James Williams
Welcome
to my website on autism. I’m James Williams. I live in Northbrook ,
Illinois , a Chicago U.S. ,
and served on the leadership team for Camp
R.O.C.K.S.
On
my website, I have archived speeches I have given and the essays I have written
over the years. Scroll down to view the archives. To purchase my books online,
click on the book title links above, which will take you to the websites where
my books are sold.
If
you have any questions or comments, or would like to arrange for me to speak at
your conference, school, support group, or autism agency, you can find my
contact information here. Those interested in
arranging a presentation may look at a sample presentation contract here. You can also post your
question or comment here.
Click here to view my speaking and
appearance schedule.
Speeches
and Presentations / Essays / Miscellaneous
Speeches
and Presentations
Biomedical Issues From An Autistic
Perspective: How Do We Experience Them? (2013)
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.
“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.
Essays
A Response to the Tragedy in Newtown,
Connecticut (2012)
Originally written for a Facebook post on December
19, 2012.
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.
Oakton Community College Autism
Interview (2011)
An
interview I gave with a student at
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 Court of Expectations Is In
Session (2004)
A
letter I wrote that was presented in court arguing why Special Education
services should not be taken away from two autistic children.
The Power of Fear (2004)
An
essay that discusses the relationship between fear and autism.
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.
Recommended Viewing (2004)
A
list of movies that I enjoy, and recommend that people see them to enrich their
understanding of autism.
Miscellaneous
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.
Diary of a Kindergarten Intern (2011)
A
fictionalized retelling of a diary I wrote when working as an intern in a
kindergarten classroom at a public school in the
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.
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.
Any material
on this site may be reproduced, provided I am given acknowledgement as the
author.
However, this site
also contains copyrighted material, the use of which has not always been
specifically authorized by the copyright owner. I have utilized such material
in my efforts to advance the understanding of autism and topics related to
autism. I believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted
material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance
with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed
without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the
included information for research and educational purposes.
For more
information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml.