Why should we be positive about Autism?

As a special education teacher, I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to teach many students with autism. During the course of my career, and my graduate studies in autism, I have encountered many articles, books, and news reports that portray autism in a very negative light. Having seen the unique personalities, sheer determination, and of course, great potential in my students, I wanted to create a resource that focused on the positive: students with autism making achievements, going to college, finding careers, experiencing success in school, etc.

Rudolf Dreikurs said, "Whoever alters a person's expectations changes his behavior." I believe that if we don't expect that individuals with autism can learn, have careers, or be successful in life, we are setting them up for failure. Temple Grandin, a college professor and author with autism, shares in her book, Developing Talents: Careers for Individuals with Asperger Syndrome and High-Functioning Autism, that we "sometimes focus on the deficits in students' lives, and not their abilities. This is a major mistake. Instead, [we] must focus on helping students build on their strengths and work toward goals that will help them become successful."