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January 2016
How to better include autistic, ADHD, and learning disabled people in your workshops and meetings written by N. The following list is a compilation of ideas and strategies for making workshops, meetings, and other similar things more accessible to, and inclusive of, autistic people, people with ADHD, and learning disabled people. The list largely focuses on autistic folks as this list was originally created based on a request from someone looking specifically for ideas about autistic-inclusive workshop facilitation. However, this list also includes some things about folks with ADHD and learning disabilities, as well as a few general ideas and recommendations for accessible facilitation. Because of the context in which this list was originally created, this list was primarily written with an audience of non-autistic (and/or non-ADHD and/or nonlearning disabled) people as the target audience. However, that is not to say that just because someone is autistic, has ADHD, is learning disabled, etc. means that they somehow inherently know all of these things. Regardless of whether or not this is cliché – if you know one autistic person, you know one autistic person. If you know one person with ADHD, you know one person with ADHD. Etc. The point here is that while Iʼve done my best to include a wide range of things that might be true for a lot of people, everyone is different and so ultimately, the best thing is always going to be trying to account for peopleʼs needs as specifically as possible. That said, itʼs also important to be proactive in putting things into place that may make it more likely that someone will be better included and that things will be more accessible for them. This list is not a comprehensive one. There are absolutely many things that I have left out and things that I do not know. This list is also not meant to be any kind of definitive guide. This list was created in a way that tried to account for a pretty wide range of experiences, needs, and ways of being, but, again, is not an exhaustive list. I cannot – and do not – claim to represent the experiences of anyone except myself.
January 2016
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Autistic people Be concrete! Be concrete! Be concrete! Be as concrete as you possibly can...and then try and be even more concrete. I've noticed that this is often a serious point of communication breakdown between autistic folks and allistic (non-autistic) folks. Nonautistic folks will think that they have been concrete or direct in a given situation but whatever they have said/stated still ends up being too vague for the autistic person/people involved. This can be frustrating for all involved, I think. One thing that can help this is that both/all parties remember to actively check for understanding (that way it doesn't always fall on the autistic person to be like hey...I actually don't understand. Also, it's often hard to know you don't understand something until after-thefact if that makes sense?). ●
Itʼs extremely important and really helpful for the non-autistic folks in a given situation (especially folks in a position like facilitator) to be sharing in the responsibility of checking for understanding. There are myriad reasons why autistic folks might be hesitant to/afraid of/traumatized by asking someone to explain/clarify/etc. Lots of people will work really fucking hard to figure out what they think is being asked/expected of them because asking for help/clarification seems like a non-option. For many autistic people, the very act of attempting to ask someone to explain/clarify/etc. might be incredibly difficult – regardless of if there is any fear or anxiety associated with doing so. o Checking for understanding can really easily seem/feel patronizing even if that's not the intention (again, lots of people have experiences where it is assumed they don't understand). Stuff like asking the whole group if everyone understands is sometimes good but also runs the risk of the person/people not indicating lack of understanding for the reasons mentioned above. ●
o If you think that someone does not understand, do not “talk down” to them. First of all, do your best to ascertain whether they do or do not understand something. You may think that someone doesnʼt understand, but that is because non-autistic people are generally used to non-autistic body language and therefore base their assumptions on that. If someone does not understand something, speak to them as you would speak to anyone who doesnʼt understand something and adjust your explanations and way of speaking based on that – do not start off by speaking in “simplified” or “more basic” ways as doing so is patronizing and rude. o Making sure that it is often stated (in a workshop or meeting) that it's always okay to ask questions, ask for clarification, etc. is a good idea as it may help reinforce people feeling like there actually is space to be confused or to need things re-explained. o Include an option of making cards (in addition to maybe having premade cards with some example phrases) that people could hold up or pass to a facilitator that say something like "Can you explain that
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January 2016
using different words?" Even for autistic people who speak verbally, losing speech – especially when stressed – is something that happens to many autistic people. o It might helpful to model examples of ways to ask for understanding. A lot of the time it's significantly easier for ASD folks to do something (especially out loud) if they have a script for what to say and how to say it. Open-ended things (questions, prompts, etc) are really hard for many autistic people. "Do whatever you want" or "Write whatever you feel" are the kinds of things that can be next-to-impossible (and sometimes meltdown-inducing). Suggestions or examples can be extremely helpful in terms of this kind of thing. If there's a vague or open-ended activity or prompt, maybe there could also be some examples or some kind of narrowing down as to the possible categories of things? Or there could be a goaround (with the option to pass!) in the group where people swap ideas so that if folks are at a loss, they can base their own ideas off of something concrete. ●
Similar to the point above, so-called "two-choice questions" (usually yes/no, but could be other stuff) are often much easier than a question that has many options. Two-choice questions can sometimes take longer because it ends up being a kind of flowchart (and sometimes a bit like a guessing game for one or both parties), but something taking longer is preferable to someone not being able to answer a question or getting too overwhelmed. ●
