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Square Pegs: Autism in the Workplace

Four Steps for Sociopolitical Change. Dispelling stereotypesEducatingConnectingMoving forward for change. Autism is NOT

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Square Pegs: Autism in the Workplace

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    1. Square Pegs: Autism in the Workplace An exploration into dual citizenship (homosexuality and autism) and changing the work environment for everyone’s benefit. Presented for the Out & Equal conference in Minneapolis by Terry Walker, tiggerworld1 at earthlink.net, on 2003 October 2 Thursday. Full ASCII text at http://home.earthlink.net/~mellowtigger/conf/SquarePegs-20031002.html MS PowerPoint at http://home.earthlink.net/~mellowtigger/conf/SquarePegs-20031002.ppt

    3. Autism is NOT… Mental retardation Savant skill “Rain Main” Violent outbursts or complete withdrawal Obsessive-Compulsive behavior Developmental “phase” “Anti-social personality” Emotional impairment

    4. Autism Society of America (ASA) website

    5. Autism IS… Neurological difference Social disability Attention to limited topics of interest Explosion of alternative thoughts, or simple literal-mindedness

    6. Frequently encountered experiences Sensory integration problems Avoidance of crowded areas Digestive system problems Frequent inability to recognize, generate, or value deceptions Gaze aversion Notable memory for details Clumsy, uncoordinated Approximately 80% of autistics are male IQ scores previously thought to be low

    7. Some Autism History 1940s: Kanner’s and Asperger’s autism identified 1993: Asperger Syndrome enters DSM-IV

    9. Adults With Autism

    10. Autistic Strengths reviewed for the workplace Strong conceptualization skill Logical thinking Exceptional memory Attention to detail Honest, straightforward Intense focus Willing and able to learn great depth of information in specific field

    11. Autistic Weaknesses reviewed for the workplace Sensory sensitivities Need for sensory escapes or stimulations Slow to recognize people or objects Slow to verbalize Slow to shift attention Resists change to working procedures Unable/unwilling to navigate office politics Unable/unwilling to comply with some social norms Poor skill with extemporaneous speaking Poor understanding of metaphors

    12. Allies and Advocates

    13. Resource Group Suggestions Decide to become an Ally for the autistic community Subscribe to an autism magazine, and add it to your diversity library Get brochures/flyers from your local autism society, and give them to HR or your diversity library Tell HR that many autistics have a strong opinion that they should not reveal their autism to their employer unless absolutely necessary (great distrust), so education in HR departments is needed Give copy of this presentation to HR

    14. Workplace Accommodations Sensory Social Reactive/Planning

    15. Sensory Concession Allow use of incandescent lighting at work area Allow computer monitor/videocard with a high refresh rate Allow sunglasses, earplugs, headsets to block stimuli Allow workers to avoid attending meetings in rooms with permanent sensory problems Provide scent-free work areas Allow non-disruptive “stimming” devices and other coping behaviors in the work area Allow non-standard clothing if the standard issue is a sensory irritant

    16. Social Concessions Allow the circumvention of some difficult forms of communication Allow exemptions from attending group gatherings, always providing the same information in written or recorded form Allow exemptions from attending “team-building” events, or find new creative process for allowing autistic participation Allow exemptions from speaking before a group, instead use written material or substitute speaker Recognize that the worker may not join meal events unless they can bring their own food and drink Educate management and coworkers that “Look at me when we’re talking” is a counter-productive command, distracting the autistic worker rather than focusing their attention Educate management and coworkers that the autistic worker is easily distracted when given confusing or conflicting information Educate management and coworkers that they should avoid having different people give different instructions to the autistic worker

    17. Reactive/Planning Concessions Allow extra time to respond to bureaucratic forms, if they request it Always provide text material that matches verbal communication Allow extra time to respond to voice conversation Remind employees that they can request more frequent and/or more specific feedback Allow a reduction in the number of simultaneous tasks that the worker must cope with Allow flexible work hours Allow reduced work hours Expect resistance to changes in work procedures. Allow more time for them to adjust. Their complaints may not be intended as a hostile threat to authority. Make the requirements clear. Expect them to change slowly, but require them to change eventually. Give as much advance notice as possible for workplace changes.

    18. “Curing” Autism

    19. Metaphors for Autism “Vulcan” from Star Trek universe Geometric Linguistic “Engineer’s Disease” Saltwater fish in freshwater environment “Oops, Wrong Planet” syndrome

    20. Autism Vocabulary LFA HFA AS ASD "on the spectrum“ NT shadow traits/cousinhood AC sensory integration "stim" overload burnout perseveration nonverbal prosopagnosia echolalia savant ability

    21. Neurodiversity Vocabulary Rett Syndrome AD/HD OCD dyslexia Tourette's Syndrome depression bipolar disorder

    22. Theories of Autism neurobiological genetic socializing/systemizing theory of mind: "mindblind" exposure anxiety mercury poisoning "leaky gut" Topological "refrigerator mother"

    23. Counterpoint Epileptic seizures Chronic diarrhea Inability to understand language Inability to speak Head banging Finger biting Tourette’s Syndrome Inappropriate outbursts caused by frustration/overload Specific learning disabilities Painful hypersensitivity to touch, light, or sound Extreme withdrawal/isolation

    24. Resources (websites) Autistics.org http://www.autistics.org/library/whatis.html Autism Network International http://www.ani.ac/ and http://www.ani.ac/ASA_defn.html Asperger's Assc’n of New England http://www.aane.org/net_rsrc.html Autistic Advocacy by Frank Klein http://home.att.net/~ascaris1/ "Oops... Wrong Planet!" http://www.isn.net/~jypsy/ http://www.autismandcomputing.org.uk/ Autism Europe http://www.autismeurope.org/ University students with autism http://www.users.dircon.co.uk/~cns some Autistic projects http://www.sentex.net/~nexus23/ essay about mainstream handling of autism http://www.sentex.net/~nexus23/md_01.html

    25. Resources (movies and books) “Rain Main” “Equilibrium” “Finding Forrester” “Being There“ “Daredevil” “Elijah's Cup” by Valerie Paradiz "Autism: Explaining the Enigma, second edition" by Uta Frith “Women from Another Planet?” autobiographies compiled by Jean Kearns Miller "Asperger Syndrome and Long-Term Relationships" by Ashley Stanford "Nobody Nowhere" and "Somebody Somewhere" by Donna Williams "Thinking in Pictures" by Temple Grandin "The Essential Difference" by Simon Baron-Cohen

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