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Unread 26-07-2011, 15:07
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FRC #0033 (Killer Bees)
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Join Date: Apr 2011
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Re: Building just isn't a priority anymore

Quote:
Originally Posted by SuperNerd256 View Post
I agree with this, but our team has an issue with this. You see, around 50% of our team is autistic, which for the most part is a very good thing, as they are bright and help a lot, but the problem is, with their autism comes some difficulties. One of them is that they don't/can't work on something very long or don't ever show up to practice, and the second one is a few of them don't like the idea of "Gracious Professionalism", and try to drive the robot like a battle bot while being extremely rude to our alliance members and the judges. If we try to do this sort of thing to them, they can essentially sue us for discrimination, or worse, have the team broken up!
Some of the points you bring up here about the difficulties of working with team members with autism is directly related to the autism itself. People with autism have an extremely difficult time understanding gracious professionalism - because gracious professionalism is all about the situation and how you respond to a certain situation. What is gracious professionalism in one situation is different in another situation because of other factors that are present but invisible.

Those who are socially aware can implement a flexible response. Those who are not socially aware due to autism don't even know a response is required, so where the socially aware person is expecting a reciprocal response, the person with autism is unaware a response is expected. Some of us neurotypical types think of this a rudeness.

Those with autism can also experience trouble with staying on task, due to a low tolerance for frustration or a higher than normal level of distractibility.

However, these members do bring a benefit to your team in their intelligence and willingness to help you. It sounds like you need help - so ask the school social worker or a special ed teacher to help you help the persons with autism. They can give you specific ways to "call out" the behaviors that can help the person with autism interact with you, judges, alliance partners in a different way and increase their social awareness.

Autism is a disability when viewed through the lens of the neurotypical - but is also one of the most interesting and fascinating forays into how the human brain works.

Feel free to PM me with specific questions about working with people on the autism spectrum -

Julia - Mom to one of the coolest kids with autism.
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