Feelings-based questions are really difficult for many autistic folks because...well, for a lot of reasons, but one reason is that there's a really high rate of co-existence between ASD and alexithymia (not being able to tell/interpret/detect one's own emotions). So, "how did you feel about X" might be really hard for some people to answer. One thing that I find much easier to handle/approach/respond to (and have heard from many others that they do, too) is to ask "What did you think about X?" instead. o This is another area where being concrete helps a lot. The more specific the question, the easier it is likely to be for a lot of people. Things like "did you think that last activity was helpful to examine/explore topic X?" or even “did you like that last activity?” is probably a lot better than "How did you feel about that last activity?" ●
o Do NOT confuse this point with the stereotype that autistic people are “unfeeling” or “cold” or “robotic,” etc. Processing feelings differently than non-autistic people and having a hard time identifying emotions means exactly that – and it certainly does not mean autistic people donʼt have feelings or emotional reactions to things. Many – but certainly not all – autistic people take stuff much more literally than non-autistic people. This can be important to keep in mind when using metaphors (especially abstract ones) in order to illustrate a point. It can also be important in terms of considering how to convey information more generally, as well as how to ask questions and give instructions. ●
January 2016
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Many autistic people also do not always pick up on things that are “unsaid” but nonetheless implied. “Subtext” – including verbal subtext – is very difficult for many autistic people. If someone does not seem to understand what you are telling or asking them, and you think that you were communicating clearly, one thing to consider is whether or not you were direct and concrete in what you said and whether or not there was any expectation that people interpret the “underlying message.” o For example, if you want someone to do a task and them “can you do this task?” they may answer yes or no (depending on whether they can do it or not), but not realize that the underlying implication may be that you expect them to do it right then or that you expect them to do it at all – they are responding to the question that was actually asked. ●
A lot of autistic folks prefer people to be direct with them. Clearly it would be important to check in with a given individual as to what they prefer, but directness and preferring that (and also feeling uncomfortable and/or confused with indirectness) is a thing that a lot of folks prefer/want/need. o The corollary to this is that a lot of autistic folks can be really direct or blunt about things. This is a thing a lot of people mention as a stereotype about autistic people; not all autistic folks are direct/blunt, but many are that way at least some of the time/in some settings. ●
o In the context of a group/workshops, I can imagine that other group members might react to someone being very direct and blunt. This might be something to think about how you as a facilitator would want to address in advance of it happening. o Folks may not realize that in being direct that they have said something that had a hurtful impact. It's obviously important that people be made aware of this (without shaming them about it), but it's also important that non-autistic folks in the group have at least some awareness of the fact that the person most likely did not mean to harm/offend anyone and actually it's probably the case that person was intending to engage in conversation/participate/etc. Note: I am in no way implying that being autistic excuses saying hurtful things because it doesn't. Nor am I saying that people should not be made aware of things they do/say that have hurtful impacts, because they should. I am just trying to say that it's probably not sufficient to only address things with the autistic person since communication isn't a one-sided thing most of the time. o Unless someone is actually being hurtful in what they are saying, there is no reason to call attention to – or try to “correct – someone being direct or blunt. Being direct in the way one communicates is not inherently harmful, but it is often reacted to as if it is. Learn to make the distinction between someone being direct/blunt and someone actually saying hurtful or harmful things.
January 2016
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Many/most autistic folks stim in some way (often multiple ways). In case you aren't familiar, stimming involves repetitive motions and/or noises that people do (for a variety of reasons, and many of the reasons are self-regulatory in some way or another, but people also stim just because it feels good). Sometimes the things that people do when they stim can seem "weird" to outsiders, so it would be good to make sure that no one in the group reacted as if stimming is weird (it's not! also most nonautistic people stim, just not usually as much or in the same ways). Many folks don't like being asked about their stimming or having it pointed out, but obviously this depends on the individual. o IMPORTANT: Unless the way someone is stimming is harming themselves and/or other people around them, it is NEVER okay to stop someone from stimming. It doesnʼt matter how “weird” you think it looks, unless someone is injuring themselves or others around them, or crossing someone else boundaries, do not stop someone from stimming. ●
