Some social skills could be explicitly taught so that people don't have to take so long to figure them out. Like this--this could be explicitly taught:
From my perspective, respect is a LOT more important than politeness. Politeness should stem from respect. And there are many times, I understand, that it is needed to just save your life, regardless of respect. It's used to de-escalate, and that's OK.
But...
...what's with all the lies when you don't have to lie? Can't we just respect people enough to tell them our boundaries, politely?
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Campaign starts TODAY: #AllowAACinTherapy. It's aimed at doctors, psychologists and other clinical professionals, and at the institutions that empower them to disempower disabled people. I have seriously had enough of this nonsense from them.
People with communication disabilities should not be expected to make appointments using a telephone. You should not have to register as a Deaf person to be allowed to use AAC.
When they speak about disabled children having "challenging behaviour", what does "challenging" mean? Why do they use THAT word? (Not a sarcastic question.) Do they believe that the child is "challenging" them like a drunk person in a bar challenges another guy to fight? Or what?
Or are they projecting the challenges (difficulties) they have in understanding or coping with a child's behaviour onto the child? Like "I'm out of money and it's a challenging situation to be in." So, the OTHER person, not the child, is the one feeling like it's a "challenge"?
There's a webinar coming up with a bunch of 'autism experts', about dealing with autistic children. A bevy of white guys presenting, incl. an autistic vet; and one brown man... And on the TOP of the list of topics is "challenging behaviour".
I don't know why so many people are laughing at this. Oh yes, wait, I think I may know... It's because they're not autistic, and they don't know how to deal with someone who is trying her level best to make a rational case for something, because logic isn't important to them.
It's like Mr Thompson, who led the marching band at my school. I told him I wanted to be in the band. He laughed and said I can't be in the band. I asked why. He said, as though I was asking a ridiculous thing, "Girls can't be in the band." I asked why. HE WOULD NOT TELL ME.
But sure, AUTISTIC people are the ones with the broken brains. 🙄
The desire for logical, reasonable explanations is met with laughter by the Holy Wholesome Norrrmal People. Because logic is a deficit... or something.
It's been more than 5 years since this happened, and still there are schools in the USA and in other countries that won't allow nonspeaking autistic children the support they need to participate in class, even if their parents pay the aides themselves. autisticadvocacy.org/2016/05/a-voic…
During those 5 years, several nonspeaking activists emerged who were once reliant on pointing to a letterboard, but who now communicate by typing independently, either from time to time or all the time.
Damon is a nonspeaking communication and education rights advocate.
Unlike the US, Canada has ratified the #CRPD. But that still doesn't mean that its provisions have been carried through and that autistic people now all have the support they need.
With appropriate therapy, most nonspeaking autistic people would be able to communicate using words. Depending on the extent of the disability, their ultimate mode(s) of communication could include pointing to a letterboard, typing, signing, partial speech, and other means.
So why DON'T most nonspeaking autistic people communicate in clear sentences like the one you're reading right now? I'm going to tell you one of the main reasons, and it's horrible.
In a country like the US, it's not because of lack of funding.
The government already funds therapy for autistic children.