Autism Goes Mainstream

Autism Goes Mainstream; Chuckie Cheese Goes Sensory Friendly Improving the Experience for Some Children with ASD. I'm not sure if this modification would have helped Nick, but it's a great thing for many children who have ASD accompanied by sensory processing disorder.  

Most people envision kids with autism with sensory issues as holding their ears, or not being able to tolerate the overwhelming stimuli of places like Chuckie Cheese, but that's not the only sensory response children with autism can have, and it's not the response Nick has.

Nick's first birthday party was at Chuckie Cheese, before he developed autism, and before I had a clue how the environment might be affecting him, and he sure seemed to love it. Then post diagnosis (Nick was diagnosed at 23 months) during his preschool and elementary school years Chuckie Cheese was the place to go.  It was a safe haven where his behaviors and noises for the most part just blended in with the general chaos. A place where the typical kids were acting like my spectrum kiddo, running, yelling, darting, jumping, slamming into one another and all was accepted.  Perhaps best of all, parents were too busy trying to keep up with their own kiddo's to pay attention to mine. Oh how I miss those days!

Unfortunately reality set in and we had to stop taking Nick to Chuckie Cheese when he phased out of the "kiddo" age zone. Unlike other families we didn't stop because the never ending noises, lights and crowds were too much for Nick, in our case it was exactly the opposite we went for the chaos and Nick loved it! He loves all the lights, sounds, running kids, and the games that over stimulate his nervous system.  It's like a drug, a high for him. He loves the way it winds him up and he slowly spins into a frenzy, until he is jumping, spinning, drooling and exploding with uncontrollable laughter. He's escalates into a "Happy Frenzy".

In this overwhelmed state he hears nothing from the outside world, he loses all impulse control and just wants more, and more and more. The result is inevitably his flailing body gets the attention of other parents and kids as stare, grab their children and I can tell they are wondering if Nick is a danger to their children. Before I know it a space clears between Nick and everyone else and the reality that his excitement could prose a danger to the smaller kids becomes really obvious.  So we fade away, and go home. Then comes the slow and painful crash from his sensory high.  For days to follow Nick is agitated, unable to sleep, experiences bouts of aggression, and his repetitive behaviors escalate.  A terrible price to pay for loving a place.

Unarmed Behavior Therapist Shot While Working With Autistic Client

This is one more in my series of be afraid, be very afraid. Imagine your autistic son on a walk with this behaviorist, someone calls 911 because they think the autistic mans toy truck in a gun and when the police arrive despite the therapist calmly explaining the situation (while laying on the ground with his hands up) the police shoot the therapist.  They explain they were actually aiming for his client! What the heck! All I can say is the therapist handled it perfectly, and if you work with behaviorist you might want to see what training they have in the event of police engagement.  Random or not, this shows what is possible and we are better of if we prepare those around us.

Nick's First Trip to Overnight Camp!! Pictures & Tears....

This is one happy Kid!!!

Nick's first time at overnight camp! Actually it was the first time in 17 years he had been away from home overnight without us, except to be in the hospital. The reason's why, we all know :(.  When he was gone NO ONE CALLED me it was crazy, he really was without me!!! That brought up an odd combo of  "No news is good news", Joy,  and discomfort because I was disconnected. DISCONNECTED for the first time ever. He was okay with out me. And boy was it worth it! Now I'm crying as I look at my happy  guy, who did this! Thanks to Annabeth, Luis and my church family for making this happen. We love you!

 THE END!

Nick's First Weekend Away From Home...Ever! He's off to Camp :)

Oh my gosh, This is so exciting, such a massive step and I'm actually a bit anxious. Nick is going to camp and will be gone for 3 days! Three days! I know to most folks with a 17 year of it's not big deal, but he has never been away from me for three days in this life. He did stay overnight at a friends when he was in elementary school for one night...but that's it!

This will be the first time since he was born, 17 years ago, that my daughter and I have been together without him!

I'm so excited to spend some along time with her, and so excited that Nick get's sometime without us! This is big!

Child With Autism Disrupts Broadway Show - Star Response Surprises People

Broadway Star Takes a Compassionate Stand After Child With Autism Disrupts His Show

·         By GENEVIEVE SHAW BROWN

Kelvin Moon Loh is seen backstage at the St. James Theatre in this file photo, Nov. 17, 2014, in New York.

