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Autistic young adults often tell me that they cannot get the accommodations that they
need. It is important for them to be specific about the accommodation that is needed.
Below I will outline the most important accommodations:
1. For tasks that require a sequence of steps, instructions should be in a written
“pilot’s checklist” format. I cannot remember more than three steps of instructions
given verbally. The use of written checklists is one of the most important
accommodations at both work and in college. I need an external working memory
in the form of a checklist. This is especially important for tasks such as running a
cash register or operating a piece of equipment. If you do not want to disclose
that you are autistic, say “pilots need a checklist and I need one too.”
2. Some individuals need short sensory breaks when they get overwhelmed.
3. Avoid jobs that require rapid multitasking, such as a busy fast food takeout
window, or a chaotic store during the holidays.
4. At school, some extra time on tests is often needed.
5. Many autistic adults have problems keeping a job because they miss subtle
social signals. Vague feedback from a boss is not understood. Telling the autistic
employee they are rude to customers is too vague. They need to be told exactly
what they did wrong. It is like teaching somebody how to behave in a foreign
country. They need specific instructions when they make social mistakes. For
example, when I said that some welding looked like pigeon doo doo, the plant
engineer made me apologize. He told me exactly what I should do.
6. Flickering from LED lights is often a problem for some autistic, ADHD, and
dyslexic people. To find the lights that flicker, make a video in slow motion. If the
lights cannot be changed or turned off, the flickering can be greatly reduced by
finding an LED that does not flicker and placing in their workstation. Wearing a
hat may also help.
There has been some effort by the autistic individual to conform. I will never be a
social chit chat butterfly. When I first started working, I had to clean up my hygiene.
Hygiene is one area where the autistic individual has to comply. You cannot be a
dirty, rude slob.
Temple is an internationally respected specialist in designing livestock handling systems. She is also the most famous
person with autism in the world today. She is the subject of the Emmy Award-winning HBO biopic Temple Grandin. She frequently writes and speaks on the subject of autism,
sharing her personal experiences.
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