE POWERPOINT?
PATRICIA SCHETTER: I’M A VISUAL LEARNER, TOO, WHICH IS THE REASON WHY I’M SO MARRIED TO
POWERPOINT. IT IS A REALLY NICE WAY TO BE ABLE TO TAKE IMAGES AND DIFFERENT PIECES OF
INFORMATION IN MY BRAIN AND PUT IT OUT A VISUAL WAY THAT HOPEFULLY MAKES SENSE TO OTHER
PEOPLE. BEFORE I START ON THE PRESENTATION, I WANTED TO PUT A PLUG OUT FOR TEMPLE’S BOOK. I
ACTUALLY READ IT THE FIRST YEAR THAT I STARTED TEACHING. I HAD BEEN WORKING IN THE FIELD AND
HAD KNOWN AND WORKED WITH PEOPLE ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM FOR ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AT
THAT POINT. BUT WHEN I ENDED UP IN THE CLASSROOM, I HAD 12 STUDENTS, ALL ON THE AUTISM
SPECTRUM WHO WERE TRULY ALL OVER THAT CONTINUUM OF ABILITY LEVEL.
AND I READ HER BOOK AT THE ADVICE OF A PARENT WHO HAD A CHILD IN MY CLASSROOM. AND
SHE SAID IF YOU REALLY WANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW MY CHILD LEARNS, READ THIS BOOK. AND IT WAS
A COMPLETE PERSPECTIVE CHANGER FOR ME AS A TEACHER WORKING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE WITH
AUTISM, TO REALLY GET AN INSIGHT INTO THE WAY THAT THEY TAKE IN AND PROCESS INFORMATION.
AND IT HELPED ME, I THINK, BECOME A MUCH BETTER TEACHER. JUST FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE IT WAS A
GAME-CHANGER FOR ME AND PROBABLY ONE OF THE THINGS THAT KEPT ME IN THE FIELD, BECAUSE I
STARTED TO SEE SUCCESSES WITH THE TECHNIQUES THAT I USED THAT WERE VISUALLY-BASED. AND
SEEING THE SUCCESSES FOR ANY TEACHER IS WHAT HOOKS YOU AND KEEPS YOU GOING.
WHAT I’M HOPING TO DO TODAY IS GIVE YOU SOME BASIC INFORMATION AUTISM. WHAT IT IS, WHAT
WE KNOW ABOUT IT, THERE IS AN AWFUL LOT WE DON’T KNOW ABOUT IT. AND I’M SURE THAT MY
PRESENTATION WILL BRING UP QUESTIONS FROM YOU ABOUT WHERE WE ARE IN TERMS OF WHAT ARE
THE CAUSES AND TREATMENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. I WON’T HAVE A LOT OF TIME TO GO INTO THAT,
BUT I’M HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP WITH ANYONE WHO HAS ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
I WANT TO GIVE YOU A PICTURE OF THE DIAGNOSIS AND ALSO SOME OF THE TRENDS AND WHAT
WE’RE SEEING IN THE TERMS OF NUMBERS OF INDIVIDUALS AFFECTED BY AUTISM. AND WHAT YOU MIGHT
ANTICIPATE AT THE COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY LEVEL IN TERMS OF NUMBERS OF STUDENTS WHO ARE
COMING THROUGH WHO ARE IMPACTED BY THIS DIFFERENCE.
LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE DO KNOW. WE KNOW THAT AUTISM IS A NEUROBIOLOGICAL DISORDER.
IT WASN’T ALL THAT LONG AGO WHEN AUTISM WAS INITIALLY DEFINED, THE CONSTRUCT OF THE DAY
THAT IT WAS SOMEHOW ACQUIRED BY INTERACTIONS WITH PEOPLE OR LACK OF INTERACTIONS WITH
PEOPLE IN THE ENVIRONMENT. WE KNOW THERE ARE DIFFERENCES THE NEUROLOGY AND BIOLOGY.
THERE IS A HIGH HERITABILITY RATE IN AUTISM AND MANY OF THE CHARACTERISTICS THAT WE DEFINE AS
“AUTISTIC – LIKE,” BUT WE DON’T KNOW THE EXACT CAUSE. THAT IS WHAT THE M.I.N.D. INSTITUTE IS
TRYING TO DISCOVER, SOME OF THE CAUSAL COMPONENTS OF AUTISM.
GENETICS AND THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE INTERPLAY BETWEEN THOSE IS SORT OF WHERE WE’RE
LOOKING. BUT AT THIS POINT, WE DON’T HAVE A DEFINED SPECIFIC CAUSE FOR ALL OF THE DIFFERENT
AUTISMS, AS JOE WOULD PUT IT.
THERE ARE FOUR AREAS THAT ARE IMPACTED OR – AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THE VISUAL. WE TRIED
CHANGING THE CORD OUT IT IS STILL GIVING US PROBLEMS. BEAR WITH US, I KNOW IT IS DISTRACTING.
THE FOUR AREAS OF IMPACT, WE’RE LOOKING AT TWO DISTINCT AREAS THAT WE SEE IN
INDIVIDUALS ACROSS THE SPECTRUM THAT ARE IMPACTED. ALL INDIVIDUALS ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM
HAVE SOME DIFFERENCES AND IMPACT IN THE AREA OF SOCIAL COMMUNICATION.
MANY ARE NON-VERBAL AND DON’T ACQUIRE VOCAL COMMUNICATION. THOSE ARE MORE SEVERE
AUTISM. BUT MANY INDIVIDUALS AND INDIVIDUALS THAT YOU WILL INTERACT WITH HERE ON THE CAMPUS
ARE HIGHLY VERBAL. LOTS OF GREAT VOCABULARY. THE DIFFICULTY AND THE ISSUES IS WITH THE
SOCIAL COMPONENTS OF COMMUNICATION. BEING ABLE TO ENGAGE IN A CONVERSATION AND HAVE
RECIPROCAL INTERACTIONS. BEING ABLE TO TAKE THE PERSPECTIVE OF ANOTHER PERSON. BEING
ABLE TO UNDERSTAND HOW THEIR COMMUNICATION OR BEHAVIOR MIGHT BE INTERPRETED BY ANOTHER
PERSON. BEING ABLE TO READ NON-VERBAL CUES AND FACIAL EXPRESSIONS AND THE LIKE. THAT IS
CHARACTERISTIC NUMBER 1.
CHARACTERISTIC NUMBER 2 RELATES TO RESTRICTIVE AND REPETITIVE PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOR
OR INTEREST. AND THESE CAN RANGE. MANY INDIVIDUALS HAVE DISTINCT REPETITIVE MOTOR
BEHAVIORS, SELF STIMULATORY. SOME OF THE CHARACTERISTICS PEOPLE THINK OF IS ROCKING, HAND
FLAPPING, LINING OBJECTS UP, BUT THAT IS NOT THE CASE ACROSS THE SPECTRUM. WE SEE WITH
INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE HIGH FUNCTIONING BRIGHT, AND THE RESTRICTED INTERESTS ARE REALLY MORE
OF THE CHARACTERISTIC.
THEY MAY HAVE A TOPIC OR A PARTICULAR AREA OF PASSION THAT IS BEYOND WHAT IS SORT OF
TYPICAL. AND IT IS INTERWOVEN IN A LOT OF THE INTERACTIONS THAT THEY HAVE WITH OTHER PEOPLE
AND A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT THEY DO.
SO, THESE NEXT COUPLE SLIDES, I’M NOT GOING TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME, BUT I WANT TO POINT
OUT THAT THERE REALLY IS A RANGE OF SYMPTOMS. UNDER THE TWO UMBRELLA CHARACTERISTICS OF
SOCIAL COMMUNICATION AND RESTRICTIVE PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOR AND INTEREST THAT WE DO SEE.
AND RECENTLY, THE DIAGNOSIS, IN THE DIAGNOSTIC AND STATISTICS MANUAL WAS REVISED. IT WAS
ABLE TO SHOW THIS RANGE OF CHARACTERISTICS SYMPTOMS. AS A TEACHER, I THINK IT IS REALLY
HELPFUL BECAUSE WHEN PEOPLE THINK ABOUT AUTISM, THEY IMMEDIATELY GET ONE PERSPECTIVE IN
THEIR MIND AND THEY THINK ABOUT MAYBE ONE INDIVIDUAL. OR THAT THE MOST POPULAR THING
PEOPLE THINK OF IS “RAIN MAN” BUT NOT EVERYONE ON THE SPECTRUM IS FUNCTIONING IN THAT RANGE
OF ABILITY. WE SEE A REAL RANGE OF ABILITY LEVELS ACROSS THIS AUTISM SPECTRUM. AND THIS
RANGE GOES FROM PEOPLE WHO REQUIRE SOME SUPPORT, SOME SUPPORT WITH SOCIAL INTERACTIONS
AND SOME SUPPORT MAYBE WITH ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS. SOME SUPPORT WITH PERHAPS, LEARNING
TO TAKE THE PERSPECTIVES OF OTHER PEOPLE.
