Books : Movement Differences and Diversity in Autism-Mental Retardation: Appreciations and Accommodations People With Communications and Behavior Challenges
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Type of bind: Paperback
EAN num: 9781886928008
ISBN number: 1886928002
Label: D L R C Press
Manufacturer: D L R C Press
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 106
Printing Date: 1994-11
Publishing house: D L R C Press
Sale Popularity Level: 618812
Studio: D L R C Press
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Rated by buyers 
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In order to understand the title of this book, one has to understand what the authors mean by "movement". They use the term to encompass not only physical movement, but thoughts, sensory processing, and emotions as well. They describe how in people who tend to accrue labels like "autism" and "mental retardation", as well as ones like "Parkinson's", "Tourette's", and "catatonia", the ability to initiate, regulate, and switch movements is often unusual compared to neurotypical people.
The authors do a thorough job of describing these things, which they refer to as movement differences, and how they work, using quotes from people with a variety of neurological conditions. I have used it to learn about myself as well as explain myself to others. It also importantly points out how people's prejudices about what these movement differences mean can result in impressions of lower competence or activity than actually exists. I use examples from this book to explain to people that if I am sitting and doing nothing, it does not always mean that I want to be sitting and doing nothing. Sometimes I want to stand up, but can't get my body in gear to do it without the proper cues. If I suddenly explode in frustration with such a situation, it obviously doesn't do to treat it as if I was just sitting there calmly and freaked out for no reason. I showed this book to a person who had referred to this behavior as a "mood swing", and she promptly understood that it was not a mood swing at all, but an understandable response to a frustrating situation involving movement.
The only qualms I have about this book have to do with the fact that, despite its protestations to the contrary, it still feels very medicalized. As an autistic person, I leave the book feeling like it is telling me what to think about myself, but doing it ever so gently, ever so nicely, ever so patronizingly, that I might not even notice it has done so were it not for the unsettling feeling around the edges. In that respect, it seems like one more set of people rearranging autistic people's lives according to a pattern they -- not always we -- see fit. This is more evident in the tone of the book than in anything specific.
The book is good at what the title says, though, which is describing movement differences. It does a clear, concise job with examples and pitfalls, with the understanding that it does not have all the answers. I found myself ignoring what I perceived as a condescending tone in order to get at the important information, of which there is plenty. An afterword brings forth a lot of important points to the validation controversy around facilitated communication. But even people who don't believe in facilitated communication will probably find some really useful information in this book if they are or know anyone with the above "labels". Just be aware that this is only one viewpoint from which we can be viewed, and that there are others that better capture other aspects of our lives.
Rated by buyers 
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This book outlines and associates autism with descriptive and accurate clarity. The reasoning is logical and the examples are useful to an educator. The single most helpful thread is the ability the author possesses to communicate the feelings and prospective that autistic people are processing.Ms.Donnallan realises that there are so many different manifestations of the condition and provides great insight into the autistic persons point of view. This is particularily beneficial to the instructor as a tool to aid progress, especially in a contruct classroom environment. With mainsteaming and full inclusion being the direction of educating autistic students this book is a bible for getting up to speed for the assigment of educating a special needs/autistic child and also gives good advice in socialising the reg ed students to the introduction of this new person into the classroom. The book shows understanding and enlightenment as a great leveler.
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