Search form

Shop
Total: £0.00
Item Cost
Your shopping cart is empty.

Search form

Share Magazine Summer 2016

 

Letter from the Editor

Sue Fletcher-Watson, Developmental Psychologist, University of Edinburgh 

 

 

 

If there is a theme running through this issue of Share magazine, perhaps we might label it “autism: but not as you know it.”
 
In these pages we hear about how parenting a child on the spectrum may be experienced in the black and minority ethnic communities of Scotland. We learn about autistic people engaged in productive employment, supported by family and friends, innovative practices and new technologies. We consider how to support students with autism in our higher and further education system – and how these supports may benefit the entire student body. Rather than focusing on the communication difficulties often emphasised in discussions about autism, we consider autistic people as enhanced communicators – understanding or speaking more than one language, and the benefits that might entail. Finally, one autistic person’s account of his participation in the Shaping Autism Research seminar series shows us how a journey through negative school and early adult experiences can nevertheless arrive at a point of personal happiness, and leadership in the Autistic community.
 
A frequent topic of discussion on social (and mainstream) media lately has been around the use of language such as ‘high-functioning’ or, conversely, ‘ severely-affected’ to describe individuals on the autism spectrum. These simplistic additional labels do very little to provide meaningful information about specific people, or even groups. Instead, descriptors such as ‘high-functioning’ risk denying autistic people the understanding and accommodations they may need or want – at all times or in particular circumstances. Such people may be thrust into situations without due regard for how they may be affected, especially if they are working hard to mask their inner distress. On the other hand, ‘low-functioning’ and other similar terms imply that autistic people have little to offer – they require special attention and as such can’t be expected to advocate for themselves let alone contribute to their community.
 
The stories and research shared in this magazine clearly refute both of these misconceptions of autism. I would struggle to describe any of the autistic people featured in this magazine using the simplistic terminology of ‘function’. Yes, these articles showcase how autistic people encounter challenges – sometimes in domains which may be very familiar to neurotypical readers, sometimes in areas which seem more particular to the autistic experience. But they also recount the personal achievements and fulfilling relationships, which are central to all our lives. I hope you agree that this issue of Share magazine offers diversity of experience, inspiration, and hope for the way in which our concepts of autism may become more enriched and nuanced as awareness and acceptance spreads through society.

Scottish Autism
News Autism Europe Congress Success Scottish Autism has had nine posters and presentations accepted for the Autism Europe Congress in Edinburgh in...
Shubhanna Hussain-Ahmed, Parent Carer
When our youngest child was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum...
Sarah Hampton, Research Assistant, Patrick Wild Centre, University of Edinburgh
Direct research into how speaking or hearing more than one language...
Jamie + Lion, Senior Accessibility Specialist, BBC
This article, is about the how I live my life and how technology underpins everything I do. But first a timeline. Eighteen...
Yvette Q. Getch, Associate Professor, Western Kentucky University
As the number of students with autism increase, they are making up a larger portion of students with disabilities on university and...
Alastair Clarkson, Researcher in Residence, Scottish Autism
Despite a growth in public awareness of autism, misinformation and myths about autism are still common. One frequent misconception is that people...
Jules Akers, Bananas In The Piano Consultancy
This was a (so far) unique opportunity to inform the direction of research and the general debate on autism at a time when many of the established priorities are being vigorously...