o If you do need to help stop someone from stimming because what they are doing is harmful to themselves or others (including physical harm, crossing othersʼ boundaries, etc.), start by communicating to the person (verbally, in writing, signing, etc. – depending on how the person communicates) why what they are doing is harmful. It is important to communicate this as clearly, directly, and concretely as possible. If talking to the person does not get them to stop, you may have to physically redirect the person; if you are going to do this, do it as respectfully as possible. Tell the person what you are doing and why. Do not grab someone without warning. Do not touch someone who you know does not like being touched unless they or someone else around them is in immediate danger. o In a workshop or meeting, if someone's stimming involves things that are disruptive to the group (for example, maybe they make loud noises when they are thinking or something), it would be important to first let the person know. They may not be aware of how it affects the folks around them since stimming is often a sort of "background" thing autistic folks do (like how a computer runs programmes in the background that you don't really pay attention to but that allow the other programmes to run). Sometimes just making someone aware is sufficient for them to modify their stimming on their own. Other times it would maybe be helpful to figure out some kind of compromise so that they can still do that stim but also that it's not interrupting others. Or maybe coming up with some kind of substitute stim (assuming the person is okay with this). o If you are planning a workshop or meeting or similar thing, it is really helpful to provide a box of “stim toys” for people to use. Pretty much anything can be a stim toy and a box of stimmy things can be assembled quite cheaply by getting things at a dollar store. Some ideas include: “stress balls,” silly putty or something similar, small slinky toys, kaleidoscopes, crayons and colouring books, small stuffed animals, and
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January 2016
things that spin. Including this as part of workshop set-up is also a way to help normalize stimming and the stim toys should be made available to everyone in attendance. Many autistic folks have sensory sensitivities. Again, obviously, what these are and the degree of sensitivity differs person to person. Sound/noises is a pretty common one. Loud sounds are really hard to deal with for a lot of people (esp. stuff like car alarms, blenders, etc). Also things that might seem like "background noises" and may be totally ignorable for many people are often completely intolerable (example: ticking clocks. If I am in a room with ticking clocks for too long, I usually stop being able to function properly or focus on anything except the f***ing clock). Too many people talking a once can also be really hard (so, places like cafes can be difficult) – as a facilitator, you can help with this by reminding the group not to speak over one another and by reminding people not to speak too loudly during small group break out sessions or similar activities where many people might be talking all at once. Light sensitivity is also very common, as is sensitivity to smells. o Group activities that end up with lots of people talking at once might be really overwhelming for people ●
o Games or icebreakers that involve being really loud might be really overwhelming and awful (although some ASD folks actually love that kind of stuff because being loud/yelling feels good to them sensory-wise). o Fluorescent lighting is difficult for many autistic people to deal with because itʼs both visually intense (because of the light) and auditorily intense (because of the “hum” fluorescent lights make). Whenever possible, have an option for non-fluorescent lighting. For a lot of autistic folks, their bodies sort of express their feelings whether the person is conscious of this or not. So, hand flapping is an example of how someone might express a feeling - regardless of whether they are also able to/interested in communicating said feeling in words/writing. There's lot of other ways besides flapping, but it differs person to person. Rocking is another common one. As you get to know someone over time, you can usually figure out what kind of thing goes with what kind of feeling, but obviously do not make assumptions. Communicating with body language is no less valid than verbal communication – it is also something that non-autistic people do literally all the time (except when sleeping perhaps…); the difference is that non-autistic body language is considered “normal.” ●
Lots of autistic people also move in ways that are considered "weird." For some people this has to do with being dyspraxic (there's a fairly high rate of cooccurance with ASD and dyspraxia) meaning that people's bodies may move in different ways and/or they may struggle with certain kinds of movements or motor tasks. o Even for folks who are not dyspraxic, many autistic people move in ways that may be considered "weird" or different - it should go without saying that anyone commenting on someone's "weird" movements should be explained why it's not okay to say stuff like that. ●
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o Some people may struggle with physical tasks or fine motor tasks. In the case of workshops or meetings, I could imagine this coming up in the context of physical games/icebreakers and similar activities. Many autistic people may have good fine motor skills but not very good gross motor skills (or vice versa), so do not make assumptions based on someone being able to do some motor skills-related things – they very well may not be able to do other things. Lots of autistic folks who communicate verbally have times when they cannot do so (or can, but only with extreme difficulty). This is sometimes referred to as “going non-verbal.” The term “mute” is often seen as offensive (and also is not necessarily a term for autistic people to be “reclaiming” anyways), so itʼs best not to use it unless it is specifically the word someone has asked you to use to describe them being nonverbal. Being in a workshop with lots of people, unfamiliar activities, not knowing what to expect, etc. is certainly enough to make many people lose speech. o It's important not to assume that just because someone *can* communicate verbally some of the time (or even most of the time) that they will always be able to. For example, although I do communicate verbally almost every day, I frequently lose speech – especially when stressed; it doesnʼt matter how much I want to say something, I may simply not be able to do so “out loud.” ●
o Losing access to speech is also not necessarily an “all or nothing” type of thing. For many people, they may lose access to “fluid” speech, but may be able to say one or two words at a time (especially in response to yes/no type questions) or repeat words others are saying. For some people, losing speech means that they may speak more slowly, lose their train of thought, stutter, mix up words, forget words, etc. It should go without saying, but never make fun of someone for these kinds of things. o Writing (or typing) is a way of communicating that is easier for a lot of people if they are nonverbal (whether they are non-verbal all/most of the time or just sometimes). Having paper and pens available at all times is really important. Small dry-erase boards can also be useful (just watch out for smelly dry-erase markers). Having a computer around for people to type on can also be really helpful as many autistic people struggle with writing and/or writing legibly; typing is also generally faster than writing – at least for people who are comfortable with typing. o Normalize the idea of participating in ways besides speaking. When explaining an activity, be pro-active about including the option to write/type answers down. o Cue cards or communication cards/buttons/pieces of paper might be helpful for stuff like go-arounds or group discussions. o It is super important that non-verbal ways of communicating are taken as seriously and given as much time/importance as verbal
