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Be A Member! Get Involved! T* A* S* C* is always seeking volunteers to join the coalition in support of its mission and purpose. All that is required is a willingness to learn about and an ability to make an effort to support adults, especially more higher-functioning adults, with autism spectrum disorders, their families and friends. This can be done by giving moral and other support to the activities and efforts sponsored by T* A* S* C*. We are looking for higher-functioning adults with autism spectrum disorders, such as Asperger's Syndrome, who are interested in individual and collective self-advocacy.
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Members List:
Links to Other Sites About Autism & Asperger's Syndrome
Coord.:
Jarl Jackson
Members:
Other members names and information witheld for
Privacy 
ONLINE MESSAGE BOARD ARC-FLORIDA
What Autism Is
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What Are Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorders?
Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) are developmental
disabilities caused by a neurological condition, especially
affecting communication and social interaction.
No two individuals with any autism spectrum disorder are
alike.
ASPECTS OF AS/ASDs
Think of AS/ASDs and ‘Rainman’ may come to mind. Although a good
overall portrayal, Dustin Hoffman’s character does not represent
every person with an ASD. Each person with an ASD is different in
terms of overall characteristics, experiences and their
influences, but certain things are generally true about all.
These things fit broadly in the “Triad of Impairments.”
THE TRIAD . . . .
The first part of the triad covers the social and emotional areas
of functioning and involves difficulties with relationships,
managing unstructured time and working cooperatively - things
often too loose, too intangible, too undefined, too changeable
for aspies to understand fully, readily or easily.
The second part covers language and communication and involves
difficulties making sense of verbal information, humor, irony,
sarcasm, the nonliteral meanings of words and phrases, body
language, facial expression and the social use of language
generally.
The third part covers every person with an ASD in terms of their
flexibility of thought (or lack of the same) and involves
difficulty coping with changes in routines. It also involves
empathy – that is, sensing, understanding or appreciating and
responding to how another person feels. In addition, it involves
ability to generalize, as in using one ‘rule of thumb’ for
distinct, but related situations.
. . . AND MORE
Besides the triad, people with ASDs can have trouble with motor
co-ordination, organization, unusual sensory sensitivities or
even insensitivities, depression, anxiety . . . or perhaps a
savant skill like Rainman’s “human calculator ability. These can
have a significant impact on their attitude – outlook – and
behavior.
People with ASDs can appear “normal,” creating misunderstanding
that adds to their difficulties. What the world – including other
people – may appear to them is very different from what might be
expected. There is great variety in the problems they face and
the success they achieve.