Theater goers might think it's the cast of the show that's outraged by a disruptive audience member. But in the case of Kelvin Moon Loh, who is currently in Rodgers and Hammerstein's "The King and I" at Lincoln Center in New York, that wasn't the case at all. http://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/broadway-star-takes-compassionate-stand-child-autism-disrupts/story?id=34031626

In a Facebook post from Wednesday, Loh writes of an incident that took place at the afternoon matinee.  It starts out, "I am angry and sad." The post has been shared more than 6,000 times so far.

"I am angry and sad. Just got off stage from today's matinee and yes, something happened. Someone brought their autistic child to the theater.

That being said -- this post won't go the way you think it will. You think I will admonish that mother for bringing a child who yelped during a quiet moment in the show. You think I will herald an audience that yelled at this mother for bringing their child to the theater. You think that I will have sympathy for my own company whose performances were disturbed from a foreign sound coming from in front of them.

"No. Instead, I ask you -- when did we as theater people, performers and audience members become so concerned with our own experience that we lose compassion for others?

"The theater to me has always been a way to examine/dissect the human experience and present it back to ourselves. Today, something very real was happening in the seats and, yes, it interrupted the fantasy that was supposed to be this matinee but ultimately theater is created to bring people together, not just for entertainment, but to enhance our lives when we walk out the door again.

"It so happened that during 'the whipping scene,' a rather intense moment in the second act, a child was heard yelping in the audience. It sounded like terror. Not more than one week earlier, during the same scene, a young girl in the front row- seemingly not autistic screamed and cried loudly and no one said anything then. How is this any different?

"His voice pierced the theater. The audience started to rally against the mother and her child to be removed. I heard murmurs of 'why would you bring a child like that to the theater?' This is wrong. Plainly wrong.

"Because what you didn't see was a mother desperately trying to do just that. But her son was not compliant. What they didn't see was a mother desperately pleading with her child as he gripped the railing refusing- yelping more out of defiance. I could not look away. I wanted to scream and stop the show and say- "EVERYONE RELAX. SHE IS TRYING. CAN YOU NOT SEE THAT SHE IS TRYING???!!!!" I will gladly do the entire performance over again. Refund any ticket because for her to bring her child to the theater is brave. You don't know what her life is like. Perhaps, they have great days where he can sit still and not make much noise because this is a rare occurrence. Perhaps she chooses to no longer live in fear, and refuses to compromise the experience of her child. Maybe she scouted the aisle seat for a very popular show in case such an episode would occur. She paid the same price to see the show as you did for her family. Her plan, as was yours, was to have an enjoyable afternoon at the theater and slowly her worst fears came true.

I leave you with this -- shows that have special performances for autistic audiences should be commended for their efforts to make theater inclusive for all audiences. I believe like Joseph Papp that theater is created for all people. I stand by that and also for once, I am in a show that is completely FAMILY FRIENDLY. The King and I on Broadway is just that -- FAMILY FRIENDLY - and that means entire families -- with disabilities or not. Not only for special performances but for all performances. A night at the theater is special on any night you get to go.

"And no, I don't care how much you spent on the tickets."

Commenters on Loh's post were overwhelmingly supportive:

"I wish you guys would have stopped your set in support of the mother. She should never have had to leave the show because of those in the audience who disapprove of her child. Instead those other close minded people should have been forced to leave."

"Feeling all the feels. Just beautiful."

"Your perspective is a beautiful reminder for all of us to live with compassion and empathy for ALL PEOPLE."

And another simply wrote, "Bravo."

ASD.. Street & Community Safety; ASD and Teaching Safety Instruction Part 1

https://www.youtube.com/user/AutismDayByDay/videos

This is an ABA approach to priming safety in the community as taught by Nick's team. We are having a very rough time with safety, so we created this tool. It's a 6 part short video maybe it will help you too. 

Donna

Disney Faces More Heat As Autistic Kids Lawsuit Looks To Expand

Give em Hell! There had to be a better solution. There are always going to be people who abuse things, but pouring out the baby with the bath water is no solution. Find a better way Disney Parks and Resort…you can do it!

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Disney Faces More Heat As Autistic Kids Lawsuit Looks To Expand 

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Deadline.com EXCLUSIVE:  Walt Disney Parks and Resorts could be facing a lot more angry families of children with developmental disorders if the plaintiffs in the ongoing American With Disabilities Act lawsuit get their way. In fact, the discrimination suitover access at Disneyland and other theme parks filed back in April against the media giant could nearly triple. “After the initial Complaint was filed, undersigned counsel received an outpouring of phone calls and emails from victims and their families, similarly situated to the 26 existing Plaintiffs,” said lawyers Andy Dogali and Eugene Feldman in one of several filings today in federal court (read it here). “Most of the victims wanted to offer cheers of support and witness assistance; some were in search of counsel. Ultimately, the undersigned counsel agreed to represent many of them.”