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January 2016
communication. Facilitators as well as non-autistic workshop/meeting participants need to be aware of this. Many autistic folks have (and rely on) particular scripts (especially verbal scripts). These scripts may be more of less obvious as scripts depending on the person. Some of the time these are things that are probably imperceptible to nonautistic folks (unless they know the person super well) because for a lot of autistic folks, scripts can extend to stuff like social rituals such as "how are you doing," etc. Nonautistic people use scripts, too, itʼs just that for some reason society has deemed it “normal” to do things like ask “how are you?” without waiting for an answer, but “not normal” to quote lines from tv or movies... o Lots of folks also have words or phrases they repeat over and over (and sometimes over and over and over). Most people I know don't tend to repeat over and over and over if they are around people they don't know super well, but, again, this clearly will differ person to person. Scripts can also be stuff like saying the same thing each time in response to the same kind of question or situation (and having trouble saying anything that isn't that script). Do not make fun of someone for repeating something; in fact, unless they are harming anyone in what they are saying and/or unless you are (respectfully) trying to understand what someone means, thereʼs no reason why the goal should be to stop someone from repeating themselves. That said, itʼs important to be aware that someone repeating the same thing over and over can be a sign that they are communicating something that people around them arenʼt understanding or arenʼt taking seriously, so just donʼt dismiss someoneʼs word on the basis that they are repetitive. ●
Many folks also have some degree of echolalia (repeating what people have said). Based on observations/reading stuff, sometimes people can react strangely to having their words repeated back to them. People aren't always aware that they are echoing someone else (this happens to me all the time. It can be kind of embarrassing). ●
Helping people create scripts or suggesting/model possible scripts for activities or situations that come up in the context of the workshops/group could be helpful, too. It shouldn't always be on the autistic person in the situation to supply the scripts (unless of course they want to)... ●
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Don't make assumptions based on body language. o This is a sort of "two-way street” thing in that a many autistic folks have trouble interpreting others' body language, but also many folks are not aware of their own body language and what it might be taken to be communicating. This is something that I struggle with constantly - people will react in a certain way...and then I end up totally confused as to why and then they explain, that "you were making X face so I thought this" or "you were doing X so I felt like that meant Y” and usually I have been entirely unaware that my face was doing anything at all – let alone actively communicating something.
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o Additionally, there is the issue of non-autistic body language being considered “normal” and autistic body language therefore being considered “not normal.” No particular kind of body language is inherently “normal” – itʼs society which has decided what constitutes “normal” body language and by extension what kinds of body language are worth paying attention to and/or engaging with. o The not assuming about body language applies both in terms of positive and negative things - i.e. someone may really like something, but their body language may not show it. The person may even think that they their body language does in fact show their reaction/feelings, but that might not be how it is getting interpreted/coming off. I have seen this come up in the context of stuff like group conversations and people maybe getting offended or something about someone's perceived reaction or thinking the person is judging them or something when in fact that is not at all what is happening. "Special interests" (I don't love this term when itʼs used by non-autistic people, but I also don't know a better term...) – or “specific” interests. Many (but not all!) autistic people have one or more thing/topic/issue/etc that they are extremely interested in and/or like to fixate on. Special/specific interests can be pretty much anything. Also, having a special/specific interest doesn't mean the person knows everything about whatever topic (it's a common stereotype that people know "all there is to know" when they have a special interest and sometimes that's true, but a lot of the times it is not true). o People may bring up their specific interests and/or redirect conversations to those topics - often this is because it's much easier for people to talk about that stuff. Also, it is just more interesting to talk about things that one is interested in (this is obviously not restricted to ASD folks). Folks may want to talk about one thing...and maybe only one thing...for a while/many group meetings in a row/etc. It would be great (*sarcasm!*) to not shame or embarrass the person for that kind of thing. Ask them about it instead (assuming they are okay with this)! Engaging with someone's specific interest(s) can be a way of connecting with them and it can also be a way that people learn stuff/remember stuff better because it has relevance to them. ●
o For a lot of people, if they are feeling overwhelmed or uncomfortable, special/specific interests can be grounding and comforting. o If someone's special/specific interest is something that others might think is "weird" or make fun of someone for (liking My Little Pony or Hello Kitty are both examples I've heard people talk about), make sure that people in the group know that it's not okay to do this and that special interests aren't "weird."