ALL THE WAY TO INDIVIDUALS WHO REALLY REQUIRE FULL SUPPORT. MAYBE AREN’T ABLE TO ENGAGE
IN ACTIVITIES FOR DAILY LIVING AND REQUIRE SUPPORT WITH THE BASICS OF EATING AND DRESSING,
WHO LACK THE ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE. THIS NEW WAY OF SORT OF CLASSIFYING OR
CHARACTERIZING AUTISM, THAT IS PART OF THE DSM5 DOES A NICE JOB OF BEING ABLE TO REALLY
SHOW US WHAT THIS RANGE IS THAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT WITH AUTISM.
ANOTHER THING THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE IS THAT AUTISM, MUCH LIKE MOST OF
THE NEURO DEVELOPMENTAL DIFFERENCES, RARELY OCCURRS IN A NICE, NEAT LITTLE PACKAGE WHERE
THERE IS NOTHING ELSE GOING ON. AUTISM HAS A LOT OF COMORBID CONDITIONS THAT OCCUR. ONE OF
THE HIGHEST THAT WE SEE IS INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY. THE STATISTICS RANGE FROM 50 TO 70% OF
INDIVIDUALS AFFECTED BY AUTISM HAVE SOME INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY. MANY OF THEM ARE
SIGNIFICANTLY ABOVE AVERAGE COGNITIVE ABILITY WHEN YOU LOOK AT I.Q.
WE SEE A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS HAVE COEXISTING MENTAL HEALTH-RELATED CONDITIONS. AND
ANXIETY SEEMED TO BE PREVALENT. IT AFFECTS INDIVIDUALS ACROSS THE SPECTRUM, BUT INDIVIDUALS
WHO ARE HIGHER FUNCTIONING, THIS TENDS TO BE OFTENTIMES, ONE OF THE MOST IMPACTFUL OR
IMPAIRING COMPONENTS OF HAVING AUTISM. THE ANXIETY, SOCIAL ANXIETY AND THE ABILITY TO
REGULATE THOSE EMOTIONAL REACTIONS RESPONSES, SOMETIMES THAT IS THE MOST CHALLENGING
COMPONENT.
WE SEE THAT HYPERACTIVITY CO-OCCURS VERY OFTEN. BEFORE WE CHANGED THE DIAGNOSIS TO
THE DSM5 CRITERIA, WE USED TO THINK THAT IF YOU HAVE ADHD, YOU CAN’T HAVE AUTISM.
HYPERACTIVITY, ADHD AND ALL OF THE CHARACTERISTICS AND SYMPTOMS CAN ABSOLUTELY COEXIST
WITH AUTISM.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT. AND JOE STARTED TO TALK ABOUT IT.
TEMPLE, IN HER BOOK, EXPRESSES IT ELOQUENTLY. WE SEE COMMON PATTERNS OF STRENGTHS AND
WEAKNESSES. AND THIS DOES NOT TAKE AWAY FROM THE INDIVIDUALITY OF PEOPLE WITH AUTISM.
THEY HAVE THEIR OWN PATTERNS OF STRENGTH AND PASSIONS AND INTERESTS IN THE AREA NEEDS,
BASED ON INDIVIDUAL. THESE ARE THE AREAS THAT WE SEE IN STRENGTHS. MOST PEOPLE AFFECTED
WITH AUTISM ARE GOOD AT MEMORIZATION. OFTEN THEY GO TO THIS TO BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE AND
SHOW WHAT THEY KNOW ABOUT A PARTICULAR TOPIC.
RECALLING FACTS. UNDERSTANDING AND – FOLLOWING RULES, WANTING TO KNOW WHAT THE
RULE OR WHAT THE PROCEDURE IS AND BEING ABLE TO FOLLOW IT VERY PRECISELY, TENDS TO BE A
PATTERN OF STRENGTH.
CONCRETE ACTIVITIES AND OF COURSE, VISUAL LEARNING AND VISUAL TYPES OF SKILLS. WE SEE
PATTERNS OF WEAKNESS THAT ARE VERY TYPICAL. FLEXIBILITY. BEING ABLE TO SHIFT AND BEING ABLE
TO TAKE A NEW IDEA OR WHEN THEY EXPECT ONE THING TO HAPPEN, BEING ABLE TO LET GO OF THAT
AND MOVE TO THE NEXT ACTIVITY OR A NEW ACTIVITY OR DEAL WITH SOMETHING UNEXPECTED. THAT
TENDS TO BE CHALLENGING FOR MANY. ORGANIZATION. WHEN I SAY ORGANIZATION, I DON’T JUST MEAN
PHYSICAL ORGANIZATION, SOMETIMES THAT’S A PROPER. OFTENTIMES IT IS THE ORGANIZATION OF
THOUGHTS AND IDEAS AND BEING ABLE TO KEEP TRACK OF MULTIPLE THINGS AT ONE TIME. BEING ABLE
TO MULTI-TASK AND HOLD ON LINE SOMETHING WHILE DOING SOMETHING ELSE. TEMPLE DESCRIBES IT IN
HER BOOK AND SAYS, “I’M MONO CHANNELING, ONE THING AT A TIME, ONE INPUT AT A TIME. BUT WHEN I
HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION TO TOO MANY THINGS, IT BECOMES PROBLEMATIC.”
WE TEND TO SEE THAT. GROUP WORK AND PROJECTS THAT REQUIRE THAT INTERACTION AS A
COMPONENT OF IT CAN BE PRETTY CHALLENGING FOR SOME. AND AUDITORY LEARNING. LISTENING TO A
LOT OF VERBAL INFORMATION. IN FACT, ONE OF MY FAVORITE SAYINGS BY TEMPLE, SHE CALLS
AUDITORY PEOPLE, NEURO TYPICAL “YAKY-YAKS.”
AS FAR AS PREVALENCE GOES, WE HAVE SEEN A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF
INDIVIDUALS IDENTIFIED OR DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM. IT HAS BEEN A FAIRLY STEADY INCREASE, IT HAS
NOT BEEN ALL AT ONCE. THIS IS BASED ON THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL AT A LONGITUDINAL
STUDY, LOOKING AT AGE 8-YEAR-OLDS. IT IS NOT BASED ON THEM ACTUALLY DOING THE DIAGNOSIS;
WE’RE RELYING ON INFORMATION PROVIDED BY EITHER THE SCHOOL OR THE MEDICAL SYSTEM. BUT THE
PREVALENCE RATE OF AUTISM AS OF 2014, JULY, ONE IN EVERY 68. THOSE THINGS YOU HEAR ON THE
NEWS, AND ALL OF THE ATTENTION THAT IS BEING PAID TO AUTISM IS FOR A REASON. WE’RE REALLY
SEEING A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS BEING IDENTIFIED WITH AUTISM.
THAT MEANS WE’RE SEEING A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AND
THIS JUST REPRESENTED RIGHT HERE, YOU CAN SORT OF SEE THE TREND. IN THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC
SCHOOLS, THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE AN IDENTIFIED DISABILITY, WHAT THAT MEANS IS
THAT THEY’VE QUALIFIED FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION SUPPORTS AND SERVICES. OUT OF THE 13
IDENTIFIED, AUTISM IS IDENTIFIED AS THE PRIMARY CONDITION. THIS DATA DOES NOT REPRESENT
INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE NOT QUALIFYING FOR SPECIAL SERVICE. THIS REPRESENTS THOSE THAT HAVE
BEEN IDENTIFIED AND ARE RECEIVING SPECIAL EDUCATION SUPPORTS AND SERVICES.
AND THIS TO ME IS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPACTFUL WAY TO SORT OF VIEW THIS. WHAT WE HAVE
HERE IS THE DISTRIBUTION ACROSS THE AGES. SO THIS REPRESENTS 3-YEAR-OLDS WHO HAVE BEEN
IDENTIFIED, ALL THE WAY UP TO 22-YEAR-OLDS, IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. AND MANY INDIVIDUALS WHO
HAVE SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES AND SUPPORTS WHO QUALIFY, DO STAY IN THE PUBLIC EDUCATION
SYSTEM UNTIL THEY ARE 22. AT THAT POINT THEY AGE OUT AND MOVE ON TO OUR DEPARTMENT OF
DEVELOP MENTAL SERVICES AND SUPPORT.
