03-16-2008, 02:53 PM
03-16-2008, 02:59 PM
Let me see if I can talk to some people in university and get something set up in the student union to hand out leaflets etc.
Marcia... you up for taking the GU if I take the Union?
Marcia... you up for taking the GU if I take the Union?
03-16-2008, 03:20 PM
03-16-2008, 11:13 PM
ocampo Wrote:
Let me see if I can talk to some people in university and get something set up in the student union to hand out leaflets etc.
Marcia... you up for taking the GU if I take the Union?
Marcia... you up for taking the GU if I take the Union?
No probs! I'll toddle into the Students' Representative Council tomorrow and see what can be done. It may be possible to email all students and staff which would get a much higher hit rate than handing out leaflets. If that's a goer I'll hop back on this thread and look for suggestions as to what could be said in an e-leaflet. Short and snappy would be best - with appropriate links! 
03-16-2008, 11:17 PM
Perhaps we should start events/leaflet distribution a day or two ahead - that way it will be old news by the time April 2nd comes around... 
03-17-2008, 02:04 AM
03-17-2008, 07:53 AM
03-17-2008, 08:23 AM
03-17-2008, 09:37 AM
03-20-2008, 11:58 PM
Ok, I've drafted something which I may be able to get emailed to all students and staff at my uni on 2nd April. I have no idea whether this is appropriate or not, but reckoned if I'd better get started or I would end up doing nothing. Please feel free to comment, but if you don't agree with something then you'd better suggest an alternative! I'm looking for solutions, not problems! I'm sure it could look a bit more exciting and eyecatching as well. Also looking for suggestions for other websites/links. I should probably link to National Autism thingy.
I'm looking for solutions, not problems! I'm sure it could look a bit more exciting and eyecatching as well. Also looking for suggestions for other websites/links. I should probably link to National Autism thingy.Quote:
Easter is behind us, spring is upon us, exams are still to come...
Today is....the very first....International Autism Awareness Day!
Many, if not all of you, will know someone who is on the Autistic Spectrum. You may not know it, they may not know it. It is estimated that between 1 in 100 and 1 in 150 people are somewhere on the autistic spectrum. So the chances are.... that you, a friend or family member are somewhere on that spectrum.
You may be astonished to hear this. You may only know of autism through the recent controversy linking it to the MMR vaccine. You may associate autism only with children whose verbal skills are limited or non-existent and who live isolated within their own world. You may view autism as a disease, disorder or disability which means that the people affected have no quality of life or prospect of happiness and fulfilment. Surely, you think, you couldn’t be unaware of this affecting yourself or anyone you know.
Autism Spectrum Disorder is so called, however, because it encompasses a wide range of differences and difficulties, ranging from the mild to the severe. People on the spectrum have traditionally been categorised as High or Low Functioning, but it is increasingly recognised that this viewpoint is too simplistic. You may have heard of Asperger’s Syndrome which is at the milder end of the spectrum. People with Asperger’s may be a bit “quirky”, they may have difficulty with eye contact, they may be disorganised and get easily stressed by changes to routine or unfamiliar and loud environments. In contrast, people towards the severe end of the spectrum may have little or no speech, they may be unable to care for themselves and exhibit behaviours which harm themselves and occasionally others. However, lack of speech does not necessarily mean an inability to communicate, and some autistic people communicate clearly and intelligently by non-verbal means.
The popular perception of autism is that it is always negative. It has been described as a modern epidemic, a disease for which a cure must be found, and a misfortune for all affected by it.
However, there is a growing movement which promotes the idea that Asperger’s and autism are not always and necessarily negative and disabling. It is proposed that sensitive and appropriate support and help should be available to those who need it to fulfil their potential. This support and help may range from Occupational and Speech Therapy to understanding and encouragement from colleagues, teachers and fellow students. This movement is opposed to a cure, or efforts to make autistic people “normal” and wish to promote a positive view of neurodiversity as something which is integral to each person’s being and something to be celebrated.
For further information you may wish to visit these websites:-
http://www.aspiesforfreedom.com/index.php
Today is....the very first....International Autism Awareness Day!
