Translating theory into good practice.

A whole school approach to the ethics,

practicalities, advantages and pitfalls related

to the use of computer technology in autism.

During and after school and into adult life

Dr Jacqui Ashton Smith/Brendan Walsh National Autistic Society

Contents

Quick history of Autism and the Internet (the

theory)

eSafety for ASD (the practice)

Risk (advantages and pitfalls)

Transitioning (school into home and adult life)

Discussion

Autism and the Internet

Incredible opportunities for communication

Lessened social anxiety

Vast wealth of resources for learning, leisure,

entertainment

Relatively cheap

Available in many places

Basically… the same benefits as for any person

The Autistic Community

Disability rights movement

+

Access to the

Internet =

The Autistic Community

Explosive growth

2007 Yahoo groups:

2,962 ‘autism’ groups and 781 ‘autistic’ groups

2011 Yahoo groups:

3,722 ‘autism’ groups and 904 for ‘autistic’

“ Anyone who explores the subject on the Internet quickly discovers an altogether different side of autism. In cyberspace, many of the nation's autistics are doing the very thing the syndrome supposedly deters them from doing - communicating.

Harold Blume, 1997

Community develops

New language:

AC (autistic cousin)- NT (Neurotypical)

Informed by other disability movements

‘Cure’

Education

The aim of school is to prepare students for life outside

education.

This is even more important in residential schools and

special education settings.

Education involves calculated risk

Teachers need to weigh up the dangers and advantages.

Education

The Internet is supposed to be dangerous

Roads are dangerous – risk assessments done

We teach road safety – not from a book but by using roads

We teach Internet Safety

Facilitating cyber independence through reducing vulnerability

The internet is very popular, especially with sharing special interests, and many do so for longer

and with greater intensity than their typically developing peers.

(Nicholls, 2009)

Girls can be highly skilled in navigating the technology (email, chat rooms, blogging,

googling and gaming) but naïve with respect to the online social world.

Can give too much information on

social networks e.g. Facebook

Are particularly vulnerable to

complying when told to do something

Are more likely to respond to

communication

This therefore needs to form part

of the curriculum taught at school

The practice

eSafety

Technological tools

Education

Monitoring and review

E-safety. Developing whole-school policies to support effective practice Becta 2005

OfSTED:

Schools should manage the transition from locked

down systems to more managed systems to help

pupils understand how to manage risk; to provide

them with richer learning experiences; and to bridge

the gap between systems at school and the more

open systems outside school

(The safe use of new technologies, OfSTED, 2010)

Technological tools

Filtering:

Ineffective as long term solution

Use as safety measure early on

Can only control school resources, not outside

Must be phased out to be effective

Education

Person centred – individually tailored

Tends to be rule based

Access to tools given as soon as practical

Must link with home/outside school

– education of parents/carers may also be needed

Transition

Technology (filtering) can’t help in the long term

Education must be in place before leaving

Support and review must continue

To be part of 21st century life

internet access is essential, even a right…

Effect on individuals

Internet in General:

Communication, education, creativity, leisure, entertainment, etc. etc.

Autistic Community:

Empowerment

Sense of self

Belonging

What do these countries have in

common?

Estonia

France

Spain

Finland

Greece

Internet access has been made a human right

Opportunities

HANDS project

Women and Girls Conference – Second Life

Access to the curriculum from the Islands

Access to others and shared interests – friends?

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

and the International Covenant

on Civil and Political Rights

Article 19b:

Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice

Article 20:

Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.