WE HAVE THIS CREST AND IT IS AGING FORWARD YEAR BY YEAR BY YEAR. AND IT IS HEADING
TOWARDS COLLEGE. HEADING TOWARDS ADULTHOOD AND HEADING TOWARDS A SYSTEM THAT ISN’T
NECESSARILY IN ADULT SERVICES AND HOUSING AND INDEPENDENT LIVING SUPPORTS EMPLOYMENT,
READY FOR IT. THIS IS AN ILLUSION. IT IS NOT GOING DOWN ON THE BACK END. WE’RE NOT SEEING
FEWER KIDS OVER HERE, IT IS JUST THAT AUTISM IS NOT TYPICALLY IDENTIFIED UNTIL AN AVERAGE OF
AROUND AGE 4. FOR MANY, ESPECIALLY OF THE HIGHER FUNCTIONING INDIVIDUALS, IT IS 6, 7, 8 YEARS
OLD, SOMETIMES AS LATE AS 12 YEARS OLD UNTIL IT IS IDENTIFIED AND RECOGNIZED. AND THERE ARE
INDIVIDUALS OUT THERE THAT DON’T RECOGNIZE THAT THEY HAVE AUTISM BECAUSE THEY DO QUITE
WELL IN SCHOOL. BUT WHEN THEY BECOME ADULTS AND THEY RECOGNIZE DIFFERENCES SOCIAL
CHALLENGES, THEY START TO LOOK AT WHAT POSSIBLY THEIR NEEDS ARE AND COME ACROSS THE
DESCRIPTION AND START TO SELF-IDENTIFY.
THIS IS COMING FORWARD. AND IT IS NOT A TIDAL WAVE SO MUCH, BUT IT IS A TSUNAMI. THE
NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM IS CONTINUING TO INCREASE.
THIS IS WHAT I TELL THE PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM AND WHAT I TELL HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS.
THIS IS WHAT WE’RE TRYING TO CONVEY OUT IN THE LEGISLATURE AND ALL THE PLACES WHERE WE’RE
TRYING TO MAKE SURE SUPPORTS ARE READY. WE NEED TO REALLY PREPARE FOR AND LEARN ABOUT
AND RECOGNIZE SO THAT WE CAN PROPERLY SUPPORT THESE INDIVIDUALS.
SO WHAT HAPPENS WHEN AUTISM DOES GROW UP? WHAT DO WE KNOW STATISTICALLY ABOUT
INDIVIDUALS AS THEY AGE UP AND COME THROUGH THE EDUCATION SYSTEM AND GRADUATE AND MOVE
OUT INTO EMPLOYMENT AND COLLEGE AND WORK AND THAT SORT OF THING?
SADLY, THE STATISTICS ARE NOT GOOD. WE SEE THAT THERE IS A FAIRLY LOW PERCENTAGE THAT DO
ATTEND COLLEGE. AND EVEN LOWER PERCENTAGE WHO ARE ABLE TO SUSTAIN SUCCESSFUL PAID
EMPLOYMENT THAT IS COMMENSURATE WITH THEIR EDUCATION AND TRAINING LEVEL. ONE OF THE
THINGS YOU HEAR PEOPLE SAY ABOUT AUTISM AS A DISABLING CONDITION IS THAT THEY ARE
CONSISTENTLY MALEMPLOYED, UNDER EMPLOYED. AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE’RE WORKING
HARD TO FIGURE OUT AND SUPPORT AND CHANGE.
WE DO SEE THAT AROUND 44% OF INDIVIDUALS ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM GO ON TO SOME KIND OF
POST SECONDARY EDUCATION. WHETHER THAT BE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, TRADE SCHOOL, TECHNICAL
TRAINING. HIGH PERCENTAGE DO GO ON AFTER HIGH SCHOOL TO DO SOMETHING TO CONTINUE THEIR
EDUCATION.
AND THIS IS SORT OF AN INTERESTING PARADIGM AND I KNOW THAT DR. SPECTOR IS GOING TO
SHARE INFORMATION WITH YOU LATER IF THERE IS TIME. WE TEND TO SEE A FAIRLY HIGH PERCENTAGE
AS COMPARED TO THE TYPICAL COLLEGE POPULATION GRAVITATING TOWARDS THE STEM. ALTHOUGH
NOT ALL. I KNOW SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE REALLY GONE TOWARDS THAT MORE MATH THAN
ART SIDE OF THINGS. MUSICIANS AND PEOPLE WILL WHO ARE INTO THE DRAMATIC ARTS. IT IS A
SPECTRUM AND WE SEE LOTS OF DIFFERENT CAREER PATHS AND MAJORS BEING DECLARED.
THESE ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES, AND I’M NOT GOING TO HARP ON THEM BECAUSE THE
STUDENTS THAT WE HAVE ON THE VIDEO, AS WELL AS KEVIN HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, DO A MUCH
BETTER JOB THAN I COULD AT DESCRIBING SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT ARE FACED BY INDIVIDUALS
AS THEY MOVE FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO COLLEGE. ONE OF THEM IS THE NEED FOR ACCOMMODATIONS.
AND THIS CAN BE TRICKY. OFTENTIMES THOSE ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM WHO DO GO TO COLLEGE AND
END UP IN UNIVERSITY, THERE IS NO PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND WHEN YOU TALK TO THEM, THEY ARE
BRIGHT AND ARTICULATE. AND IT IS KIND OF A HEAD SCRATCHER, WHAT KIND OF ACCOMMODATIONS
DOES THIS PERSON NEED? AND MANY TIMES IS IN THE AREA OF WRITING. IT CAN BE CHALLENGING TO
LISTEN TO A LECTURE AND TAKE NOTES ORGANIZE IDEAS AND GET THEM ON PAPER. THAT TENDS TO BE
AN AREA WHERE WE SEE ACCOMMODATIONS BEING REQUESTED.
SOCIAL AND RELATIONSHIP SKILLS, WHICH ARE CONFUSING FOR ANY 18 TO 26-YEAR-OLD, HECK,
THEY ARE CONFUSING TO ME AND I’M OLDER THAN THAT. SOCIAL RELATIONSHIP SKILLS TEND TO BE
SOMETHING THAT WE SEE SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES IN.
ORGANIZATION AND TIME MANAGEMENT. BUT WITH A STRUCTURED SCHEDULE, LOTS OF THESE
INDIVIDUALS DO THRIVE. BY BEING ABLE TO MANAGE ALL OF THE ASSIGNMENTS AND APPOINTMENTS
CAN BE A CHALLENGE. REGULATING EMOTIONS. BEING ABLE TO CALM DOWN AND NOT BLURT OUT WHAT
MIGHT BE ON THEIR MIND. AND MANAGING STRESS, CAN BE A REAL CHALLENGE. AS WELL AS THIS
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT SKILL OF SELF-ADVOCACY. BEING ABLE TO EXPRESS WHAT THEY NEED AND
GOING TO THE RIGHT PERSON TO ASK FOR HELP AND BEING PERSISTENT IN FOLLOWING THROUGH WHEN
THE NEEDS ARE NOT MET. AND BEING ABLE TO SELF-ADVOCATE AND COMMUNITY WHAT THEY NEED.
FOR SOME, INDEPENDENT LIVING SKILLS, MANAGING A BUDGET AND THINKING AHEAD TO ALL THE
THINGS THAT THEY MIGHT NEED TO PURCHASE AT THE STORE. ALL OF THESE THINGS CAN BE A
CHALLENGE. ONE OF THE THING, AND I KNOW WE WILL TALK ABOUT THIS MORE LATER, THAT TRANSITION
FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO COLLEGE, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WHO DID RECEIVE SOME KIND OF SUPPORT,
WHETHER IT BE THROUGH A 504 PLAN OR IEP, SPECIAL EDUCATION, IT IS SUCH A DIFFERENT WORLD ONCE
YOU LEAVE PUBLIC EDUCATION.
IT IS NO LONGER – YOU ARE NO LONGER ENTITLED TO THE SUPPORTS AND SERVICES. IT IS
SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE TO ACCESS. SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE TO ADVOCATE FOR. AND THAT
TENDS TO BE A REAL SHIFT, NOT ONLY FOR OUR STUDENTS, BUT ALSO FOR THE FAMILIES. AND FAMILIES
WHO HAVE SORT OF ESTABLISHED THIS CULTURE OF HAVING TO ADVOCATE FOR THEIR KIDS TO GET
SERVICES AND SUPPORTS, NOW FIND THEMSELVES WITH A YOUNG ADULT, AND PEOPLE THAT THEY ARE
INTERACTING WITH, DON’T NECESSARILY WANT TO HEAR FROM MAMA, RIGHT? TO ADVOCATE FOR THE
NEEDS. AND THAT CAN BE A REAL HUGE SHIFT. AND WE’RE SEEING A LOT OF FAMILIES REALLY
STRUGGLE THROUGH THIS AGE OF TRANSITION AND GOING FROM THAT ENTITLEMENT KIND OF PROGRAM
INTO THE ADULT WORLD.
WITH THAT, I’M GOING TO HAND IT BACK OVER TO DR. SPECTOR TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE
INFORMATION.
