Quote:
Originally Posted by Marmaduke
Really?
You're a very special advocate. You won't like my response either.
Think about it! Under ADA, current college professors now have to deal with Asperger's in their classrooms.
It's something I would find extremely disturbing when trying to enjoy an evening out, let alone while teaching a college level subject during a semester of 16 weeks.
Disruptions of barking and yelling throughout the fifty minute class session X 3 days a week, over the 16 weeks is the way a colleague described it.
Students ponder their fate in the new mainstream classroom where their work is 'expected' to be complete, but the Asperger's student has an 'advocate' to 'challenge' the professor all along the way.
Put into perspective- A professor friend had a son who was adopted. He has many abilities and he had Asperger's. The family realizes the need to adapt to the very specific needs of their son to enable him to live and enjoy life.
This distinguished professor started that she would never enroll her son in a college level class even though he was protected under ADA.
Too bad Mark doesn't have an advocate like that.
Is Mark the ONLY person with Aspergers in TV? Or are their advocates fully committed, like my dedicated and knowledgeable friend and her family?
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He doesn't demonstrate /most/ of the symptoms of Asperger syndrome. He demonstrates SOME symptoms of high-functioning non-specific autism.
He has empathy. He will look you in the eye when he's talking to you. While he is not "touchy-feely" he is open to affection and sincere welcoming of touch as a method of communicating emotion (hugs, fist bumps, a pat on the shoulder, etc). People with Asperger Syndrome tend to not be responsive to any of that, and some will actively avoid it.
This "barking and shouting" you refer to sounds more like Tourette Syndrome, not Asperger Syndrome. People with Asperger, as long as they aren't in a situation where a lot of noise, stress, or crowding triggers a behavioral shift, will generally be very quiet, keep to themselves, and not make much noise at all. People with Tourette Syndrome will "bark and shout" randomly, often using vulgar words without any control at all. Medication can help but usually only reduces the severity or frequency of the outbursts. It doesn't stop it completely.
Mark is responding joyfully to music. That's all it is.