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o Unless someoneʼs special interest – or, more likely the way they are communicating about them in a given context – is offensive or actually inappropriate (for example, sexualizing childrenʼs tv show characters or something), do not shame someone for their special interests or imply that they are somehow “wrong.” o It is okay to need a break from someone talking about their special interests – but be respectful about this. If someone is talking a lot about a given thing/topic for a long time, start by communicating this to the person – often people may not be aware that they have been talking about one thing for a long time because they are very interested in and excited about it. If they keep talking about it once you have respectfully pointed out they are doing so, you can let the person know that you would like to talk about something else for a while and ask if the subject can be changed. If that is not possible or the person doesnʼt want to, you can let them know that you are going to go elsewhere/talk to someone else for a while/etc. Reciprocating questions and/or other kinds of interaction is often a hell of a lot easier than initiating it. Lots of autistic folks struggle a lot with initiating interaction, conversation, etc. So, someone may find it much easier for the other person to ask them a question and then the person can reciprocate the question rather than being expected to initiate or spontaneously ask a question. Often this is because someone is not sure or does not know what they are supposed to do or how to do it, and so reciprocating can be easier because someone else has already modeled how to do a given thing in a given situation. o Lack of initiating questions or conversation does not necessarily mean the person isn't interested (it certainly can sometimes, but let's assume not for the sake of this point). I almost never ask people questions about themselves unless prompted to do so (like if I am reciprocating a question), but that does not automatically correlate with my level of interest. I am often very interested in someone else's work/ideas/etc but won't ask or don't know how to or get overwhelmed. I usually rely on picking up info from what people freely offer and/or what I overhear in conversations between the person and someone else. I have been told/have read that not asking questions can come off as not being interested, but I don't really know why (beyond some very vague ideas). I thought I'd bring it up in this list, though, because it's a thing that seems to come up a lot. ●
Many/most autistic folks struggle a lot with the "gestalt" (i.e. "big picture") of most situations. Many ASD folks have a tendency to focus a lot on the details without being able to generalize based on those details. This can often lead to really cool and different ways of understanding and experiencing stuff, but it also can make a lot of situations difficult. ●
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o Folks may not know where to focus since it's easy to get overwhelmed with all the details of something. People may also get fixated on one/a few details and have a hard time and/or not want to engage with the "bigger picture." o Lots of autistic folks have a really hard time generalizing across situations. A lot of people function in a sort of "rules-based" way (which is not to say that all autistic folks like rules imposed upon them, because that's not true) – meaning, people will learn the "rules" for a given situation, especially if that situation is unfamiliar or requires things that do not come naturally to the person. Once the "rules" have been established, it can be really really hard for someone to change them without having a really good reason for doing so. o Just because someone understands the "rules" in one situation, doesn't mean that they will be able to apply them to another situation - even if that other situation is (or seems) fairly similar. Understanding this can be important because a lot of time people operate on the assumption that if something has been explained in one context, people will be able to extrapolate to other similar contexts. For some autistic people, this may not be something they are able to do easily (if at all). o Overwhelming situations can lead to shutting down or melting down for a lot of people. What constitutes overwhelming varies person to person, as does what “melting down” or “shutting down” means for a given individual. Given this, I am not going to list "signs of meltdowns and shutdowns and what they might look like," but examples can be found online (make sure you look for examples from autistic people themselves). o For a lot of folks with sensory sensitivities, this can often be the cause or trigger or "final straw" that leads to a shut down or meltdown. o Frustration and embarrassment can also lead to shutdowns or meltdowns for folks. o It's really important not to take shutting down or melting down personally. o People really don't have control over shutdowns or meltdowns most of the time (especially once they are already in it; a lot of people have their own really awesome strategies for trying to stop shutdowns or meltdowns before they happen, but it's not always possible). o Meltdowns are NOT “temper tantrums.” o For most people, the best thing outsiders can do in the case of shutdown or meltdown is nothing. If you can help the person get out of the situation, do that and then leave them alone (unless they indicate they don't want you to, obviously).
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o Unless someone is about to harm themselves or someone around them, do not touch them when they are having a meltdown (unless you know the person well and know that it helps them to be touched or held). If you have to touch someone because they are about to hurt themselves or someone else, do this as respectfully as you can and tell the person what you are doing and why. Never restrain someone as a way to get them to stop having a meltdown. o Many people cannot stand to be touched at all or have people to close to them if they are shutdown or having a meltdown. In the context of a workshop or meeting, maybe this would look like someone getting really silent/still and not responding to stuff or just really needing to leave all the sudden and without explanation (again, clearly depends on the person). With something like a workshop series, or a regularly-occurring meeting, if there are any kind of routine to the group/workshops/activities, this may become really important folks. Routine is comforting. If there's no reason to disrupt a routine, don't! o Stuff like always sitting in the same chair/place can be a routine and being able to do so can make the difference between being comfortable or uncomfortable. ●
