Speeches
and Presentations
Anime Convention Presentation Outlines
(2015-2017)
Presentation
outlines for the three presentations that I regularly present at anime
conventions around the
Handwriting and Autism (2014)
My
portion of a poster session, in PowerPoint format, that discusses the issues
the individuals with ASD face with handwriting. Originally presented with
self-advocate Kate Gladstone.
Sexuality From
An Autistic Perspective (2014)
A
PowerPoint presentation about my unique perspective as a person with ASD on
sexuality. (NOTE: This presentation includes mature content.)
2014 Interagency Autism Coordinating
Committee (IACC) Public Comments (2014)
Written
submissions of the public comments presented to the Interagency Autism
Coordinating Committee, a U.S. federal advisory committee on autism, in 2014.
Biomedical Issues From An
Autistic Perspective: How Do We Experience Them?
Solo Version – (2013)
Co-Presentation with Ruth Snyder
– (2014)
Power Point slides from a presentation that
discusses biomedical issues that some people with autism face from an autistic
perspective, based on my biomedical history. Has been presented as a solo
presentation, and as a co-presentation with self-advocate Ruth Snyder.
“Are
You There World, It’s Me Autism?” Sample Presentation Outline (2012)
An
outline for a presentation that looks at autism from the perspective of how its
symptoms and differences mesh with cultures and society at large.
The Autism Camp Test (2010)
An
abridged version of a test written as part of a series of training materials
for summer camps for individuals with autism, with explanations for the answers
in the test.
In Search of the Proper Autistic Friend
(2006)
A
presentation that describes observations of young children I conducted during
volunteer work at a child care center. Based on these observations, this
presentation discusses potential difficulties that arise when autistic
individuals try to interact with their peers.
Understanding: The Free Therapy
(2004)
Most
people have a need to understand what they are doing at all times. In this
presentation, I describe possible things that can happen if that need is not
met.
A Whole New World (2000)
A
presentation that describes problems that autistic people encounter in their
daily lives with drama. This was the first presentation I wrote.
The Autism Empathy Test (2004)
A
presentation that discusses differences between autistic and neurotypical
abilities in the form of a test. It is also presented in the form of a
slide show.
What To
Do During An Autism Cataclysm (2005)
A
presentation written for special-ed teachers and parents of children with
autism that gives examples of problems that occur in a home or school
environment, and what should be done to mitigate those problems.
Auditory Training: My Personal
Experience and Thoughts (2005)
A
presentation that talks about this therapy, which I have had several times.
How Do Autism's Symptoms Relate
to Abilities of Non-Autistic People? (2005)
A
presentation written for middle school students that relates autism to issues that
occur in the daily lives of neurotypical individuals. Also available en Espanol.
My Unconventional Life with Autism
(2005)
A
presentation that discusses stories from my life, things I have observed, and
what can be learned from these stories.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of
Autism (2005)
A
presentation written for and presented to late elementary and middle school
students (4th to 8th grade) to teach autism awareness by referencing scenarios
from the Harry Potter book and film series.
The Role of Context in Defining
Autism (2006)
A
presentation written for professionals that discusses how our perception of a
behavior changes based on where the behavior took place, and when rules
sometimes don’t work.
The Importance of Critical
Thinking (2006)
A
presentation that discusses how conventional rules don't always work when
applied to autistic people. Situations are discussed that show when such rules
should be bent, and when conformity isn’t always a necessity.
Autism's Appearance in Books and
Film (2006)
A
presentation that describes the appearance of autistic symptoms in popular
culture, and what we can learn about autism from these examples.
Check It Out! A 3rd Grade Autism
Reading List (2006)
A
presentation for teachers that shows the appearance of autistic symptoms in
books that are usually assigned to or read by grade-school students.
Interviews
Interview
with Salena Briana, Special Education Student (2015)
An interview with Salena Briana, a
special education student at the
Interview with
Lisa Wiederlight, Executive Director of SafeMinds (2015)
An
interview with Lisa Wiederlight, the Executive
Director of SafeMinds, an awareness organization
based in Maryland, that teaches awareness of environmental issues related to
autism, for their blog.
Interview with Katie Anton,
Founder of In Writing Tutoring Milwaukee (2014)
An
interview with Katie Anton, the founder of In Writing Tutoring Milwaukee, an
organization that offers tutoring service for college-level writers in
Oakton Community College Autism
Interview (2011)
An
interview I gave with a student at
Essays
and Articles
A
combination of two linked papers written after conducting research at the
Center for Children’s Books (CCB) of the Graduate School of Library and
Information Science (GSLIS), at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Asexuality on the Autism Spectrum: A
Personal Perspective (2015)
An article about some of the struggles of asexual
individuals with autism, written for a forthcoming book on relationships by
Rachel Silverman.
Two Autistic Perspectives on the
Workforce (2013)
An article about employment issues and autism
co-written with autistic individual Rachel Silverman.
Guidelines for Teaching
Individuals with ASD In School Settings (From
A Student’s Perspective) (2012)
A blog post I wrote about about
10 things I believe are important for teachers to remember when educating
individuals with autism spectrum disorders. Originally written for the blog Autisable.
My First Adventures into Social Thinking (2012)
An
autobiographical essay about some of the unconventional social experiences I
experienced during my life that enhanced some of my social abilities,
originally written as an endorsement to Michelle Garcia Winner’s Social
Thinking curriculum. (Note: This essay contains mature content that may not be
suitable for young children.)
Possible Explanations Behind The Autistic Struggle To Understand Social Skills (2012)
A
thought experiment that discusses possible reasons for autistic struggles with
social skills and social interaction. Published on the Age of Autism’s website.
On Independence (2010)
An
essay about redefining what it means to be an independent adult with autism, as
well as different options for independence.
Written
for S.I. Focus.
Ask James Williams (2005)
A
column published in S.I. Focus, a
quarterly magazine.
On Curing Autism
(2004)
Essay
published in the book “The Sound of Falling Snow,” by Annabel Stehli.
Six Principles Of
Autistic Interaction (2005)
Essay
on the rules many autistic individuals use when they interact.
The Days of The Week (2004)
An
essay explaining the mathematics behind this savant skill.
A Tale Of
Two Daycares (2005)
An
essay that talks about the policies and rules of two daycare centers and the
lessons that can be learned from them.
Thoughts on the Mindset of
Individual People (2005)
An
essay I wrote that tries to explain why some people are unwilling to change
their beliefs or values, and why it’s not worth it to try to change them.
The Ten Commandments of Autism
Understanding (2006)
A
list of guidelines that should be considered when someone tries to understand
autism.
Miscellaneous
Dates
on a Calendar (2011)
A
one-act play telling a story of a social misunderstanding.
One-Way
Street / Music My Friend / In The Name of My Safety (2011/12)
Three
poems I wrote describing autistic ways of thinking, two of which I wrote for my
high school newspaper.
Highlights from the Q+A Blog (2010)
Archived
questions that I have been given from my Q+A blog, as well as my answers.
Recommended Viewing (2004)
A
list of movies that I enjoy, and recommend that people see them to enrich their
understanding of autism.
The Wescott
Alphabet (1996)
A
collection of photographs representing the alphabet, taken in 1996.
Information
about the author.
Links
to other autism web sites, courtesy of the website of autistic author Will
Rogers.