JOE SPECTOR: IN JUST A MINUTE WE’LL MOVE ON TO THE VIDEO AND MAYBE WHILE YOU ARE
GETTING THAT SET UP I WILL MAKE A COUPLE COMMENTS. PATTY WAS TALKING ABOUT THE SHIFT FROM
HIGH SCHOOL TO COLLEGE. IT IS VERY DIFFERENT. THE SYSTEM OF SPECIAL EDUCATION IS VERY
DIFFERENT FROM THE SYSTEM THAT MIGHT PROVIDE REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS. AND IT REQUIRES
A TOTALLY DIFFERENT SET OF SKILLS, WHICH I MIGHT CALL SELF-DETERMINATION AND INDEPENDENCE.
ONE OF THE CHALLENGES HERE AT DAVIS SPECIFICALLY, WE ARE A VERY DECENTRALIZED MODEL. THEY
CAN GET ACADEMIC ACCOMMODATIONS AT THE STUDENT DISABILITY CENTER, BUT THEY MAY HAVE TO
GO TO THE DEAN’S OFFICE OR TO HEALTH SERVICES TO GET COUNSELING OR ADMISSIONS. IT IS VERY
DECENTRALIZED AND A VERY DIFFERENT MODEL FROM HIGH SCHOOL OR COMMUNITY COLLEGE. IT IS A
CLIFF. ALSO THEY MAY BE GOING FROM THE SEMESTER TO THE QUARTER SYSTEM. SO INSTEAD OF 16 TO
18 WEEKS, THEY HAVE 10 WEEKS TO DO EVERYTHING. THAT MEANS THEY ARE GOING TO DEAL WITH HIGH
LEVELS OF STRUCTURE, MIDTERMS THE SECOND OR THIRD WEEK OF SCHOOL AND CLASS SIZES THAT ARE
BETWEEN 200 TO 250, IN CONTRAST TO HIGH SCHOOL, WHERE THE CLASS SIZE IS 35 TO 30 STUDENTS.
ONE OF THE CONCEPTS I LIKE TO BRING UP ABOUT WORK WITH STUDENTS, WHETHER EXTREME VISUAL
LEARNERS, OR PERHAPS STUDENTS WITH ONE OF THE AUTISMS IS THAT ADVISING HAS A UNIQUE ROLE. IT
IS USUALLY BEST DONE IN SMALL TIDBITS, WHICH I CALL COACHING MODEL. COMING UP WITH ONE OR
TWO TASKS AND GETTING FEEDBACK. RATHER THAN, “WELL, YOU NEED TO HAVE 14 UNITS QUARTER
BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO HAVE MINIMUM PROGRESS. IF NOT, YOU MAY HAVE TO GET A PART-TIME STUDENT
PETITION OR A PROGRESS WAVER. IN ORDER TO DO THAT, YOU HAVE TO SUBMIT DOCUMENTATION AND I
NOTICE THAT YOU ARE LOW ON YOUR GRADE AVERAGE AND THAT MAY PUT YOU ON ACADEMIC
PROBATION. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?” IT IS TOO MUCH INFORMATION. AS ADVISORS, WE TEND TO
TALK QUICKLY AND THINK QUICKLY WHEN ACTUALLY IT MAY BE HELPFUL TO GET A LITTLE BIT DONE AT A
TIME. IT IS HARD TO DO, IT IS HARD FOR ME TO DO, SAYING LET’S MEET 15 MINUTES HERE AND THEN MEET
IN A WEEK. BUT THAT IS PROBABLY A BETTER MODEL. I HAVE A LOT TO SAY, BUT LET’S GO TO THIS AND
GET QUESTIONS ANSWERS.
VIDEO:
>> HELLO THERE, I’M GARRET, A THIRD YEAR TRANSFER. I TOOK THE 6TH YEAR. I’M’ THEATER
MAJOR AND HISTORY MINOR.
>> HELLO, I AM MELANIE AND I AM A THIRD YEAR HERE, TRANSFER STUDENT. AND MY MAJOR IS
UNDECIDED BECAUSE I’M GOING ALL OVER THE PLACE RIGHT NOW.
JOE SPECTOR: I KNOW YOU’RE GOOD IN MATH AND I KNOW YOU’RE GOING TO WORK IT OUT.
HOW DID YOU FIRST LEARN ABOUT ASPERGER’S DISORDER OR AUTISM? TURN AROUND YOUR CARD IF
YOU WANT TO ANSWER THAT. I’M JUST GOING TO GO DOWN START WITH KEVIN. HOW DID YOU FIRST
LEARN ABOUT ASPERGER’S?
>> THE FIRST CHANCE I REALLY HAD WAS WHEN I WAS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL TAKING A CLASS.
THERE WAS A SERIES OF SPECIAL TESTS AND YOU COULD TAKE AS MUCH TIME. I JUST DID THE TEST AND
IT WASN’T UNTIL HIGH SCHOOL THAT I REALIZED I WASN’T ACTUALLY – I WAS NOT CONNECT WITH SOME
PEOPLE VERY WELL. BUT THEN I DEVELOPED A SENSE OF SELF AWARENESS. AND I SAID, HEY, WAIT A
MINUTE, WE’RE ALL CONNECTED. I KNEW SOMETHING WAS MISSING.
IT WAS A PSYCHOLOGIST.
JOE SPECTOR: WHAT PERIOD WAS THAT?
>> AROUND HIGH SCHOOL, SOPHOMORE OR JUNIOR YEAR.
JOE SPECTOR: THANKS, KEVIN. HOW DID YOU FIRST LEARN ABOUT ASPERGER’S?
>> LEARN ABOUT IN GENERAL?
JOE SPECTOR: IT IS AN OPEN-ENDED QUESTION.
>> WELL, I WAS 16 YEARS OLD. IT WAS LATER FOR ME. I STARTED TO THINK BEFORE, WAIT,
SOMETHING MUST BE WRONG WITH ME. AND DURING THAT TIME – AND MY COUNSELING SESSIONS. SO,
MY COUNSELOR BASICALLY EXPLAINED IT – I’M SORRY –
JOE SPECTOR: THE COUNSELOR TOLD YOU ABOUT THE SITUATION OF ASPERGER’S?
>> SHE TOLD ME ABOUT AUTISM. SHE SPECIFICALLY TOLD ME ABOUT THIS, WHICH IS ON THE LOW
END OF THE AUTISM SPECTRUM. AND AS SHE EXPLAINED EVERYTHING. THE DIFFICULTY WITH FRIENDS,
BEING GOOD IN MATH AND EVERYTHING ELSE, WHEN SHE EXPLAINED EVERYTHING, IT WAS ALL CORRECT.
JOE SPECTOR: THE PATTERN FIT.
>> YES. THAT’S HOW I KNEW AT 17 I WAS PROFESSIONALLY DIAGNOSED.
JOE SPECTOR: THANK YOU. AND GARRET? HOW DID FIRST LEARN ABOUT IT?
>> I WAS IN THE FOURTH OR FIFTH GRADE BECAUSE I WAS ALWAYS THE HYPERACTIVE ONE AND
THEN PEOPLE – AND THEN I WAS – I WAS BEING PULLED OUT OF CLASS AND I KNEW I HAD TROUBLE
CONNECTING WITH PEOPLE. I KEPT ON BABBLING AND BABBLING BECAUSE I WAS OBSESSED WITH
THINGS AND I HAD TROUBLE MAKING FRIENDS. AND SO -- SO, I ACTUALLY WENT UNDER A NUMBER OF
TESTS AND THEN STANFORD UNIVERSITY WHEN I WAS ABOUT 9 YEARS OLD, THEY DIAGNOSED ME WITH
ASPERGER’S. I KIND OF HAD AN IDEA. UNTIL I STARTED SEEING A THERAPIST, WHO WAS NOW – I HAD A
GREAT THERAPY AT A CLINIC CALLED BAY AREA SPEECH. JENNIFER HAD BEEN A GREAT HELP FOR ALL
THESE YEARS. AND I LEARNED THAT MY DAD ALSO HAD ASPERGER’S BEFORE HE DIED AND I FELT THAT
HE KIND OF PASSED THAT ON TO ME. AT FIRST I HATED HIM BECAUSE I WAS NOT CONNECTING WELL WITH
FRIENDS. BUT AFTER, WHEN I WAS STARTING IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND HIGH SCHOOL, I STARTED TO
ACCEPT IT AND I WAS PRETTY FUNNY AND PEOPLE LIKED ME AND I JOINED SPORTS. I DIDN’T FEEL LIKE AN
OUTCAST. AND THAT’S WHEN I FOUND OUT. I WAS DIAGNOSED AT A REALLY EARLY AGE.
JOE SPECTOR: THANK YOU. MELANIE?
