After some advice from Paul I got in touch with a PhD Student who is studying immersive environments for Autistic people to get some guidance on my final year project. Below are some notes on our conversation and directions she pointed me toward.

Speak about it as person first - I have Autism or identify first - I am autistic or Autistic person

“Social model of disability” is a preferred term

Autism is a naturally occurring neurological difference

Read book “Neurodiversity”

“We are all a bit autistic” is a myth - it is like saying we all have cancer

A normally/typically developed person is called a neurotypical

Avoid: Autism Speaks (USA) - they try to cure, normalise and prevent

Avoid: ABA - have “therapy” systems

Look at: DSM5

Autism diagnosis is separated into two sections

• Social communication
  • avoiding eye contact
  • difficulty expressing or understanding facial expression
  • verbal/visual communication
• Social Communication
  • Eye contact
  • Facial expressions
  • Verbal/visual communication
• Behaviour
  • repetitive
  • sensory
  • Stimming (self stimulation such as fidgeting)

Look at: Double Empathy Problem

• How the issue isn’t with communication it is just different communication styles
• Neurotypical > neurotypical is fine
• Autistic Person > Autistic person is fine