The attorneys are requesting to amend the original complaint to add another 69 plaintiffs to the two dozen-plus already involved. Disney, of course, is opposed to this, and the whole matter of the addition likely will be decided during an October 6 hearing before Judge Manuel Real. Of the 69 potential new plaintiffs, 36 are disabled and 33 are “family members who bring individual tort and contract claims.” Presently 16 of the plaintiffs are “allegedly disabled,” according to the proposed order submitted today (read it here), and 10 are family members.

This all started in October when, in an effort to weed out scammers, Disney got rid of the long-standing Guest Assistance Card program and introduced the Disability Access Service at its parks and resorts in Florida and California. Unlike the front-of-the-line and staff-sensitive GAC, the new system proved disruptive and detrimental to the children in question say the plaintiffs. In their initial suit filed in the spring, the guardians of the children claimed they were now disrespected by Disney employees, stuck in long lines to which individuals with conditions like autism and other cognitive impairments were very unsuited – all of which led to “meltdown behaviors” and the children having to leave the park or sometimes being asked to leave. Citing trauma and suffering as well, the 57-count complaint sought damages, injunctive relief and declaratory relief for violations of the ADA and the Unruh Civil Rights Act.

Disney rather bloodlessly rejected the claims in early July and asked for the case to be dismissed. Disney also denied the existence of the so-called “Magic List,” which supposedly grants selected very VIP persons no-wait, no-appointment-necessary ride passes among its privileges. The plaintiffs have suggested a version of the Magic List could provide the solution to their problem. At the end of July, Disney attempted to have the case moved to Florida federal court, where it undoubtedly feels the company will get a more sympathetic reception as one of the state’s largest employers. There has been no decision yet on that request.

Rhonda Trotter and Daniel Paluch of LA firm Kaye Scholer LLP are representing Disney in the case.

For all of Deadline’s headlines, follow us @Deadline on Twitter

Drowning Leading Cause of Death for Children With Autism

As a mom who lives in California, where there is seemingly a pool in every backyard, a key reason we purchased our home was it did not have a pool. I don't have a statistic on wandering compared to non-wandering related drowning’s, either way it’s clear we have to tackle both. My son is a wanderer, actually he's a seeker. He intentionally finds ways to escape our house in search of things he wants, and he has ZERO safety awareness. By zero I mean Nick has the safety awareness of a two year old. The difference is when we see a 2 year old alone we all stop and help. When people see my son alone they just stare.

The good news is I know this about him and I've put systems in place to protect him. My neighbors who have looked up to find Nick in their house UNINVITED, know it too. Their awareness creates a safety net.

If you have a pool I recommend a highly secured pool area, and I've asked my neighbors with pools to lock their gates.  

Articles like this are not new news to parents who have children with autism, it's just confirmation people are listening and getting the word out. 

Drowning Leading Cause of Death for Children With Autism

Researchers at the University of Sciences found that drowning is a major cause of death among children with autism.

Families with autistic children are most concerned about water safety. The study led by Varleisha Gibbs, occupational therapy professor at the University, found that autistic children get overstimulated in crowded areas and escape into unsafe environment.

Autism is a lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder that impairs social interaction, verbal and non-verbal communication and forms of repetitive or restricted behavior. The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention reveals that 1 in 68 children have autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It is five times more common in boys and costs at least $17,000 more every year to care for a child with ASD.

"Among the plethora of concerns for families dealing with autism, includes addressing water safety practices as early as possible in a child's life," said Dr. Gibbs. "Although water safety is a concern for all parents, children with autism are especially at a higher risk for drowning because they may seek isolation by fleeing to unfamiliar territories."

According to the National Autism Association, accidental drowning led to 90 percent of the total U.S. deaths reported in children with autism of age 14 and younger in 2009-2011.  Also, 50 percent of the children with autism try to escape into safe environment which is nearly four times more than children without autism.

Some of the safety tips researchers suggest are: enrolling children in swimming and water safety lessons as early as possible, using video narratives to discuss water safety and if they respond well to visual cues then signs like STOP or DO NOT ENTER on the doors that open to outside must be used.