>> FOR ME IT WAS KIND OF A LONG STORY. I WAS ONLY ABOUT 8 OR 9 WHEN I WAS TOLD I HAD
ASPERGER’S SYNDROME. BUT BACK WHEN I WAS A BABY, I HAD A STROKE AT BIRTH, A COUPLE HOURS
TO A COUPLE DAYS AFTER I WAS BORN. AND I HAD A SEIZURE AND I WAS IN THE AMBULANCE AND
RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL SO THE DOCTORS COULD FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH ME. AND
THE PART THAT MESSED UP MY BRAIN WAS THE ANALYTICAL PART, WHICH IS THE WAY TO DEAL WITH
NUMBERS. AND AROUND 8 TO 9 YEARS LATER, I WAS IN A CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL FOR AN MRI TO SEE
WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. AND THEY SAW SOMETHING IN THE BRAIN AND THEY WERE LIKE, SHE HAS GOT
AUTISM. AND SO IT WAS OKAY, WHAT IS THAT? AND THEY TOLD ME WHAT IT WAS, AND STILL AT THE TIME
I WAS NOT SURE WHAT IT WAS, BUT I DO HAVE SYMPTOMS OF AUTISM AND STILL DO TODAY.
>> YES IT WAS, AND IT TOOK ME UNTIL AROUND MIDDLE SCHOOL DO FULLY UNDERSTAND IT.
JOE SPECTOR: THERE IS SO MUCH TO LEARN AND I’M STILL LEARNING NOW.
>> EXACTLY. BEFORE I TELL MY FRIENDS, THEY SAY THAT THEY DON’T EVEN NOTICE THE
ASPERGER’S AT ALL.
JOE SPECTOR: WHAT WE SEE IS VERY DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS AND A DIFFERENT SET OF SKILLS
CHALLENGES THAT THEY BRING TO CAMPUS. SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT YOU’RE SEEING HAD NO
SUPPORT AT ALL IN HIGH SCHOOL AND HAD A 4.0 PLUS. AND OTHERS THAT GOT MODERATE SUPPORTS.
AND WE HAVE MANY STUDENTS COMING TO CAMPUSES AND INTENSIVE EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAMS.
APPLIED BEHAVIORAL ANALYSIS PROGRAMS WHERE THEY HAVE 20 TO 40 HOURS A WEEK OF INTENSIVE
SERVICES. ALL THE GROUPS ARE COMING TO DAVIS AND THEY BRING A VERY DIFFERENT SET OF
CHALLENGES.
VIDEO:
JOE SPECTOR: WHAT IS THE GREATEST CHALLENGE YOU FACED WHEN YOU WERE YOUNGER? PICK
UP ONE CHALLENGE IN PARTICULAR. SO START WITH MORGAN, WHAT WAS YOUR GREATEST CHALLENGE
WHEN YOU WERE YOUNGER?
>> THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION. SO, THE DIFFICULTY GETTING ALONG WITH OTHER PEOPLE.
REALLY THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE WAS TO UNDERSTAND THEM. THEY DIDN’T QUITE MAKE SENSE TO ME.
IT IS JUST LIKE THEY TEASED ME. I COULD NEVER UNDERSTAND WHY IT WAS JUST ME AND NOT OTHER
PEOPLE. AND WHY LIKE I WOULD GET BADGERED. I DON’T KNOW, IT JUST DIDN’T MAKE SENSE WHY. I
REALLY HAD DIFFICULTIES MAKING FRIENDS. I WAS JUST NOT SOCIAL AND STILL SOMETIMES TODAY I’M
NOT SOCIAL. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY NOW, I STILL EXPERIENCE THE CHALLENGES MAKING FRIENDS AND
HAVING A SOCIAL LIFE.
JOE SPECTOR: YOUR GREATEST CHALLENGE WHEN YOU WERE YOUNG IS STILL A CHALLENGE THAT
FOLLOWS YOU TO THIS DAY?
>> YES, BUT IT WAS OF A MUCH LARGER MAGNITUDE THE FURTHER BACK I LOOK.
JOE SPECTOR: GARRET, WHAT WAS YOUR GREATEST CHALLENGE?
>> IT WAS MAINLY – WAS MAINLY THE SAME AS – WAS ACTUALLY THE SAME AS MORGAN. BUT I
KIND OF GOT A BIT BETTER AT IT WHEN I WAS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL A TINY BIT. BUT MAINLY IT WAS COPING
WITH MY DAD’S DEATH. BECAUSE – BECAUSE IT WAS JUST ABOUT TWO YEARS AFTER I WAS DIAGNOSED
WITH ASPERGER’S, TO LOSE MY DAD, KIND OF PUT A MAJOR – FORCED ME TO RETREAT INTO A SHELL.
AND THAT WAS KIND OF HARD TO CRACK. SO I KIND OF DID HAVE A HARD TIME MOVING ON FROM THAT.
BECAUSE HE AND I WERE LIKE VERY CLOSE, HE WAS MORE THAN A FATHER. HE WAS LIKE A BIG
BROTHER THAT I HAD, THAT I NEVER HAD, MY ROCK. AND WE HAD SO MUCH FUN TOGETHER. HE WOULD
LIKE COME TO MY CLASS AND TEACH ART AND ALSO HE WAS MY SCOUT LEADER. HE INCLUDED ME,
BECAUSE WE WERE BOTH INTO TRAINING. AND I’M STILL GRIEVING EVERY DAY, BUT I KNEW THAT HE
WANTED ME TO BE HERE BECAUSE AFTER HE DIED, HE LEFT ME AND MY SISTER A COLLEGE FUND FOR US
TO USE TO FINANCE OUR EDUCATION.
JOE SPECTOR: THAT IS A LOT TO DEAL WITH FOR A YOUNG FELLOW.
>> EXACTLY. AND EVEN TO THIS DAY, I HAVE SOME DIFFICULTIES MAINTAINING A SOCIAL LIFE. BUT
I WAS A BIT OF A BAD ROOMMATE LAST YEAR BECAUSE I TREATED MY ROOMMATE LIKE CRAP.
JOE SPECTOR: BUT YOU ARE WORKING ON IT?
>> YES, I AM. AND I HAVE TWO NEW ROOMMATES NOW.
JOE SPECTOR: MOVING ON TO MELANIE. WHAT DO YOU THINK WAS THE GREATEST CHALLENGE
YOU FACED WHEN YOU WERE YOUNGER?
>> THERE ARE TOO MANY.
JOE SPECTOR: PICK ONE.
>> IT IS MAINLY CONTROLLING MY ANGER TOWARDS PEOPLE. IT IS LIKE I STILL DO IT TODAY. I
TELL MY ROOMMATES, I DON’T LIKE THIS AND I GET ALL MAD ABOUT IT. I EVEN DID THAT IN HOME. IT WAS
GENERALLY WHEN I DID NOT GET SOMETHING THAT I WANTED, I JUST EITHER GO RUN INTO A CLOSET AND
BASICALLY LIKE ALMOST HARMING MYSELF. BUT I AM NOT DEAD YET. AND I DON’T PLAN ON BEING DEAD.
THE ANGER, I CAN GET PRETTY VIOLENT AS IN LIKE SMACKING MY SIBLINGS BECAUSE WHEN I HAVE HAD –
WHEN MY ANGER HAS REALLY GOTTEN REALLY OUT OF HAND, I HAVE BEEN REFERRED TO A BEHAVIOR
SPECIALIST. AND HE CAME TO MY HOUSE AND ASKED HOW I AM DOING? AND EVERYBODY ANSWERED
THAT I’M NOT DOING SO WELL. AND I’VE ALSO BEEN REFERRED TO A SOCIAL WORKER BY MY PRIMARY
CARE DOCTOR BACK HOME. AND ONE OF THE QUESTIONS SHE ASKED ME, WHAT AM I DOING TO
CONTRIBUTE TO HARMONY IN THE HOME? I TELL HER, I HAVEN’T HAD MELT DOWNS FOR ANY SUCH AND
SUCH DAY. AND SHE SAID SHE LIKES THAT. AND I EVEN HAVE PEOPLE NOW TODAY, ASK ME, WELL, WHAT
ARE YOU DOING? AND THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHERE I SERIOUSLY COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT’S
GOING ON WITH ME. AND I HAVE ANGER ISSUES FOR THE PAST 22 YEARS OF MY LIFE.
JOE SPECTOR: THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT. I KNOW IT IS STRESSFUL SITUATIONS AND IT IS
OBVIOUS TO ME THAT YOU’VE GROWN A LOT IN THAT AREA. KEVIN, WHAT WAS THE GREATEST
CHALLENGE FOR YOU?
>> MY GREATEST CHALLENGE, I HAVE A FEW OF THE SAME ELEMENTS THAT OTHER PEOPLE FACED
AS WELL. WHEN I WAS YOUNG, MY BIGGEST PROBLEM WAS EMPATHIZING WITH PEOPLE. HOW PEOPLE
WOULD SEE ME AND HOW PEOPLE WOULD FEEL WITH WHAT I SAY AND DO. I WAS VERY, VERY – I WAS A
VERY INWARD PERSON. INTROVERT, IS REALLY ALONE. YOU ONLY SEE THINGS AS RELATES TO YOU.
