Autism Acceptance Workshop

1. Autism Acceptance Workshop April 19, 2019 SWIP Society for Women in Physics

2. Welcome Sign-in + Handouts: Copy of these slides, resources list, feedback form, note cards available for comments throughout and question section Sensory retreat room: West Hall 335 Earplugs available in both rooms Try not to speak while others are speaking Name tags: "Please do not interact with me,""Only people I already know should interact with me,"“I am fine with interaction.” Schedule: • Introductory and best teaching practices slides: Time for questions at end. • 10:40 am: Experiences: No questions during this section. • 11:00 am: Refreshments in Don Meyers: Feel free to ask questions.

3. The Neurodiversity Movement • Neurodiversity: diversity of human minds and different ways in which they function • A neurodivergent person has a brain which differs from the societal norm • Innate (autism, dyslexia, etc.) or the result of experiences (trauma, mindfulness practices, etc.) • Some types of neurodivergence form an essential part of an individual’s identity • A neurotypicalperson has neurology that falls within the range considered “normal” by society • A neurominority is a group of people who share a type of neurodivergence that is innate and inseparable from their identity and often face societal difficulties (e.g. discrimination) • The neurodiversity movementsupports the idea that there is no “correct” or “best” way for a person’s brain to function. It calls for an end to discrimination, stereotyping, or a lack of accessibility.

4. The Autism Spectrum • Autism is a genetically-based human neurological variant • Autism is one type of neurodivergence and only a small part of neurodiversity • April is Autism Acceptance month • Autistic brains are characterized by particularly high levels of synaptic connectivity and responsiveness • Autistic individuals experience more intense and chaotic sensory and cognitive experiences • Autism is a spectrum • Despite underlying neurological commonalities, autistic individuals are vastly different from one another • 1-2% of the world’s population is autistic (~150 million people) [1] Nick Walker http://neurocosmopolitanism.com/what-is-autism/

5. The language around Autism is important “Autistic person”:Identity-first, proponents see Autism as an important and defining aspect of their identity “Person with Autism”:Person-first, proponents see autism as something that does not impact person’s identity on a fundamental level (sometimes used by those who promote discriminatory behavior) “Person on the Autism spectrum”: Most neutral phrasing We have chosen to use “Autistic person” and “person on the Autism spectrum,” but this is a personal preference for many people. Different communities in the disability movement have different preferences on identity-first vs. person-first

6. Why have this conversation in a physics department? • There are Autistic people in our community, and they deserve to be heard • Ignoring neurological differences compounds existing inequalities • Women[1]: • Less likely to be diagnosed → less likely to have access to accommodations and support • Gendered societal expectations create additional pressure to interact socially • People of color[2,3]: • Often left out of conversations about autism • Disproportionately impacted by harsh discipline in schools, police violence, and abuse • As physicists, we care about how people think and solve problems • We should celebrate diversity of thought both to be inclusive and because it is beneficial to our department and field • Inclusive and accessible practices benefit everyone! [2] Amanda Saxe http://cjds.uwaterloo.ca/index.php/cjds/article/view/386/623 [3] Autistic Self Advocacy Network https://autisticadvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Autism-and-Safety-Pt-1.pdf [4] Autism and Race https://autismandrace.com/

7. Acceptance requires a shift in thinking and action Awareness • Tolerate • Autism is a problem to be solved • Views Autistic people as “others” • Onus on Autistic people to act more neurotypical • Often framed as challenges that Autistic people cause neurotypical people • Often makes stereotypical assumptions about Autistic people Acceptance • Embrace • You are the way you are and that is awesome! • Focuses on the strengths of diversity • Onus on neurotypical people to confront their prejudices • Focuses on the voices of Autistic people and their needs • Recognizes diversity within the Autistic community • Comes from a place of understanding and care [5]Kassiane S.https://autisticadvocacy.org/2012/04/acceptance-vs-awareness/

8. Importance of Autistic Voices • Often assumed that Autistic people cannot speak for themselves → Autistic people can and do express their thoughts in a variety of ways • Much of the coverage about Autism focuses on the stories from parents of Autistic children, the challenges of having an Autistic child, and “cures” for Autism → Promotes discriminatory narratives → Autistic children grow up and this focus draws attention and resources away from Autistic adults Acceptance means that we should be listening to and elevating Autistic people’s voices and needs to make a more inclusive and accessible environment for all

9. Inclusive teaching practices

10. Inclusive teaching practices The four principles of inclusive teaching: • Transparency • Academic belonging • Structured interactions • Critically engaging difference The following practices improve the learning environment for Autistic studentsbut also improve the learning of all students Neurotypical student Autistic student Learning effectiveness

15. Inclusive teaching benefits all students • Provide good structure throughout the course • Clear instructions • Clear student-centered learning objectives • Instruction and assessment that match learning objective • Transparent policies • Guidelines for communication • Respond positively to requests for accommodations • Invite students to inform you of their needs • Assist students in obtaining the accommodations they need • Treat accommodation requests confidentially • Be flexible and willing to adapt to the needs of your students These inclusive teaching practices benefit ALL students, especially Autistic students.

16. Questions?

17. Introduction to Experiences These stories have been collected from Autistic people in our community We were given explicit permission by the contributors to present their work in this format Be prepared: Some of this material will be challenging. We have tried to make this a space where we can learn empathetically and thoughtfully from this content. Content warnings will be posted before each contribution where applicable. There will be no formal questions/discussion on these experiences, but we encourage you to reflect on their messages and discuss informally afterwards

18. Contribution 1 • From an anonymous student in the department • This contribution contains some references to ableism and mental health • This student is okay with individual follow up discussions on this work • Contact Sara atsmsimon@umich.edu if you would like your contact information passed to this student • Run Time: 5:03

20. Contribution 2 • From an anonymous student in the department • Run Time: 6:41

22. Acceptance vs. Awareness Kassiane S. from the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) https://autisticadvocacy.org/2012/04/acceptance-vs-awareness/ Run Time: 7:04