Following this will help parents to relax and enjoy the summer with their children who are diagnosed with autism.

"Swimming and aquatic therapy is actually a wonderful sport for children with autism because it can address many of their body's sensory and motor needs," said Dr. Gibbs. "By preparing and communicating with your child with autism, family, and friends, summer trips and activities can be much less stressful and more enjoyable."

Keeping Our Kids Safe on the Streets

We Can't Master Street Safety!  

Teaching Nick street safety has been one of the hardest skills to teach yet!  His lack of understanding danger, his short attention span and how easily he is distracted or just in his head all combine to make teaching safety a nightmare for us. We've done all kinds of things to teach street safety; from playing Red Light Green Light and having his sister smash into him when he moved on a red light, to walking intersections over and over.  Now we are back to trying to reach via Video (since video's are Nicks favorite thing(. 

We made our own videos so he could hear and see things he is familiar with. I posted them online. Maybe they will work for you, or serve as a  guide to follow.   

Now we have expanded to other online resources...

How to Cross the Street: Social Story for Children with Aspergers & High-Functioning Autism – YouTube

Let's Go Walking! Lesson 2: Crossing Streets Safely – YouTube

If you have any tips on what has worked for your family, please post them in comments!

Disney Parks Refutes Lawsuit Claiming Discrimination Against Autistic Kids

Disney Parks Refutes Lawsuit Claiming Discrimination Against Autistic Kids

By DOMINIC PATTEN | Tuesday April 8, 2014 @ 1:22pm PDTTags: Americans With Disabilities Act, Disney

http://www.deadline.com/2014/04/disney-parks-lawsuit-autism/

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts today denied allegations in a lawsuit filed by families of children with developmental disorders that the company has caused them suffering and violated the American With Disabilities Act. The 57-count complaint (read it here), filed last week, seeks damages, injunctive relief, and declaratory relief forviolations of the ADA and the Unruh Civil Rights Act. ”Disney Parks have an unwavering commitment to providing an inclusive and accessible environment for all our guests,” a Disney Parks and Resorts spokesperson said today. “We fully comply with all ADA requirements and believe that the legal claims are without merit.” The scathing legal action filed by 16 children and young adults with autism and other developmental disorders and their guardians and parents contends that Disney’s recently implemented Disability Access Service violates federal and state law and is completely unsuited to the needs of individuals with such special needs. Disney disagrees. “Our Disability Access Service is designed for guests who, due to certain disabilities, cannot tolerate extended wait times at attractions. In circumstances where the service might not meet guests needs, we work individually with guests to ensure we are able to accommodate them,” said the company in a statement.

The 176-page complaint also alleges that, at the same time Disney moved to the DAS system last October, the Parks and Resorts division created a secret ”Magic List” program that could actually help solve a lot of their concerns. “The Magic List is a secret list of persons to whom Disney will automatically extend, without the stigma of a ‘Disability’ card, and without amandatory photograph, and without the newly-ingrained disrespect of Disney employees, five immediate-entry, no-appointment ride passes,” says the April 3 filing in federal court. “The Magic List does not perfectly accommodate the special needs of all persons with cognitive impairments, but it is considerably better than the recklessly inadequate DAS card,” it adds. “Disney is withholding the existence of the ‘Magic List’ from the broader community of families in which someone has a cognitive impairment. By doing so, Disney continues to deter families from visiting the Parks or making plans to do so.” While Disney has a Make-A-Wish Foundation program that provides front-of-the-line access among other privileges, the “Magic List” the plaintiffs allege seems to be something very different. A WDPR spokesperson denied to Deadline any knowledge of the so-called Magic List

First No Shoes at the Airport and Now No Pass's at Disneyland!

Rumor has it some families where getting disability passes saying their child had autism and then SELLING cuts in line to park guests making it possible for anyone with $ to get on the rides fast! What the heck! The consequence, no more disability passes for guests with autism. Instead we will get a pass to come back to a ride at a certain time. I don’t know about your kid, but for me taking my son right up to the desired item, and then taking him away, is going to present a whole new series of challenges!! Our families have so many challenges and this seemingly tiny thing in the big picture of life with autism may not seem like much, at least for my family, its a HUGH deal. 

Why, does it matter. One one had it was the one day I could count on for my typical teen daughter to appreciate her brother, and even think maybe it’s not so bad keeping him around and it was a day I could be sure to keep him calm enough to have a great time without meltdowns, which is the secret sauce to a good family day. The actions of a few bad apples sets in motion decisions that hurt us all.  We will ever get, that we’re all connected?