o If there's a routine thing that has to change (the place the group meets or something like that), advanced notice (as much as possible) and explanations as to why the change is happening are helpful. Sort of similar to the point above about routine, lots of autistic folks find it really stressful and overwhelming to be in situations where they do not know what to expect. New and unfamiliar situations can be really really hard for a huge number of reasons (social, sensory, etc). The more the "unknowns" in a situation can be reduced, the better (for most people - obviously not everyone struggles with new situations in the same ways or to the same degree). o Having explanations of the workshops, activities, etc in advance (maybe in multiple formats, including written) can be really helpful. For example, if someone signs up to join a group/signs up for a workshop, being able to explain to them with a fair bit of detail what they can expect would be really helpful – especially for the first workshop or meeting. The more details the better! So, something like: "At the first workshop, people will arrive and we will do a go-around for introductions. There is always the option to pass in go-arounds. Then we will talk about ground rules. Then we will do the first activity which is ____. After that we will take a break and during the break people can do whatever they want/need to do such as go to the bathroom, eat a snack, talk to people, sit quietly, go outside, etc. After that we will do another activity which is ____." Again, not everyone necessarily needs this level of detail, but it does help a lot of people to know what to expect. ●
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o Knowing what to expect also helps people better know what is expected of them in some ways (though there may still be things people are unsure about and/or need explained to them). Lots of autistic folks need time to get used to new settings/new things and also new ideas. This sort of "warming up" period differs from person to person as to what it looks like. I've seen lots of younger autistic kids who like/need to do stuff like go around the room in a new setting and touch things and sort of map it out for themselves. I think older folks do this too (I certainly do) and do similar things like maybe just observe for the first long while until they feel comfortable enough to participate. Sometimes someone may take a while before they have “warmed up” enough to be comfortable and able to participate in a workshop or meeting, but do not assume this means they wonʼt ever participate or that they cannot participate. ●
Don't use functioning labels (e.g. “low functioning” or “high functioning”). They're f****d up and they f***ing suck. They are also completely inaccurate and therefore useless anyways. Some autistic people may refer to themselves as "highfunctioning" or “low functioning,” but the usual thing about people being allowed to selfidentify applies in terms of that. o "But you're so high functioning" is a thing a lot of people get told if they are able to do certain kinds of things that are deemed “normal” for non-autistic people to be able to do. This is messed up and really invalidating. Make sure that if anyone in a group workshop or meeting group says this to any autistic person/people in the group that a) the autistic person/people are checked in with and b) the person who said it knows it's not okay and why it's not okay. ●
o “Low functioning” does not mean “non-verbal” and “high functioning” does not mean verbal. Stop making this false conclusion. o Instead of using functioning labels, just be specific about what you mean. If you are talking about someone who cannot live alone, then say that they cannot live alone or that they live with a caregiver; if you are referring to someone who speaks some/most of the time, then say that. Say what you mean (respectfully) rather than using offensive and inaccurate medical terminology. Just because someone can do something one day, doesn't mean they can do it the next. Just because you saw someone do something at the last meeting/workshop, does not mean you can assume they can always do it. For many people, factors such as how overwhelmed they are, how tired they are, etc. can greatly impact things that they can and cannot do at a given time. o The reverse is also true – someone may not be able to do something one day/in a given moment/etc, but that doesn't mean they can't do it at all. ●
o People often talk about "presuming competence" in the case of autistic folks and other disabled folks, and I think it is important to do so,
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but this only works if the person is not shamed for needing help with something they were able to do the day before/10 minutes before, and if needing help is normalized as part of everyday experience.
ADHD folks/ folks with ADHD (Note: as far as I know, there's less around ADHD folks strongly identifying as "ADHD person" vs. person with ADHD. For the most part, people seem to refer to themselves as either “being ADD/ADHD” or “having ADD/ADHD”) ***A lot of the stuff that may be helpful to/inclusive of autistic folks may/probably will help ADHD folks, but here are some other things that may be helpful. Breaks! Scheduled breaks as well as it being a group norm/guideline that people can get up and take breaks whenever they need to. o Having the option of standing up/moving around without necessarily leaving the group/activity is good, too. ●
o People may also want/need breaks in the middle of a specific activity, so this may be important to keep in mind in terms of the timing of stuff (like workshop activities). For example, if there's something like an individual writing exercise or drawing activity, someone may want to get up and take a break and then come back to it. This may mean it takes them longer than others to finish. If you are planning a workshop, try to figure out ways to account for the fact that some people may need or want more time than others around them to complete a task or activity. As for many autistic folks, having small toys/things available to play with can be really helpful for folks who need something to do with their hands (this is also good for people who like to stim by playing with toys/things!). ADHD folks donʼt necessarily “stim” (though some do), but many/most do fidget with stuff and find fidgeting helpful in terms of concentrating. ●