EVEN THOUGH I HAD A HUGE INTEREST IN RAISING FISH, AQUARIUM, I DID NOT REALIZE THAT PEOPLE DID
NOT HAVE A SIMILAR INTEREST. I WENT OFF AND RANTED ON BE HOBBIES THAT PEOPLE DID NOT HAVE AS
MUCH INTEREST AS I DID. AND THAT WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.
AT SOME POINT I DID DEVELOP A SENSE OF SELF-AWARENESS ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON. THERE WAS
JUST ONE DAY AND IT HAPPENED. PEOPLE AREN’T INTERESTED IN HEARING THIS. THEY ARE DIFFERENT
BEINGS THAT DON’T SHARE THE SAME LIKES THAT I DO. IT WAS FROM THAT SENSE OF THIS KIND OF
AWARENESS THAT EVENTUALLY CULMINATED INTO WHAT IT IS TODAY. TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW
OTHER PEOPLE SEE IT AND BEING AWARE OF HOW MY ACTIONS ARE PERCEIVED.
END:
JOE SPECTOR: WE HAVE THE NEXT QUESTION AND WE WILL SAVE THAT UNTIL THE VERY END IF WE
HAVE TIME. AND THE LAST QUESTION IS WHAT ARE YOUR CHALLENGES HERE AT UC DAVIS. BUT I
WANTED TO GIVE PEOPLE A CHANCE TO ASK QUESTIONS AS WELL. IF YOU WANT TO COME FORWARD.
JOSHUA, JUST IN CASE THERE ARE QUESTIONS, WILL YOU BE AVAILABLE?
I THINK WE’RE OPEN FOR QUESTIONS NOW AND AT THE END, IF WE HAVE A FEW MINUTES WE’LL SEE THE
REST OF THE VIDEO. THANKS FOR COMING JENNIFER. OKAY, QUESTIONS?
>> I HAVE A QUESTION FOR KEVIN. HI KEVIN. YOU REMIND ME A LOT OF MY SON, HE IS 15. IF YOU
COULD GIVE ADVISE TO YOUR PARENTS, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
>> PUT ME OUT THERE. REALLY PUT ME OUT THERE. I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST WAYS MY
PARENTS COULD HAVE HELPED ME WAS PUSH ME OUT OF THE HOUSE AND PUSH ME TO INTERACT WITH
OTHER PEOPLE. THAT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN THE SINGLE BIGGEST HELP TO MY LIFE WHEN I WAS
YOUNGER IS PUTTING ME OUT THERE AND MAKING ME INTERACT WITH OTHER PEOPLE. SO LIKE, SIGNING
ME UP FOR EVEN MORE SPORTS TEAMS, GOING TO THE EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES.
PATRICIA SCHETTER: IT IS INTERESTING THAT KEVIN ANSWERED THAT WAY BECAUSE THAT IS
ACTUALLY ONE OF THE THINGS WE LOOK AT THE RESEARCH, KIDS ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM WHO ARE
INVOLVED EARLY ON IN EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, HAVE BETTER OUTCOMES. EVEN MORE THAN ANY
OTHER SERVICE OR SUPPORT THAT IS PUT IN PLACE, IS THE EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES THAT HAVE A
HUGE IMPACT.
JOE SPECTOR: AND A CONCEPT THAT I WON’T GET TO TOO MUCH, IF I GET AROUND TO WRITING A
PAPER, IT IS GOING TO BE ABOUT WHAT I CALL AVOIDANCE. ANXIETY-RELATED AVOIDANCE. I SEE A
GROUP THAT TENDS TO AVOID ACTIVITIES, CRITICAL ACTIVITIES. SEEING THE DEAN’S OFFICE ADVISOR OR
HOUSING AND DOING THINGS THAT THEY NEED TO TAKE CARE OF. AND THE COST CAN BE VERY HIGH. I
THINK AS ADVISORS, PARENTS, AS A GROUP THAT SUPPORTS THE STUDENTS, WE NEED TO HELP THEM
PROMOTE THEIR OWN ENGAGEMENT, WHICH IS PART OF THAT SELF-DETERMINATION. ANXIETY IS A
FEELING INSIDE. AVOIDANCE AND ENGAGEMENT ARE BEHAVIORAL CONCEPTS. AND STUDENTS NEED TO
ENGAGE RATHER THAN AVOID. THAT IS WHAT KEVIN IS SAYING. DON’T LET US AVOID THINGS, GET US OUT
THERE.
>> AND TO BUILD ON THAT, TO PREVENT MYSELF FROM AVOIDING SITUATIONS, I STOPPED PLAYING
VIDEO GAMES AND I HAD LESS REASON TO STAY INSIDE THE HOUSE ALONE.
JOE SPECTOR: AND WHAT PEOPLE ARE FINDING, VIDEO GAMES PER SAY ARE NOT BAD, IS HOW
THEY REPLACE ACTIVITIES THAT ARE IMPORTANT. GREAT QUESTION. OTHER QUESTIONS?
>> SO, RESOURCES FOR FACULTY AND ADVISORS AND PROGRAM DIRECTORS TO HAVE ACCESS TO
GET BETTER TRAINING.
JOE SPECTOR: WHAT WE’RE TRYING TO DO, WE’RE TRYING TO HAVE A LIAISON FOR, SO THEY CAN
PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION. MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO THE DEPARTMENTS AND PATTY AND I HELP
WITH SOME OF THE DEAN’S OFFICE. AND WE HAVE TALKED TO HOUSING STAFF AND OTHERS. WE WILL GO
OUT AND DO THAT. THERE IS ALSO A DVD THAT I LOOKED AT A COUPLE TIMES. I THINK IT IS AN
INSTRUCTOR’S GUIDE TO AUTISM. IT IS PRETTY GOOD. IT IS A GOOD INTRODUCTORY ITEM.
SO I THINK BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES AND THE MEMBERS AND TRAINING, THAT IS A
START. IT IS A MAJOR PROJECT AND AS PATTY SAYS, IT IS A TSUNAMI COMING. THANK YOU FOR ASKING.
PATRICIA SCHETTER: I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT AT THE U.C. DAVIS M.I.N.D. INSTITUTE, WE HAVE A
RESOURCE CENTER THAT IS STAFFED BY FAMILIES AS WELL AS BY SEVERAL OF OUR STAFF FROM OUR
CENTER. AND THAT’S ALWAYS ACCESSIBLE AND AVAILABLE. AS WELL AS ALL OF THE VIDEOS THAT ARE
FREE AND ACCESSIBLE THROUGH THE M.I.N.D. INSTITUTE WEBSITE. IF YOU ARE REALLY LOOKING FOR
MORE IN DEPTH TRAINING, WE WORK WITH U.C. DAVIS EXTENSION TO DEVELOP ON LINE TRAINING IN
AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS. AND THE FIRST COURSE IS INTENDED FOR A BROAD AUDIENCE TO
DEVELOP A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF AUTISM. THOSE ARE ALSO RESOURCES, NOT NECESSARILY
HERE ON CAMPUS, BUT ACCESSIBLE AND AVAILABLE TO ANYONE.
I PUT THIS UP THERE SO YOU GUYS TO HAVE ACCESS TO IT. THIS IS A FREE RESOURCE. UNDERSTANDING
ASPERGER’S, A PROFESSOR’S GUIDE. AND THERE ARE AMAZING WEB RESOURCES OUT THERE. ANOTHER
THAT IS FREE THAT HAS A LOT OF INFORMATION ABOUT YOUTH IN TRANSITION AND YOUNG ADULTS WITH
AUTISM. THAT IS CALLED THE AUTISM INTERVENT MODELS. YOU CAN GOOGLE THAT AND IT IS LOADED
WITH FREE TRAINING RESOURCES FOR THE COMMUNITY. AND THERE ARE SOME SPECIFICALLY FOR
INSTRUCTORS AND COLLEGE STAFF. THE IMPORTANT THING IS, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU START GOING ON
LINE AND TYPING IN AUTISM RESOURCES, IS TO REALLY KNOW WHAT’S VALID AND WHAT’S A GOOD
RESOURCE. YOU CAN GOOGLE AUTISM INTERVENTIONS AND COME UP WITH PROBABLY A BILLION
DIFFERENT HITS.
SO ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN FIND THAT IS LINKED THERE OUR M.I.N.D. INSTITUTE WEBSITE IS
USUALLY IS VETTED AS A GOOD RESOURCE. THIS IS ONE. SO TOO, ARE THE AUTISM MODULES. I
RECOMMEND THOSE FOR YOU.
