You might want to use the following topics for discussion in groups, or ideas for basing assignments on. These may be introduced after watching the videos on the Perspectives on Autism page.
Please note: the links to web pages, clips, and papers are not endorsements from The Autism Centre. There are wide ranging opinions and the resources are intended to stimulate healthy debate rather than provide any concrete ‘answers’. However, should you wish to get Dr Luke Beardon’s opinions, his various musings can be found on Luke’s website.
Language /terminology
There are several ways in which autism is referred to within the debate. The following identify a range of sources that are useful in discussing person first language, and models of disability in relation to autism:
- https://ollibean.com/person-attitude-trumps-language/
- https://themighty.com/2015/08/am-i-autistic-or-do-i-have-autism/
- Bagatell, N. (2010), From Cure to Community: Transforming Notions of Autism. Ethos, 38: 33–55
- Beardon, L. (2007). Is Autism a Disorder
- Kenny, L., Hattersley, C., Molins, B., Buckley, C., Povey, C., Pellicano, E. (2015) ‘Which terms should be used to describe autism? Perspectives from the UK autism community’ Autism, Vol 20, Issue 4, pp. 442 – 462
- Krcek, T. (2013) Deconstructing Disability and Neurodiversity: Controversial Issues for Autism and Implications for Social Work Journal of Progressive Human Services Vol. 24 , Iss. 1
- Beardon, L. (2008). ‘Is Autism really a disorder part two – theory of mind? Rethink how we think’. Journal of Inclusive Practice in Further and higher Education, 1: 19 – 21
Critical Debates
- Is autism a disorder, impairment, condition, disability, or something else?
- What are the arguments for and against different terms used to ‘describe’ autism?
- Should autism be positioned within a social or medical model of disability – or both, or neither?