2008 Woodie Awards
Breaking down the bubble around disabilities
One autistic author's efforts to increase understanding
Sara Wilmot
Issue date: 2/27/08 Section: News
People think that individuals with autism are insulated from the rest of the world; often that isn't so. This is not only what John Waters believes, this is what he knows.
Waters is 68 years old and lives his life with mild autism, among other disabilities. He is now working toward his goal of publishing a book that will shed a new perspective on assessing, understanding and treating disabilities.
Waters, an active participant in Humboldt State University's Over 60 Program, has spent over 30 years conducting independent research. His research ranges in focus from the source of creativity, an understanding of different language forms, and alternatives in education for people with disabilities to spiritual influences and practicing ways of expanding ones' brain through the ASADI process. (ASADI stands for access, stimulate, activate, develop and integrate.) He attended college in Santa Barbara and has a Bachelor of Science degree in math and biology.
Waters has Asperger's Syndrome, a form of high-level autism. Individuals with high level autism generally have high academic skills and a very high level of intellectual capacity. They have a very low level of socialization and communication skills. Waters also has a cognitive deficit in memory, vision and hearing. He said he has a hard time talking with people because he processes things differently. He said often if he is asked a question it is difficult for him to give direct responses, and that much of the time that causes him to act somewhat timid.
Kevin O'Brien, director of the Student Disability Resource Center at Humboldt State, has worked closely with Waters. He said that it is frustrating for someone like Waters, an intellectual person, to not be able to express his thoughts and ideas clearly to others.
Waters expects the book to be composed of research articles and essays, original works including poems, lyrics, drawings, paintings, songs, instrumental music, and other pieces. At this point, Waters has most of the research and components of the book finished. And funding help came from the professors. He just needs to decide on a more specific focus and format it all in an organized manner. He hopes to complement the book with a DVD.
Waters is 68 years old and lives his life with mild autism, among other disabilities. He is now working toward his goal of publishing a book that will shed a new perspective on assessing, understanding and treating disabilities.
Waters, an active participant in Humboldt State University's Over 60 Program, has spent over 30 years conducting independent research. His research ranges in focus from the source of creativity, an understanding of different language forms, and alternatives in education for people with disabilities to spiritual influences and practicing ways of expanding ones' brain through the ASADI process. (ASADI stands for access, stimulate, activate, develop and integrate.) He attended college in Santa Barbara and has a Bachelor of Science degree in math and biology.
Waters has Asperger's Syndrome, a form of high-level autism. Individuals with high level autism generally have high academic skills and a very high level of intellectual capacity. They have a very low level of socialization and communication skills. Waters also has a cognitive deficit in memory, vision and hearing. He said he has a hard time talking with people because he processes things differently. He said often if he is asked a question it is difficult for him to give direct responses, and that much of the time that causes him to act somewhat timid.
Kevin O'Brien, director of the Student Disability Resource Center at Humboldt State, has worked closely with Waters. He said that it is frustrating for someone like Waters, an intellectual person, to not be able to express his thoughts and ideas clearly to others.
Waters expects the book to be composed of research articles and essays, original works including poems, lyrics, drawings, paintings, songs, instrumental music, and other pieces. At this point, Waters has most of the research and components of the book finished. And funding help came from the professors. He just needs to decide on a more specific focus and format it all in an organized manner. He hopes to complement the book with a DVD.
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