>> BACK TO THE PARENTING QUESTION. I HAVE A 13-YEAR-OLD WHO IS PRETTY HIGH
FUNCTIONING. HE IS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR THE FIRST YEAR AND HE TENDS TO WANT TO BE VERY
HAPPY STAYING HOME BY HIMSELF AFTER SCHOOL. I AM WONDERING, HE DOESN’T WANT SPECIAL
ATTENTION, HE DOESN’T WANT TO – NOT VERY RECEPTIVE TO ME NUDGING HIM TO DO EXTRACURRICULAR
ACTIVITIES. HE KIND OF GETS ANGRY AND HOSTILE. I’M WONDERING, FROM MAYBE HIS PERSPECTIVE OR
YOURS AS A LITTLE BIT OLDER, IF YOU HAD EXPERIENCED ANY OF THAT. LIKE ANGER AT YOUR PARENTS
OR REALLY DIGGING IN AND NOT WANTING TO DO ANYTHING. JUST WONDERING IF YOU HAD EXPERIENCE.
>> I WAS EXACTLY LIKE THAT. I HATED DOING ANY EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES BECAUSE I
DIDN’T SEE THE SIGNIFICANT. NOW BEING 22 YEARS OLD, I WISH MY PARENTS PUSHED ME OUT. I KNOW
MY MOM AND DAD WERE TIRED OF PUSHING ME OUT OF THE HOUSE AND THEY KIND OF GAVE UP, NOT
REALLY, BUT JUST DID NOT PUSH AS HARD. IN RETROSPECT.
>> THAT IS WHAT I WILL TELL HIM.
JOE SPECTOR: ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SOME SCHOOLS HAVE IS A PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM. I
THINK A LOT OF INFORMATION PEERS HAVE IS POWERFUL. I CAN’T OVER STATE THE NEED FOR SELF
DETERMINATION. FOR STUDENTS AT A YOUNG AGE TAKING OVER RESPONSIBILITY. RATHER THAN BEING
DRIVEN FROM BEHIND, BUT PULLING FROM THE FRONT. IF YOU LOOK AT STUDENTS WHO ARE
SUCCESSFUL HERE, STUDENTS GAIN THE SKILLS. RIGHT AWAY WHEN I MEET AND I HEAR A PARENT
CALLING RATHER THAN A STUDENT, THAT STUDENT SHOULD BE DEVELOPING THE SKILLS. THE YOUNGER
THEY ARE, THE EASIER IT IS TO TEACH THEM. I UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGE. KEVIN GAVE US ADVISE.
BUT THE MORE YOU CAN BRING IT TO PEERS, IT IS A TOUGH CALL.
>> HE IS AT THE POINT WHERE HE DOESN’T THINK HE NEEDS ANY OF THAT.
JOE SPECTOR: IT IS A CLICHÉ, YOU CAN BRING A HORSE TO WATER. TO ME, OBSERVING THE
PARENT/CHILD RELATIONSHIP IS THE HIGHEST. IF YOU MAINTAIN THAT RELATIONSHIP ALL THROUGH LIFE
AND THE MODELING, THAT IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT. I REALLY BELIEVE IN THE FAMILY SYSTEM. AS A
PARENT MYSELF, I SEE MYSELF AS SORT OF A CATTLE DOG. NIPPING FROM BEHIND.
PATRICIA SCHETTER: SOMETHING TO CONSIDER, I THINK A LOT OF TIMES WE TEND TO STEER
YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE SEVERAL INTERESTS IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION. CAN ACTUALLY BE ONE OF
THE BEST VEHICLES FOR SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS. IF HE HAS A PARTICULAR PASSION OR INTEREST AREA,
TRYING TO FIND A GROUP THAT SHARES THAT PASSION OR INTEREST AREA. EVEN IF IT MEANS DRIVING A
LITTLE WAYS ONCE A WEEK AND THAT SORT OF THING MANY HAVING THAT COMMON BASIS OF INTEREST
AND THEN ESTABLISHING RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE WHO REALLY ARE AS PASSIONATE ABOUT THAT
THING AS THEY ARE. I HAD ONE YOUNG MAN, WHO MUCH LIKE KEVIN DESCRIBED, ALL HE WANTED TO DO
WAS PLAY VIDEO GAMES. BUT HE WAS IN TO AIRPLANES AND THE MOM FOUND THE CIVIL AIR PA PATROL
AND BROUGHT HIM TO THAT.
JOE SPECTOR: THERE IS A GROWING BODY OF RESEARCH AND PROGRAMS USING TECHNOLOGY TO
HELP PEOPLE OUT. IT SOUNDS LIKE A PARADOX TO ME. AND JOSHUA IS AVAILABLE TO TALK TO YOU
ABOUT SOME OF THE TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGES THAT ARE GOING ON TO HELP THEM IN COLLEGE AND
PERHAPS EVEN IN GAINING SELF-DETERMINATION.
>> I’VE BEEN READING ABOUT SOME OF THE LITERATURE THAT IS OUT THERE ABOUT THE BRAIN
CONNECTION AND I WAS WONDERING, CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO THAT? IS THERE ANY
INFORMATION ABOUT ATTRITIONAL ISSUES RELATED TO AUTISM?
PATRICIA SCHETTER: THE ONLY THING I CAN SEE IS EVERYTHING IS SUSPECT AND EVERYTHING IS
BEING RESEARCHED AND STUDIED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE CONNECTIONS ARE. STATISTICALLY WE DO
SEE A HIGHER NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM AND WE HAVE SOME KIND OF INTESTINAL OR GUT
CHALLENGE ISSUES, BUT WE DON’T YET KNOW WHAT THE RELATIONSHIP IS. IT IS BEING LOOKED AT AND
STUDIED. THERE ARE A LOT OF CURATIVE AND ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES TO TREATING AUTISM THAT
ARE OUT THERE. SOME OF THEM, YOU KNOW, HAVE WONDERFUL CLAIMS, BUT NONE OF THEM HAVE YET
BEEN VALIDATED BY REPLICATED STUDIES. WHEN FAMILIES ASK ABOUT THOSE KINDS OF TREATMENTS,
THEY REALLY SHOULD BE WORKING WITH THE PHYSICIAN TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER IT
IS THEY ARE USING OR TRYING IS NOT INTERACTING SOMEHOW WITH SOMETHING THAT THEY ARE DOING.
OR IF THERE ARE POTENTIALS FOR THEM TO BE ADVERSE EFFECTS THAT THEY ARE AWARE AND
MONITORING THOSE.
JOE SPECTOR: I WAS TALKING THIS LAST WEEK WITH A DEVELOPMENTAL PEDIATRICIAN AND WAS
WORKING WITH ANOTHER HOSPITAL RELATED TO AUTISM. AND ONE OF THE CHALLENGES OF FINDING,
THERE ARE MERCURY AND MEASLE SHOTS AND ALL THE TOXINS. BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE PEOPLE
WITH AUTISM AS ONE GROUP OR ONE SPECTRUM, IT IS HARD TO FIND POSITIVE RESULTS. IF THEY CAN
BREAK CERTAIN RISK GROUPS DOWN AND RESEARCH THEM, I THINK WE’RE GOING TO LEARN A LOT
MORE. I DON’T KNOW IF THAT MAKES SENSE. IT COULD BE THAT THIS WHOLE GROUP, IT IS AFFECTED BY
MEASLES, MUMPS, TETANUS. THE SHOT WITH MERCURY. BUT THEY ARE NOT FINDING POSITIVE
CORRELATION. BREAKING DOWN GROUPS, IT IS HARD TO FIND IT.
>> I’M FROM THE INTERNSHIP AND CAREER CENTER AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT IS GOING TO BE
ANOTHER PRETTY BIG RUB FOR US. THE CAMPUS IS GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR NOT ONLY
MAINTAINING A GOOD SUCCESSFUL STUDENT, BUT SOMEONE WHO LAUNCHES SUCCESSFULLY. I WONDER
IN YOUR RESOURCE REVIEW IF YOU’VE SEEN ANYTHING. I’M LOOKING A BIT AND THERE IS LITTLE OUT
THERE.
PATRICIA SCHETTER: WHAT YOU’RE SAYING ABOUT INTERNSHIPS IS IMPORTANT. HAVING THE
WORK EXPERIENCES AND HAVING INTERNSHIPS AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO NEED TO REALLY
WORK ON DEVELOPING. A COUPLE OF GOOD RESOURCES FOR YOU, FIRST OFF, COME TO OUR RESOURCE
CENTER. I’M INVITING YOU TO COME TO OUR RESOURCE CENTER. AND STAFF THERE, STEVE, WHO IS
WORKING TO REALLY EXPAND THE INTERNSHIPS. HE WAS A JOB DEVELOPER AND HE CAN GIVE YOU
REALLY GOOD INFORMATION AND RESOURCES. BUT DEFINITELY A REALLY IMPORTANT THING FOR US TO
BE WORKING ON AND LOOKING AT.
THE OTHER THING IS THERE IS A GROUP HERE IN CALIFORNIA CALLED THE TRANSITION ALLIANCE.