Let's move on to those we are working to help. Below is a response from Autism Society Los Angeles, complete with links at the bottom for you to send a message and try to improve the situation.  Let’s get this corrected! Respond to the links below...it only takes 2 minutes!!!!!

THIS IN FROM ASLA

Many of you have heard about the change in the way that Disneyland will handle guests with disabilities.

At the Autism Society of Los Angeles, we have received emails and calls from many of you about your concerns about this new policy. Please know that our organization, which works directly in the community, were not consulted on these new procedures and we share your concerns. 

  

ASLA issued the attached press release this week and were subsequently contacted by Disneyland representatives to hear our views.  

ASLA Press Release

Disney is definitely going ahead with the change but they are willing to speak with us if the program does not accommodate some in our community.  

  

Judy Mark our Government Relations Co Chair has been approached by a news organization to ask us to monitor the situation for their reporters and to write an Op-Ed on how the new system is working.  

So this is where we need your help...

The change goes into effect on 10/09/13 and we are hoping that some of you would be willing to take your child with a disability to Disneyland on that day or the few following days into the weekend and report to Judy on how your visit went.  

  

We plan to have one or more people from ASLA go to Disneyland as well, particularly on theSaturday October 12th.  Judy or another ASLA representatives will be at the Guest Relations and the kiosks. speaking to families about how the new system is affecting their day at the park.

  

Please contact Judy Mark by e mail at judymark@earthlink.net if you are willing and able to be a participant in this new system.

  

She will be sure to connect with you before you arrive and while you are in the park. Please feel free to pass this email on to other families who may be interested.

  

We know that this issue is not the most important challenge that our community faces and our organization faces.  Honestly, we wish that we could get 30,000 people to sign a petition fighting the severe budget cuts to our developmental disability system, but we understand personally how important Disneyland is to many children and adults with autism and other disabilities.  For many of you, it is the one place that our whole family can truly enjoy together.  

   

ASLA is committed to representing the families' concerns to Disney so please keep us posted if you are able to assist.  In the meantime,

ASLA will also be collecting comments, concerns and stories. Please direct them Caroline Wilson at execdirector@autismla.org  

  

We want to hear from you and will be taking you comments to Disney.

  

You can also sign petitions on:

Change.org - Disney Petition

MoveOn.org Petition

  

 They are hearing us and we think we have a chance to make this better.  

Surfers for Autism....uplifting :)

Surfers for Autism - Treasure Island, FL June 25, 2011 - YouTube
► 7:06► 7:06	www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVQM4mlwwmAJun 26, 2011 - 7 min - Uploaded by dbuxton2 Bay Area Surfers for Autism - June 25 - Treasure Island Beach Children on the autism spectrum spend the ...

Being Left out Puts Youths With Special Needs at Risk for Depression

Science Daily (Apr. 29, 2012) — The challenges that come with battling a chronic medical condition or developmental disability are enough to get a young person down. But being left out, ignored or bullied by their peers is the main reason youths with special health care needs report symptoms of anxiety or depression, according to a study to be presented`123 April 29, at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Boston.

In this study, researchers led by Margaret Ellis McKenna, MD, senior fellow in developmental-behavioral pediatrics at Medical University of South Carolina, investigated the impact of bullying, ostracism and diagnosis of a chronic medical condition on the emotional well-being of youths with special health care needs.Being bullied has been shown to increase students' risk for academic and emotional problems. Little research has been done specifically on how being a victim of bullying affects youths with special needs.

Participants ages 8-17 years were recruited from a children's hospital during routine visits with their physicians. A total of 109 youths and their parents/guardians completed questionnaires that screen for symptoms of anxiety and depression. Youths also completed a screening tool that assessed whether they had been bullied or excluded by their peers.

The main categories of youths' diagnoses included attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (39 percent), cystic fibrosis (22 percent), type 1 or 2 diabetes (19 percent), sickle cell disease (11 percent), obesity (11 percent), learning disability (11 percent), autism spectrum disorder (9 percent) and short stature (6 percent). Several children had a combination of these diagnoses.

Results of the youths' answers on the questionnaires showed that being bullied and/or ostracized were the strongest predictors of increased symptoms of depression or anxiety. When looking at both parent and child reports, ostracism was the strongest indicator of these symptoms.

