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Video Resources

The World Needs All Kinds of Minds

Learning Objective: 6.1 Describe the key features of ASD and explain how the disorder exists along a “spectrum.”

Description: In this 20-minute TED Talk, autism activist and Professor Temple Grandin discusses her experiences as someone with ASD.

Questions to Consider

1. Temple Grandin argues that the world needs people on the ASD spectrum. Why?
2. What signs and symptoms do you observe in Temple Grandin? How does she described the signs and symptoms in herself?
3. Why do you think that she has been so successful in working with animals?
    

Autism’s Prevalence Grows

Learning Objective: 6.1.b E Show how the prevalence of ASD varies as a function of children’s gender, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity.

Description: This 10-minute video from PBS News Hour discusses the recent increase in prevalence of autism.

Questions to Consider

1. The experts offer several reasons for why the prevalence of autism has been increasing. What are these?
2. What factors are associated with an increased risk of autism?
    

Autism Now: Meet Nick, Robert MacNeil’s Grandson

Learning Objective: 6.1 Describe the key features of ASD and explain how the disorder exists along a “spectrum.”

Description: This 15-minute video provides an in-depth portrait of one child with autism, describing his symptoms and his family’s struggle with the disorder itself and to receive the best possible treatment.

Questions to Consider

1. Why do you think the vaccine hypothesis persists despite extensive research?
2. Describe Nick’s symptoms. What do you observe watching him in this video?
3. How have physical symptoms played a role in his diagnosis?
    

See How ABA Therapy Helped a Child with Autism

Learning Objective: 6.3 Describe several evidenced-based treatments for ASD and differentiate these treatments from interventions that lack empirical support.

Description: This 4-minute video shows how early, intensive applied behavior analysis helped one child with autism spectrum disorder.

Questions to Consider

1. Describe Christopher today. How has his behavior changed over the course of treatment?
2. Describe the treatment that Christopher received.
3. What obstacles do you think exist that prevent other families from benefiting from ABA?
    

Audio Resources

After the Diagnosis: How Families Experience Autism

Learning Objective: 6.1 Describe the key features of ASD and explain how the disorder exists along a “spectrum.”

Description: This 11-minute story explores how three families are living with the diagnosis of autism.

Questions to Consider

1. How does the level of functioning vary in these three people who have autism spectrum diagnosis?
2. What happened within the families after diagnosis?
3. What do you think the long-term concerns are in these families?
    

Sesame Street Reveals New Character: A Girl with Autism

Learning Objective: List and describe early deficits in social cognition typically shown by infants and toddlers who are later diagnosed with ASD.

Description: This 3-minute video clip describes a new online-only character on Sesame Street.

Questions to Consider

1. Why did Sesame Street choose to introduce Julia?
2. What symptoms does Julia show?
3. What lessons does Elmo have for children on how to understand autism spectrum disorder?