Many, if not all of you, will know someone who is on the Autistic Spectrum. You may not know it, they may not know it. It is estimated that between 1 in 100 and 1 in 150 people are somewhere on the autistic spectrum. So the chances are.... that you, a friend or family member are somewhere on that spectrum.
You may be astonished to hear this. You may only know of autism through the recent controversy linking it to the MMR vaccine. You may associate autism only with children whose verbal skills are limited or non-existent and who live isolated within their own world. You may view autism as a disease, disorder or disability which means that the people affected have no quality of life or prospect of happiness and fulfilment. Surely, you think, you couldn’t be unaware of this affecting yourself or anyone you know.
Autism Spectrum Disorder is so called, however, because it encompasses a wide range of differences and difficulties, ranging from the mild to the severe. People on the spectrum have traditionally been categorised as High or Low Functioning, but it is increasingly recognised that this viewpoint is too simplistic. You may have heard of Asperger’s Syndrome which is at the milder end of the spectrum. People with Asperger’s may be a bit “quirky”, they may have difficulty with eye contact, they may be disorganised and get easily stressed by changes to routine or unfamiliar and loud environments. In contrast, people towards the severe end of the spectrum may have little or no speech, they may be unable to care for themselves and exhibit behaviours which harm themselves and occasionally others. However, lack of speech does not necessarily mean an inability to communicate, and some autistic people communicate clearly and intelligently by non-verbal means.
The popular perception of autism is that it is always negative. It has been described as a modern epidemic, a disease for which a cure must be found, and a misfortune for all affected by it.
However, there is a growing movement which promotes the idea that Asperger’s and autism are not always and necessarily negative and disabling. It is proposed that sensitive and appropriate support and help should be available to those who need it to fulfil their potential. This support and help may range from Occupational and Speech Therapy to understanding and encouragement from colleagues, teachers and fellow students. This movement is opposed to a cure, or efforts to make autistic people “normal” and wish to promote a positive view of neurodiversity as something which is integral to each person’s being and something to be celebrated.
For further information you may wish to visit these websites:-
http://www.aspiesforfreedom.com/index.php
03-21-2008, 12:03 AM
03-21-2008, 01:25 AM
Firstly, the idea is brilliant!
May I suggest you break it into short paragraphs? Then look at each paragraph and compare with others, to see whether you have inadvertently (nearly) repeated yourself - in which case you can amalgamate a few sentences, thus making it shorter and snappier.
Please post your final attempt here in short paragraphs. Most people, faced with a 'wall' of text, will do a quick scan for 'key words' - in this case, 'autism' - and decide whether or not to read it based on what they think they already know about the subject. Which means that most will dump it unread.
And may I please suggest that links are put near the beginning? I think that more people will click a link near the beginning of an article than will click links at the end.
Just my 2¢!
May I suggest you break it into short paragraphs? Then look at each paragraph and compare with others, to see whether you have inadvertently (nearly) repeated yourself - in which case you can amalgamate a few sentences, thus making it shorter and snappier.
Please post your final attempt here in short paragraphs. Most people, faced with a 'wall' of text, will do a quick scan for 'key words' - in this case, 'autism' - and decide whether or not to read it based on what they think they already know about the subject. Which means that most will dump it unread.
And may I please suggest that links are put near the beginning? I think that more people will click a link near the beginning of an article than will click links at the end.
Just my 2¢!
03-21-2008, 02:00 AM
It looks great, Marcia! I'll probably print out something very similar to put in all the student's mailboxes at my (very small, alternative) high school. Most of the students (several of whom have autism) are already aware of autism's existence, and some (particularly those who talk to me! ) know a lot, but many of them know very little. The school works incredibly hard to promote an atmosphere of total acceptance of all quirks, and the school "culture" has always been very open and caring, so most people will react quite well to the suggestion that this is just one more quirk to be accepted.03-21-2008, 02:50 AM
03-21-2008, 04:57 AM
Marcia Wrote:
Blame Qatar - they started it.... going to the UN and all! Now look what's happened!
Yeah, and now they're trying to throw rocks at us!
(pun intended)
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