Neurodiversity is a viewpoint that brain differences are to be embraced, rather than seen as deficits. Learn more about this topic using books, media and more resources from the library.
Autism in AmericaPutting the puzzle together, one beautiful piece at a time. This film is a genuine and straightforward look into the autism spectrum disorder as told by the families and individuals living with autism daily. Many parents are interviewed including Ruth Sullivan, Ph.D., the mother of a man named Joe who was the inspiration for Dustin Hoffman’s autistic character in the movie Rain Man.
Autism Goes to CollegeAs the number of students on the autism spectrum attending college steadily climbs, schools and students alike are trying to figure out how to manage the unique challenges experienced by this community. Getting accepted is often easy enough, but once on campus, navigating college can be challenging in many ways, often leaving students to figure it out as they go along. Five students on the autism spectrum -- Guillermo, Jasmine, Caroline, Jonathan, and Aniella -- invite viewers into their dorms and classrooms to show the world how they make college work for them. They share their dreams, fears, failures, and successes with candid insights and humor. The students in the film come up against the typical challenges any other college student would encounter such as academic loads, making friends, handling roommate situations, and handling money. Disability services counselors at colleges try out a patchwork of new approaches and programs to help both students and faculty better accommodate their unique needs. AUTISM GOES TO COLLEGE is a first of its kind film, packed with honest insights for students, parents, and educators that offers an eye-opening look at what a growing number of neuro-diverse students are bringing to campuses.
Embracing DyslexiaIn 2008 filmmaker Luis Macias learned that his eight-year old son, Alejandro, was dyslexic. Although diagnosed relatively early, Alejandro was held back in first grade due to poor reading and writing skills, which caused him countless homework battles and self-esteem issues. Macias decided to do what he does best, and the resulting film tackles the issues surrounding dyslexia like few other documentaries.
When Time Got LouderThis character-driven film follows Abbie as she departs for college, leaving her parents Mark and Tish, and her brother Kayden who has autism and is non-verbal. As she explores her new found independence with her roommate Jen and falls in love with a girl named Karly, Abbie is torn between her new life and the guilt of leaving her brother as her family struggles to care for him in her absence.
Normal People Scare MeReleased in 2006, Normal People Scare Me has made its way around the world on a mother and son speaking and screening tour. The film was conceived by Taylor Cross -- an aspiring filmmaker with autism -- when he was 15.
The Reason I JumpBased on the best-selling book by Naoki Higashida, later translated into English by author David Mitchell (Cloud Atlas), THE REASON I JUMP is an immersive cinematic exploration of neurodiversity through the experiences of nonspeaking autistic people from around the world. The film blends Higashida's revelatory insights into autism, written when he was just 13, with intimate portraits of five remarkable young people. It opens a window for audiences into an intense and overwhelming, but often joyful, sensory universe.
All God's ChildrenWell over half a million children in Indonesia are on the autism spectrum and have varying difficulty with social interaction and communication, as well as uneven access to resources, education and services. ALL GOD'S CHILDREN tells the story of Idris, a nonverbal autistic teenager living in rural Central Java. Idris’s mother, Isti, struggles to understand Idris and meet their basic needs, especially since the two moved away from Idris’s neurotypical twin brother and biological father over thirteen years ago. Shot over the course of five years, the film follows Idris and Isti to traditional healers, biomedical treatment centers, specialized schools, activist organizations, and community gatherings as they seek the acceptance and support they long for. As the family ultimately finds new avenues to healing and hope, the film also tells a story of how grassroots disability awareness movements, local cultural models of inclusion, and religious principles can unite to better support all members of a community.
Unstuck: An OCD Kids Movie - What Do You Do When Your Brain is Your Enemy?To uncover what OCD is -- and what it isn't -- filmmakers Kelly Anderson and Chris Baier focus on an unlikely group of experts: kids. UNSTUCK documents OCD through kids' eyes only. It avoids sensationalizing compulsions and obsessions, and instead reveals the complexity of a disorder that affects both the brain and behavior. As these six resilient kids and teens roadmap their process of recovery, the film inspires viewers to believe it is possible to fight their worst fears and beat OCD.
Wretchers and JabberersTwo men with autism embark on a global quest to change attitudes about disability and intelligence. Determined to put a new face on autism, Tracy Thresher, 42, and Larry Bissonnette, 52, travel to Sri Lanka, Japan and Finland. At each stop, they dissect public attitudes about autism and issue a hopeful challenge to reconsider competency and the future.