"What is notable about these findings is that despite all the many challenges these children face in relation to their chronic medical or developmental diagnosis, being bullied or excluded by their peers were the factors most likely to predict whether or not they reported symptoms of depression," Dr. McKenna said.

"Professionals need to be particularly alert in screening for the presence of being bullied or ostracized in this already vulnerable group of students," she added.

In addition, schools should have clear policies to prevent and address bullying and ostracism, Dr. McKenna suggested, as well as programs that promote a culture of inclusion and sense of belonging for all students.

Loved this article! Just last week I thanked my local grocery store manager for having the insight to hire young adults on the spectrum, who I routinely see zooming about the store. In return he shared how incredible and totally reliable these kids were when it came to performing detailed tasks over and over.  From stocking "go backs" to collecting the carts his ASD employee's got the job done and were excited to work.  I was also very excited to hear that he was not employing them at a reduced rate through a subsidized  "work" program  he was paying them standard rate!  This story, gives me hope for my single minded, memorizing, repetitive task doing little man's future. 

Software

Outsourcing to the Autistic Rather Than to India

By Drake Bennett on March 27, 2012

Bennett is a staff writer for Bloomberg Businessweek.

Part of the reason autism has captivated Hollywood moviemakers more than other developmental disabilities is that, for all the difficulties it brings those who have it, it also gives some of them the ability to perform uncanny feats of brainpower: effortlessly memorizing train schedules or song lyrics, identifying the day of the week of any date in the past. Even among those who aren’t full-blown savants, many display an impressive ability, even a desire, to immerse themselves in what the rest of us would see as mind-numbingly boring, detail-orientedtasks.

What if we could turn that ability toward things besides memorizing train schedules? It’s not simply an abstract question: The vast majority of those with Asperger’s syndrome and high-functioning autism are unemployed. A few companies are trying to do just that, and all in the same sphere: software testing, the epitome of mind-numbing, detail-oriented work. The pioneer was a company called Specialisterne, started in 2004 by a Danish software engineer with an autistic son—it has since created offshoots in Iceland and Scotland. In 2008 a small nonprofit called Aspiritech in Chicago was started to put people with high-functioning autism and Asperger’s syndrome to work testing smartphone apps.

The newest entrant into the space in the U.S. is a Los Angeles-based software and design firm called Square One. The company has a small pilot program working to design a software-testing training program for people on the autism spectrum. The project grew out of conversations between company co-founder Chad Hahn and his wife, Shannon, who works with the developmentally disabled. Hahn, along with experts his wife led him to, has put together a software-testing curriculum that he’s now in the process of teaching to an inaugural class of three. The course he’s designed relies not on written instructions but on a software tool called iRise to create simulations of the sort of problems the trainees would confront in an actual work setting.

Hahn is also trying to develop a work environment that would be friendly to those on the autism spectrum, for whom the social interactions of a typical workplace can trigger paralyzing anxiety. For some people, Hahn says, that might mean ensuring that there’s a quiet room or a set of headphones they can put on to block out the buzz around them; for others it’s making sure there’s a counselor there to talk to whenever they need it. Hahn says he’s in talks with Warner Bros. and LegalZoom about software-testing contracts.

But what’s most original about Square One’s approach is how resolutely bottom-line-oriented Hahn is. Specialisterne only worked because of generous Danish subsidies for employing the developmentally disabled, and Aspiritech is a nonprofit. But for the time being Hahn is committed to the for-profit route.

A lot of software testing is done overseas by workers in India. The case Hahn makes is that his software testers will work for $15 to $20 an hour—pay comparable to, or even lower than, that of software testers in India, but right here in the U.S. After all, he points out, people with autism don’t have a lot of alternatives—when they do find work, it’s usually bagging groceries or sweeping hospital floors at the minimum wage.

Hahn, in other words, is proposing outsourcing to the developmentally disabled rather than the developing world. Asked whether it might be exploitative to pay people with a disability less than those without one for doing the same work, he says he doesn’t see it that way. For one thing, he says, Indian software testers aren’t exactly sweatshop labor; they make about $25 an hour. And if paying less makes the company able to hire the developmentally disabled in the first place, he doesn’t see a problem with it.

“I haven’t had one parent of an autistic child come to me and say this isn’t going to work,” he says. “They say, ‘This is a way for my child to make more money than they would have made otherwise, and allow them to be more independent.’ They worry, what is my child going to do when I’m gone? And this is kind of a way out.”