There is not really a reason to make a distinction between ADD and ADHD (unless someone with ADHD/ADD wants to make a distinction for themselves for whatever reasons) – the important thing is recognizing that there are different ways ADHD manifests for people. Level of activity is a primary thing, I think. Some folks are actually really not active/"hyper"/full of movement/etc. (and in fact may appear to others to be “lazy” or “slow-moving”) whereas other folks tend to be sort of "in motion" in some way or another most of the time. So, someone with ADHD may not need to get up and walk around as often, may not do stuff like fidget in their seat, etc but many others may do these things. The stuff that tends to be similar for almost all people with ADHD is being easily distracted from the task one is doing, being easily overstimulated but also needing lots of stimulation, getting bored easily, and having trouble paying attention to stuff like group discussions. ●
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o Some folks with ADHD might need to reduce the number of things they are focusing on in order to be able to focus on the task they are doing. Other folks with ADHD may need to do multiple things ("multitask") in order to focus. For example, many people cannot pay attention to a group conversation/workshop/whatever unless they have something to do with my hands (a toy to play with, pen and paper to doodle with, etc). This is different for each person, though, obviously. o Don't underestimate or make assumptions about people's need and ability to multitask. I can read something and still be listening to someone talk at the same time, but people often seem to not be totally certain that I am actually listening because they are not used to seeing people read while trying to talk to them. If you arenʼt sure if someone is paying attention, ask them (respectfully), rather than simply assuming they are not. Just as folks may have difficulty with focusing on one thing/task and/or knowing what to focus on, they may also have difficult shifting focus from one thing to another. Providing cues such as giving a “five-minute warning” before changing activities or tasks can be really helpful to people, but even with cues, people still may need more time than those around them to stop and start an activity or move on from one activity to the next. ●
Folks may have trouble waiting their turn to speak or may just start talking without waiting at all. If this is the case, it would be important that folks be reminded about ground rules for how the group deals with people taking turns talking, but it would also be cool if some activities in a workshop or meeting allowed for speaking without waiting (there are some games/icebreakers that are like this, for example). ●
If you notice that someone seems to be frequently asking for things to be repeated, it might be worth checking in with them (without making any assumptions) as to whether there are things that might help them follow what's going on. Sometimes people do just need stuff repeated, but if folks are asking a lot, it might be cool to just check in anyways. ●
Remembering things (especially stuff like remembering to bring a pen and paper, etc.) is something a lot of people with ADD/ADHD struggle with. Having reminders (verbal and written) for important things that people are expected to remember is good. ●
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Learning Disabled Folks/Folks with Learning Disabilities (Note: There are lots of different kinds of learning disabilities. I do not want to try and speak to the experiences of folks who have other learning disabilities (LDs) than the ones that I do; I can imagine that there are probably some kinds of things that are similar across different LDs in terms of making stuff more accessible overall, but I am mostly going to focus on what I am familiar with plus a few general ideas/suggestions based on what I do know about things like Dyslexia) Multiple formats and multiple access points! Trying to have things available in at least 2 formats wherever possible is really helpful (example: spoken and written). Clearly it may not be possible to do absolutely every single thing in more than one format, but when it can be done, it's really important – especially for stuff like the instructions for an activity (a lot of people have trouble following verbal instructions). o Sometimes this might mean preparing written documents in advance, but it can also include stuff like one person writing on a flipchart while another person explains the activity, etc. Documents prepared in advance can be sent out to people before a workshop or meeting and this may help someone be better able to understand what is going on therefore better able to participate in the ways they want to. �
o Do not structure things with the assumption that everyone in the room can read or can read easily. Never force someone to read something out loud. o Visual aids (words and/or pictures) can be really helpful for people, too. When planning a workshop or meeting, plan to include some kind of visual aid (even if this is just a typed handout or writing stuff down on a flipchart). o Having more than one way to do and/or participate in activities is really good and help reduce stress for, and to better include, people who might struggle with the setup of a certain thing. So, for example, if there's an activity that is something like "write down X things you think about when Y happens" having the option to draw or just write single words (i.e. not sentences) would be good, too (or the option to do a collage or make a comic or something). o Videos and video clips with closed captions or subtitles are good, too (that way people can read along in case it's hard to follow what's being said). If you plan on having a lot of written materials, handouts, etc. it might be worth checking in with people about this. There are ways to make written materials accessible for people who struggle with reading stuff (specific fonts, making sure everything can be in PDF format, etc), but what someone needs is going to differ person to person. â—?
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In general, it's good to avoid having large blocks/chunks of text (I clearly did not do a good job of following my own suggestions in terms of this document. Sorry!!!). ●
Bullet points can help break up large amounts of text. So can stuff like text being put in boxes on the page (this is good for ADD/ADHD folks too because it helps you know where to focus). Pictures or symbols that go along with the text can help, too. ●
Using a larger font size can be really helpful for people (whether or not the person/people have visual disabilities). 12 ●
Use clear and non-jargony language whenever possible. If a technical or jargony term is being used, make sure to explain what it means. ●
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Explain all acronyms (even if you think they are obvious ones).