YOU CAN GOOGLE THEM AND FIND THEM EASILY. AND THEIR PRIMARY FOCUS HAS BEEN ON K12
EDUCATION AND WORKING WITH WORKABILITY AND THE INTERNSHIPS PROGRAMS. BUT I KNOW THEY
WOULD BE INTERESTED IN HEARING FROM THE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES AND SHARING RESOURCES
AND EXPANDING OUT SOME OF THE THINGS THIS THEY ARE DOING TO HELP SUPPORT WHAT IS GOING ON
IN THE OLDER GRADES AND POST SECONDARY ED.
>> I NOTICED THAT SOME OF THE KIDS HAD GONE TO TWO YEAR COLLEGES TRANSFERRED. ARE
THERE ANY TRENDS TERMS OF OVERALL SUCCESS? IN TERMS OF KIDS TO COME STRAIGHT FROM THE
12TH GRADE CLASSROOM VERSUS THOSE WHO TRANSITION?
JOE SPECTOR: ONE OF THE HANDOUTS, THE TOP GPA WHICH IS AROUND 3.0, EITHER PEOPLE START
AS FRESHMEN. THE LOWER GROUP IS THE TRANSFER. BUT NOT BY MUCH. THEY ARE VERY CLOSE. TO
ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I DON’T SEE GROUP TRENDS. I SEE INTERNAL TRENDS. I JUST GOT AN E-MAIL
ABOUT A STUDENT BEING DISMISSED, SAID SHE WAS NOT READY TO COME HERE AND HAS GONE BACK TO
COMMUNITY COLLEGE. THE ADVANTAGE IS, YOU CAN GET A LOT OF THE BASICS OUT OF THE WAY AND
THERE ARE HIGHER LEVELS OF SUPPORT. IT IS A MORE CENTRALIZED MODEL. THE DISADVANTAGE OF
MOST COMMUNITY COLLEGES, YOU ARE ON A SEMESTER SYSTEM, AND YOU HAVE TO ADJUST TO.
SMALLER CLASS SIZE AND HIGHER LEVELS OF SUPPORT. I DON’T SEE A TREND, I THINK IT IS AN
INDIVIDUAL QUESTION. I AM SO CLOSE TO THE MIDDLE ON THIS PROJECT. I GET CALLED ABOUT THAT
EVERY WEEK. IF I LEAN THIS MUCH, IS TOWARDS STARTING AS A FRESHMAN IF YOU CAN. BECAUSE THE
COURSES ARE INCREMENTAL HERE. THERE ARE FRESHMAN SEMINARS AND YOU HAVE FOUR YEARS TO
ADJUST. COMING HERE AS A TRANSFER STUDENT, YOU ONLY HAVE TWO YEARS. IT HAPPENS QUICKLY.
BUT IT IS 50/50, AS FAR AS GPAS, THEY ARE ABOUT THE SAME.
>> THANK YOU.
>> DO YOU THINK IN GENERAL, STUDENTS WITH ASPERGER’S DO BETTER AT SEMESTER SYSTEM
SCHOOLS BECAUSE OF THE TIME MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL ISSUES?
JOE SPECTOR: BUT THEIR REPORT, THEY DO. IT KIND OF MAKES SENSE IN A WAY. IF YOU TALK
ABOUT THE EXTRA TIME AND SETTING UP STUDY SYSTEMS, VISUAL LEARNING SYSTEMS. JOSHUA HAS
APPLICATIONS, BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE TIME TO GET INTO IT TO USE IT. SO, YES. EVERYTHING ELSE
BEING EQUAL. WE DON’T HAVE ANY INTERNAL SYSTEMS IN THE COLLEGES ON THAT. SOMETIMES IT IS A
COMPROMISE.
ONE THING THAT IS NICE, YOU GET MORE OF A VARIETY ON THE QUARTER SYSTEM. THE FEEDBACK I
GET, MELANIE WAS ADAMANT ABOUT HOW HARD THE QUARTER SYSTEM IS FOR HER VERSUS THE
SEMESTER SYSTEM.
>> I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT ADVISING. I KNOW YOU MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT BEING MORE
SPECIFIC AND BEING MORE TASK-ORIENTED. BUT AS ADVISORS, WE’RE NOT ALWAYS PRIVY TO THE
INFORMATION ABOUT THE STUDENTS WITH PARTICULAR NEEDS. ARE THERE WAYS WE CAN ASK THE
STUDENT HOW THEY’D LIKE TO PROCEED? IN TERMS OF THE DECENTRALIZATION MODEL, IS THERE
SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO? DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVISE OR SUGGESTIONS HOW WE CAN BETTER
SUPPORT THE STUDENTS?
JOE SPECTOR: FIRST OF ALL I DON’T RECOMMEND THAT YOU ASK THEM IF THEY HAVE A DISABILITY.
AS MUCH AS PEOPLE DO THAT. YOU HAVE TO HAVE OBJECTIVE OBSERVATIONS AND USE YOUR GUT AS
WELL. SOME OF THE THINGS WE’RE TALKING ABOUT, THE DIAGNOSIS ISN’T THAT CRITICAL. IF YOU ARE
SENSING THAT THEY ARE HAVING DIFFICULTIES IN INTERACTIONS, INTERACTING WITH YOU AND THEY ARE
HAVING TROUBLE TAKING IN INFORMATION WHICH MAY BE BECAUSE THEY ARE LEARNING IN IMAGES,
THAT MIGHT BE THE BEST THAT YOU CAN DO. OVER TIME, I KNOW SOME STUDENTS WISH TO TELL THEIR
ADVISORS THAT THEY HAVE AUTISM. AND THAT CAN BE HELPFUL. BUT I DON’T RECOMMEND IT OR
PROMOTE THAT OR DO THAT MYSELF. SO YOU HAVE TO USE YOUR INTUITION A LOT. WATCH WHAT THEY
DO, SENSING THE LANGUAGE PATTERNS, SENSING WHAT THEY CAN TAKE ON. IN MANY CASES THEY
EVENTUALLY SELF DISCLOSE SOMETHING. THEY COME INTO THE STUDENT DISABILITY CENTER, OR
ADVISING. I KNOW THAT IS NOT A PERFECT ANSWER, BUT IT IS PROBABLY AS CLOSE AS WE CAN GET.
HOW ABOUT IF WE SPEND THE LAST FEW MINUTES TO LOOK AT THE LAST QUESTION. DOES THAT
SOUND ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING. SORRY ABOUT THE AUDIO AND VISUAL STUFF. I HOPE
YOU GET THE GIST OF WHAT THE FILM IS SAYING. THE LAST QUESTION, IS WHAT HAVE BEEN SOME OF
YOUR CHALLENGES AT UC DAVIS?
VIDEO:
JOE SPECTOR: AS A UC STUDENT, WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST CHALLENGE?
>> OBVIOUSLY SINCE I’M A TRANSFER STUDENT, COMING FROM A SEMESTER SYSTEM, I FIND THAT
ADAPTING TO THE QUARTER SYSTEM IS A BIT OF A CHALLENGE. AND WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE IN THE
FALL, IT WAS LIKE, EVEN BEFORE I CAME IN THE FALL, I HAD ALL OF MY COLLEGE APPLICATIONS AND I
GOT 6 YESES 1 NO. SO I DECIDED TO PICK UC DAVIS BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY I KNEW SOME PEOPLE HERE.
AND I KNEW IT WAS ON A QUARTER SYSTEM AND I THOUGHT TO TRY FALL QUARTER AND SEE HOW IT
GOES. OKAY. SHABBY GRADES THAT IS NOT SO GOOD, AND I’M STILL HAVING PROBLEMS ADJUSTING TO
THE QUARTER SYSTEM.
JOE SPECTOR: IT IS VERY FAST, MIDTERMS IN THE THIRD WEEK. IT IS VERY DIFFERENT. THE
SEMESTER SYSTEM ABOUT 15 OR 16 WEEKS?
>> 18.
JOE SPECTOR: ALMOST TWICE AS LONG. THANKS MELANIE. KEVIN, WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST
CHALLENGE HERE AT UC.
>> SOMETHING THAT MY GREATEST CHALLENGE I WOULD SAY IS SOMETHING FAR AHEAD IN THE
FUTURE. IT HAS TO DO WITH THE PROFESSION. I THINK IT WAS GETTING TO KNOW PEOPLE, BUILDING
CONNECTIONS. GETTING GRADES IS A LITTLE EASIER. YOU STUDY HARD, IT IS ALL GOING TO FALL INTO
THE RIGHT PLACES. GETTING INTERNSHIPS, JOBS, YOU GOT TO KNOW PEOPLE. YOU GOT TO GET THE
RIGHT CONNECTION. THAT IS THE TRICKY PART. SOCIALIZING PEOPLE, ESTABLISHING CONNECTIONS.
THAT IS TRICKY. FINDING JOBS THAT KIND OF THING.
>> THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING. LEAVE EVALS ON THE CHAIR.