The Autism Society Event and Education Recordings Archive

Meet two young, very demanding women with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who have different learning and visual skill sets. One will perform a musical selection and give a comprehensive home learning and rehabilitation program. The other will share strategies for self-advocacy related to ASD and vision at school. The Autism Network for Deaf/Hard of Hearing and Blind/Visually Impaired including membership and newsletter options is available, www.autism.com, (under Advocacy and  Resources) Brief updates provided.

Mirjana Silvert, 21 years of age, experienced health issues adding to her stress history with sensory processing. Miri‘s love of music has helped her flourish despite marked reactions to auditory input. She will perform a brief selection “Believe in Me” composed for her by Anita Silvert, orchestrated by music teacher Jon Novi, and accompanied by Debra Silvert’s trio. 

Debra Silvert, will discuss the development of Miri’s Come Learn with Me program. In the early years, much focus was placed on the accommodations required by her blindness.  Despite being formally diagnosed as moderately mentally retarded, Miri demonstrates impressive cognitive strengths.  She made steady progress until five years ago when a series of unexpected events resulted in severe regression including life threatening health challenges, severe behavioral changes, and a marked decrease in independence. Her program was completely overhauled, implementing a structured daily schedule with a complex sensory diet.  Throughout her life, music has played a pivotal role, and is foundational to her meaningful day.

Chloe Rothschild, also 21 years old has ASD , visual impairments, nystagmus and optic atrophy, ADHD, and developmental apraxia.  Chloe will relate Special Education experiences starting at age 5 with an itinerant teacher for students with visual impairments (TVI) and occupational therapy; later, she  transferred to a charter school for students with autism. Chloe navigated the course of some accommodations that were very helpful and yet disruptive to her social needs and opportunities.  Chloe learned to self-advocate.  

  By middle school Chloe had learned to advocate for herself when she couldn't see something, needed to sit closer to the board, or needed something in larger format, learning to enlarge on the school copier.  The SMARTboard was easiest to see and convenient for the teacher to print out what was written on it but still seen later. Taking notes is hard; especially, when you don't  know what  to write down, can't see it well, and have trouble with writing/fine motor skills plus being quick to fatigue.  In high school Chloe had access to a writer pro-device and an enlarged scientific calculator. Although helpful, they had to be charged in the Special Education classroom. This required time carrying them back and forth, and unfortunately for a person who often dropped things adding to her work load and isolation. Chloe has also seen large print books evolve and delighted in finally receiving one in color like her peers’ textbooks.  Because of the books’ size and weight, she had to struggle or sometimes kept books just at home or at school

 In high school, Chloe participated in adapted physical education since she still struggled with hand eye coordination among other skills related to ASD and developmental apraxia. As Chloe’s peers got stronger and more athletic, it was more difficult and sometimes frightening to be in their games. Determined after many hits, she developed some jumping/dodging  and ball skills.

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