The public perception of people diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is that it is a disability.  However, when seen through the lens of Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences, the situation is more complex with both strengths and challenges serving as a truer picture of autism.  People identified with ASD usually have difficulty with...Read More

Most people are familiar with the 1988 movie Rainman starring Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise.  This movie, based on a true story, dealt with a male adult who had remarkable mathematical/computational abilities, yet had major deficiencies in other areas of his life such as socialization and language.  Experts describe this phenomena as ”savant syndrome” –...Read More

This is video #10, the conclusion to my 10-video series on an Introduction to Neurodiversity based on a course I taught at Bridges Graduate School of Cognitive Diversity in Education.  In this video I focus on how neurodiversity can best be integrated into the society around it. I first look at the big picture and...Read More

This is video #9 in my 10-video series Introduction to Neurodiversity, based on a course I taught at Bridges Graduate School of Cognitive Diversity in Education. In this video I highlight the gifts, talents, and abilities of individuals who have social and emotional disorders such as OCD, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. These positive traits include...Read More

This video is #8 in my series Introduction to Neurodiversity, based on a course I taught at Bridges Graduate School of Cognitive Diversity in Education. It focuses on the gifts, assets, and strengths of those with intellectual disabilities. This is the neurodiversity that really needs the most publicity concerning the things that people with intellectual...Read More