Asperger's Conversations

Right and Wrong: Interview with Ann Wright

Today's podcast departs from direct discussion of Asperger's/Autism and instead focuses on the issue of "right and wrong" and making clearcut moral decisions.  While this is, of course, relevant to how individuals with Asperger's operate (they are less distracted by the "gray areas" of moral decision making and are good purveyors of what is right and what is wrong morally), I am making a foray into the world of whistleblowers. 

I had the opportunity to meet and interview Ann Wright, one of the highest ranking State Department officials to resign in protest to the war in Iraq.  Today's podcast is not about spectrum disorders, but instead focuses on a woman who made a clear decision about "right and wrong"...one that had obvious consequences for her career and personal life.

The interview is about one/half hour long, so the download is considerable (but worth the wait).  For those of you living in the Keene, NH area, it will be broadcast on friday, April 29 (today) at 11am on WKNH, Keene, 91.3 FM on Free Speech with Larry Welkowitz.

Click on the download below to hear today's podcast:

Download pr13_complete.mp3 (10.3MB; 30mins: 02secs)

Research Awards, autism, colleagues

I need to thank my friends at Keene State College for choosing me as this year's Research Award winner.   When I give my talk at the Awards dinner I plan on "plugging in" and showing them some cool stuff that we're doing in the area of podcasting and autism.  For example, they'll get to hear the latest music postings of my friend Kachina (Age 16) who has PDD/autism.  Her site, called Musical Conversations is up and running...you can listen to weekly MP3 postings or download quicktime video clips of her performances.  This week's podcast is in the works so stay tuned.

Gentle Teaching and Developmental Disabilities

Advocates of gentle teaching approaches to helping individuals with disabilities focus on feelings (especially those of caregivers) and relationships.  They view traditional behavioral approaches as being manipulative and, at times, even violent.  While personally I believe that criticisms of behavioral theory as being manipulative were addressed effectively years ago by B.F. Skinner in Beyond Freedom and Dignity, there is nonetheless some value in all of us infusing our work with a bit of "active humanism."  In today's podcast, I stretch a bit beyond a focus on Asperger's Syndrome and Autism, to talk about gentle teaching and developmental disabilities.  I interviewed David Yeiter of Monadnock Developmental Services who is a strong advocate of this type of approach.  Click on the MP3 download below to hear this week's program.

Download pr11_complete.mp3 (2.58MB; 7:32 mins)