It's important to have a lot of contrast (i.e. between text colour and background colour) for written materials (especially for anything on a screen) – black on white, white on black, and white on dark blue are all good ones. ●
It can be helpful to diagram out ideas or topics that are very involved/complex. Flowcharts can be good for this. Breaking stuff down into pieces/components can be really helpful for people for a whole variety of reasons. ●
Where someone is located in a group/workshop space can make a huge difference. If there's a board/flipchart, etc. maybe check in and see if people would like to sit a specific place relative to the board/flipchart. Folks may also want to sit a specific place relative to the facilitators. ●
General access things Scent-free! As much and as often as is possible. This is important for people with allergies and chemical sensitivities, but it's also important for people with any kind of sensory stuff where smell might be overwhelming/nauseating/headache-inducing/etc. Sometimes people don't understand what scent-free means, so it might be good to explain explicitly to the whole group. ●
Lots of people (autistic folks, people who get migraines, people who have seizures, and others) are really sensitive to overhead fluorescent lighting. If it's possible to not have/minimize this in the space where the group/workshops happen, that would be ideal. ●
Timing can be a huge factor for lots of people for a bunch of different reasons. For example, a lot of people find evening to be a really difficult time energy- and concentration-wise (but others find mornings to be hard for the same reasons, so, clearly it depends on the person). ●
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Also, if there is anyone who uses adapted transport as a means of transportation, timing becomes very relevant because transport has to be booked at least a day (and often more) in advance. This means workshops, meetings, etc. really need to end on time. It also means that folks may be late for stuff because adapted transport is often late picking people up (note: people sometimes use adapted transport for disabilities that are not physical disabilities; also, not all physical disabilities are visible/visibilized). ●
Always always always have the option to pass. This is especially important for stuff like go-arounds because people are "put on the spot" (actually, anything that requires spontaneous expression/communication can be really hard and make people feel put on the spot). o Activities should also have the option to pass. If a given activity/thing seems critical to the group/workshop (i.e. opting out would significantly impact what the person gets out of the whole thing), have options for how someone can participate and/or work with the person to come up with a way to participate that is acceptable and accessible to them. ●
Group work and group activities (including working in pairs) can be really overwhelming, difficult, and also unpleasant for people for a lot of reasons (social skills stuff, too much input, generally preferring to work alone, etc). If there are group activities, it would be good for people to have the option to work alone if they want or need to. o It may also happen that people do want to be part of a group but don't know how. They may need help approaching a group, asking to join in, knowing how to navigate the group and roles within the group, etc. ●
o If you end up doing a lot of stuff in pairs/groups and you notice someone is often left out or picked last, don't let that s**t continue (assuming the person does want to work with others) – assign groups, pair people up alphabetically, or whatever, but if people are getting left out that's really not cool (and also is probably not the first time that person has experienced not being picked for stuff). I wrote a point above (in the section about autistic folks) about presuming competence but also not assuming ability. This applies more generally, obviously. It's really important to not make assumptions about what people can/cannot do, are/are not comfortable with, etc. ●
Remember that output does not automatically equal input. Just because someone speaks/expresses themselves "fluidly" or it seems "easy" for them, doesn't mean that comprehension is as fluid or easy. The reverse may also be true – someone may understand stuff very easily but have a much harder time expressing what they want to express. ●
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Don't "dumb stuff down." People many not being doing this intentionally, but people frequently do this without realizing it when interacting with folks who are disabled in whatever way. Stuff should be clear and as simply worded/explained as needed, but that doesn't mean you need to "dumb it down." Doing so is offensive for a huge host of reasons. ●
This one should hopefully be extremely obvious, but still...don't "out" folks as disabled or as having a particular disability (unless you have the personʼs permission to do so). People have all kinds of complicated relationships to disability – and more "invisible" disabilities can be really complicated identity-wise for people. o Conversely, don't assume people want to be private/want to not disclose about disability stuff. If people do want to talk about it, help make space for this to happen in as safe ways as possible. Talking about disability – especially oneʼs own disability and experiences with being disabled – is not shameful or wrong. ●
Another obvious thing, but one that also seemed worth mentioning: you're going to fuck up. You're going to do and say dis/ableist things without realizing and without meaning to. The usual guidelines for "how to fuck up and then apologize and take responsibility" apply, obviously. But, there may also be aspects of apologizing and/or taking responsibility that you may have to communicate and/or demonstrate differently than you otherwise would in order for people to understand that you mean it. o Especially for autistic folks, it's less likely that stuff that falls into the realm of social or conversational "Do Nots" will be taken as hurtful, etc. because they may not be totally aware of what is expected in that situation in the first place. So, it would be important to know whether or not the person is even upset, hurt, or offended before you apologize for something or else it might be even more confusing for the person. ●
o Be direct. Name the thing you feel was a fuck up (even if you assume all parties involved know what's being talked about/referenced...). Obviously disabled folks can and do dis/ableist things, too. It's dis/ableist in-and-of itself to think that someone who is disabled in one way therefore automatically understands the realities of folks who are disabled in other ways... o In general with calling someone out on something like this, explaining your reasoning/motivation behind something can be really helpful – especially with autistic folks. I have been told (and have experienced) that many non-autistic people think that someone is being defensive if they give explanations and reasons, but for a lot of autistic people, the reason behind something is critical to understanding what is happening and why people may feel/react the ways they have. ●
o This is also important to keep in mind in the case of people taking responsibility for stuff they've done and expecting people to be accountable for stuff theyʼve done. Again, I've been told many times that "I didn't know" or "I didn't realize" is not okay when apologizing because
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it doesn't matter/seems defensive/etc. But, to me (and to others I know/people I have heard speak about these things) this is a really important part because not knowing/not understanding means that I can't know how to prevent doing a similar thing in the future. Keep in mind that many things that are seen as “so basic” or “common knowledge,” such that you may not believe that someone actually did not know something they were doing was wrong are based on neurotypical social norms.