Syndrome
CompiledbyAutismVictoria,2007,ReviewedandupdatedApril2011
PeoplewithAspergersSyndromecanbe withsupportandunderstanding,make
excellentemployeesastheyareoften reliableandproductiveemployees.
reliable,punctual,haveaprofessional
attitudetowork,ahighlevelofattentionto Intheworkplace,thepersonwithAsperger
detailandaregoodwithroutineand Syndromemayhavedifficulty:
repetition. interpretinginstructions
However,inordertoreapthebenefitsthat innoisysituations
anemployeewithAspergersSyndromecan inunstructuredsituations
offer,itisimportanttoputinplacesome startingwork
strategiestoensuresuccess. organisingtasks
PeoplewithAspergersSyndromeoftenhave
difficultychangingfromtasktotask,multi
tasking,difficultywithlearningnewtasks
andtransferringskillsfromonesituationto
another.Thingsweassumeapersonlearns
fromexposureandexperiencehavetobe
specificallytaughttothepersonwith
AspergersSyndromeandconstantly
reinforcedtoreducethestress,confusion
andfrustrationwhichmayleadto Strategies
behaviouraldifficulties,orwithdrawaland
1. Keepinstructionsbriefandprecise
depression.
usesimple,concretelanguage
Understandingthedifficultiesofan writteninstructionsarepreferable
employeewithAspergersSyndromeis confirmthatthepersonhas
important,asisprovidingroutine,structure understood
andpredictability. usepeers/workmatestoprovider
cues
NoteveryonewithAspergersSyndromewill 2. Givethepersontimetoprocessthe
excelineveryjobbutwheretheydofinda instruction
nichetheyaregenerallywellregardedand
Strategies
usevisualcuesandinstructions
colourcodetheinstructions
useconcretelanguage
Strategies socialexpectationsordemandsplaced
onthem.
usevisualcueswherepossible usewrittenreminderstosupport
explainifyouarejokingorteasing proposedactions
reassurethatitisOKtobewrongandbe beveryawareofhowvulnerablethe
supportive personmaybetopeerpressureand
keepyourlanguagesimpleanddirect beingsetup
talkthroughsituations...whatcouldyou
say?
Refrainfromusingsarcasm
SocialSkills
PeoplewithAspergersSyndromeareoften
sociallyblind.Thebigproblemisthatthey
donotknowhowtobehaveeventhough
theymayknowtheyaredifferentanddo
wanttointeract.They: Conclusion
dontunderstandrulesofsocial
behaviour IndividualswithAspergersSyndromeneed
maytalkaboutinappropriatesubjects consistency
lackempathy...dontunderstandtheir predictability
ownfeelingsletalonethoseofothers
acalmandcontrolledsupervisor
canbeveryoutspokenandtactless
anorganisedworkplace
maydevelopafixationoncertain
individuals UsefulReferenceBooksinthe
haveastrongsenseofjustice,butsee
AutismVictoriaLibrary:
thingsinblackandwhiteterms
havedifficultymakingfriends ATTWOOD,T.,TheCompleteGuideto
lacktheideaofpersonalspace AspergersSyndrome,JessicaKingsley
misinterpretthebehavioursofpeers Publishers,2006.Thisbookisessential
maydislikebeingtouched readingforthoselivingorworkingwitha
canappearnaiveandarevulnerable childoradultwithAspergerSyndrome.Itis
dontinterpretbodylanguageorfacial writteninaclearandconcisemanner,with
expressions plentyofexamples,practicalsuggestions
havepoorconversationskills andresourcelists.
Strategies FAST,Y.,EmploymentforIndividualswith
AspergerSyndromeorNonverbalLearning
debriefsituationsbydiscussingwhat Disability,JessicaKingsleyPublishers,2004.
he/shecouldhavedone Thisbookisahandyguidetogaining
encourageselfcontrolbyprovidinga employment.Itincludesactualcase
timeoutperiodandlocationtoenable exampleswrittenbyadultswithAsperger
themtodestressandrelaxwithoutany Syndrome.Thisbookwouldbeusefulfor
HAWKINS,G.,HowtoFindWorkThatWorks
forPeoplewithAspergerSyndrome,Jessica
KingleyPublishers,2004.GailHawkinsisa
vocationalconsultant,havingspecialisedin
AutismSpectrumDisorderforthepast15
years.Thisbookisaimedatpeoplewith
AspergerSyndromewhoneedinformation
onhowtofindandmaintainemployment.
Thebookcoverstopicssuchaschoosing
appropriatecareers,buildingaresume,
educatingemployersandhowtodisclose
necessaryinformationtotheemployer.
MEYER,R.,AspergerSyndromeEmployment
Workbook,JessicaKingsleyPublishers,2001.
Thisworkbookhaspracticalactivitiesfor
individualswithAspergerSyndrometo
exploretheirtalents,strengthsand
difficultiesinpastworkexperiencesinorder
toidentifythebestsuitedjobsandwork
environment.
____________________________________
2011AutismVictoriatradingasAmaze.
Permissionisgrantedforthecontentofthis
informationsheettobereproducedinits
entirety,providedAutismVictoriais
acknowledgedasthesourceandthewebsite
addressisgiven.