Exploración Número Uno

Exploration 1:

Unfortunately I will not have an opportunity to begin my interviews until 1 March; however, my research has exposed some glaring questions and subsequently caused something of a change in my approach and focus. My consideration of those dealing with handicaps has always been rather superficial, I was always aware they existed but did not give much thought to the life they lead or the real world challenges they are faced with, especially once they have grown out of the public education system and no longer have the support of publicly funded educators. We live in a world that is largely intolerant and ignorant of those who are different; thus, Autistic young adults are forced to live in a world they are unprepared and unequipped to handle.

This reality has prompted an expansion to the scope of my research… it seemed rather short sided to only consider the prospective of family members and ignore the point of view of educators and psychologists who are also grappling with these complex issues. Once an Autistic individual reaches adulthood, what resources are there for parents who are now asked to fully care for them when they themselves are becoming older and less able to handle such intense responsibility? For those with the necessary financial resources, there are facilities specifically built to address these issues; however, what options do less affluent families have? Such questions are easy to ignore as they make one feel uncomfortable about a rather politically incorrect issue… do we reinstate asylums (organizations with a tendency towards abuse), or do we allow those with diminished mental capacities to roam the streets and live out of shopping carts, is one really a better alternative to the other? As a teenager, the movie Le Huitieme Jour touched on this very issue, causing me to consider things hitherto foreign in my privileged and isolated world. It caused me at a young age to think of these rather serious social problems in a way I had never considered, but as with many serious questions without obvious answers, it was easier to repress it and move on.

Therefore, I hope to gain a more holistic perspective of the challenges faced by people dealing with autism by interviewing not only parents, but also caretakers and educators who specialize in Autism. I will be observing a support group at St. Lukes on 1 March, with interviews to follow shortly thereafter. I have arranged meetings with a parent to an Autistic child, a special education teacher, and an administrator at a facility that specializes in working with Autistic adults.