Friday, March 16, 2007
Autism from the inside out
People need to study autism, FC, neurology, intelligence, etc., before DARING to assume and presume they know of what they speak. I am a former FC user who became an independent typist after 3 years of being facilitated. I went from being considered profoundly retarded, severely autistic and unable to learn to having my IQ test at a genius level, having an Associate degree and a dual Bachelor's degree from an esteemed university (with honors), being a published author and composer and in-demand presenter at conferences and colleges. I just also happen to USE the augmentative communication device known as the Lightwriter and can assure you it is not only a very valid and accepted device but also a very expensive piece of equipment. So, please do some research and keep an open mind or you fail to give people who most deserve and need it the benefit of the doubt.
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8 comments:
Hey, i think we met at ASA. If so, contact me.
Julie
Hi Julie... how do I contact you?
This is a fascinating post. I am assuming FC is facilitated communication. I worked with a young woman last year whom others claimed that she could communicate when facilitated.
She never did it with me, only with certain people. I suspected certain people were "Quiji Boarding" her to communicate.
Realizing that I was inexperienced with FC I allowed that it could be real for as long as my incredulity would let me.
I pleaded with her to show me any kind of sign that she understood me. I tried many different ways, e.g. she could point to "yes" and "no" so I taped huge yes and no signs on the wall and we tried to play a game to demonstrate if she understood anything I said. I modeled the game with one of her classmates who could communicate somewhat. I then asked her simple questions like is my shirt red, etc. Her answers were random and almost every one was wrong.
I wanted so to believe that she was communicating, but in the two months I worked with her she never demonstrated she understood anything more than open the door and eat your snack.
Yet, when the professional facilitator sat with her, the student typed at a college level. She demonstrated humor and nuance. I was not convinced that it was not, in fact, the facilitator's projecting her typing and communication abilities.
I have no doubt that many have been helped. I have equally no doubt that many have been scammed.
So now it's Goader - hmmm - I started with facilitated communication and progressed to independent typing on an augmentative communication device. My abilities have been tested and documented by court-ordered, school district and psychologist double blind testing - I have NEVER stated that FC works for EVERYBODY - NOTHING works for EVERYBODY - a simple pill can poison one as easily as treat one's illness - but I DO resent the implication that it works for NOBODY - which you haven't dared to state, thank goodness because far too many already tried and failed!
If you went into a situation where your "incredulity" would only allow failure, what do you think the result might be? If you were forced to prove yourself, your intelligence, your sentience and your credibility by non-believers and skeptics, would that make it easier or harder? Have you ever even remotely considered that the person you tried to facilitate might not have LIKED you or felt comfortable sharing with you, and/or that she might have picked up on your "incredulity" and doubt and obvious negative bias - I certainly pick up on it from the tone of this e-mail.
\Lastly, if I and other FC users and former FC users) have graduated with honors from a community college and a major university and have a dual degree in Psychology and Social Sciences and have been appointed by governors to state boards, been invited by the President to the White House, won advocacy awards, spoken at many professional conferences as a presenter & keynote speaker, serve as an adviser to The Autism Society of America and Autism Perspective and am the ELECTED President of the Autism National Committee (Autcom), a published author, performed composer, professional consultant and communications trainer, and have testified as an EXPERT witness before Congressional Committees and a state attorney general, did I "scam" them all?
At least I have the gumption, "Goader", to prove myself to any and all comers and USE MY OWN NAME to do so - you choose to attack anonymously - so who exactly is scamming whom?
Sharisa Joy Kochmeister
good points, sharisa.....
Trolls don't take kindly to learning, I guess.
I am a regular reader of Ballastexistenz and I happened upon your blog from there. I'd actually read it a few times before, I just had something to say now as opposed to then.
Take care
Thank you Ivan, I also have a longer blog at Yahoo if you'd like to see it.
I would like to see it, where can I find it?
I have a blog as well...
http://athenivanidx.wordpress.com
not very extensive yet, but getting there..........just started recently.
My Yahoo group is at:
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/SharisaJoyMySurrealLife/
My Yahoo Blog is at:
http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-tveq9NMic6dhDvPf_YYFDh8M
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