Masters Assignment on Autistic Writers

In 2013 I submitted as assignment on autistic people's writings as part of my Masters in Autism (Adults) for the University of Birmingham. The title of the topic as set by the university and my essay follows: There is an ever-increasing body of literature from people diagnosed with autism who are willing to share their experiences. Discuss and evaluate the potential impact of this body of literature upon other people on the autistic spectrum, upon autism researchers and upon providers of support and services.This essay will describe the growing body of writing by autistic writers, particularly that which has flourished with the general increase in internet availability. It will show evidence of the significant impact these authors have had on research, on support and service provision and on the lives and experiences of other autistic people and their families, including the author ’s own. Finally it will examine how autistic writings could impact even further in these areas in the future.The essay follows the convention as in Sinclair (1999) of employing the term ‘autistic person’ rather than ‘person with autism’. In the author’s experience, the majority of autistic people, including autistic writers, have expressed a preference for this terminology.Before examining the literature, I shall provide some illustration of the impact of autistic writings from a personal perspective.My son was diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Condition when he was two years old an...
Source: The Voyage - Category: Child Development Source Type: blogs