1.
Adult Asperger's Syndrome in the
Workplace
Common Issues & Practical Interventions
Rob Crawford
EAPA Central Arizona Chapter
February 3, 2012

2.
What do employers want?

3.
What the ADA says about AS
• That it must be a substantial impairment
• That the person must be qualified for the
job
• That the person must be able to perform
the essential functions of a job with or
without a reasonable accommodation
• A person must disclose the disability to
receive accommodations
• The accommodations must be reasonable
and not present and undue hardship

4.
In the work world, consideration for
accommodations is not based on
whether the worker has a disability,
but whether they have one
UNDER THE LAW

5.
5 coherent/reliable dimensions of
Asperger’s syndrome
• Perspective taking
• Understanding and expressing emotions
• Fact orientation
• Sensory sensitivities
• Rigidity in thinking

6.
Psychological Factors for
ASD
· Stress, frustration and anger reaction to change or
interruptions
· Struggle to take initiative
· Higher anxiety levels particularly when meeting new
people or encountering change or new situations
· Abrupt manner in expressing thoughts, ideas, or opinions
· Single-mindedness, unwilling to see the viewpoint of
others.

7.
What is social thinking?

8.
Social thinking is a way to train
your brain to help you figure out
the people around you.

9.
What is the Hidden Curriculum?
Practical solutions for understanding unstated rules in
social situations

10.
What are
some of the
typical
workplace
challenges?

11.
Some typical workplace challenges
• Binary thinking
• Odd or unusual behaviors
• Beginning/ending projects on time
• Empathizing, relating, or interacting with
customers, coworkers, supervisors
• OCD
• Sensory issues
• Mega-anxiety = poor judgment/decision making
• Appears to be oppositional or defiant

12.
Typical barriers to success
• Odd or unusual behavior such as talking • Exaggerated or overly sensitive
to herself reactions to feedback
• Difficulty beginning projects - unsure • Low motivation to perform tasks of no
where to start immediate personal interest
• Difficulty empathizing with others' • Asking excessive questions, or the same
thoughts and feelings question repeatedly
• Difficulty relating to and interacting with • Perfectionism
authority figures
• Poor judgment and decision-making
• Difficulty interacting in a team skills
environment
• Difficulty multi-tasking • Poor manners
• Difficulty seeing the full scope of a • Reluctance to ask for help or seek
project advice
• Difficulty with unstructured time • Resistant to change
• Difficulty writing reports • Sarcasm, negativism, critic
• Slower productivity/performance

13.
What’s Missing?
• Individuals with AS are unaware of how to
determine if their KSA’s match position
• Employers are not well informed on AS
• Individuals with AS are not prepared to be
effective self-advocates
• Employers are ill-equipped to determine
accommodations
• Neither has not been taught how to determine
accommodations based on task

14.
What are some useful strategies
for workplace challenges?

15.
Some useful strategies for workplace
challenges?
• Tap into their:
– Excellent rote memory
– Absorption of facts
– Generally good math & science skills
– Good language skills
– Rules-oriented
– Detail-oriented
– Kind hearted
– Honest to a fault
– Guileless

16.
What is the person with AS’ understanding of
competitive employment?
• Wants to work?
• Motivated to learn new skills?
• Open to constructive feedback?
• Willing to take responsibility for their
actions/reactions?
• Willing to work on issues that arise?
• Committed to being on time, doing their best in
everything they do, and to make sacrifices?
• Able to handle a reasonable amount of stress?
• Willingness to disclose AS work-related issues?

17.
Speak in a direct & clear
manner
Statements w/ implied meanings Direct statements
• Are you going to work on • I want you to work on the
the database assignment? database assignment.
• Brian, you’re the last one • Please put the alarm on because
leaving today. you are the last to leave the
office.
• I feel like lunch. • I’m hungry, let’s go out for lunch.
• We are behind schedule on the • You are going to have to stay
Jacob’s job. late to meet the deadline.

18.
State expectation & show how
to meet it
• Become gifted at stating the obvious:
– Deadlines-time frames, schedules, etc.
– Outcomes- what they look like, format, etc.
– Behavior- dress, hygiene, appropriate
conversation.

19.
Looking at functional assets/limitations
relative to a specific setting
• Must know how personal skills, abilities, training,
education, and experience relate to specific position
within the company
• Identify essential functions & environmental
considerations of job
• Identify potential functional assets & limitations
• What CAMS are practical & reasonable for this employer?
• How or will I disclose?

20.
Situational Assessment Focus Areas
Types of workplace behaviors to be observed and
assessed
1. Ability to get along with co-workers/staff
2. Ability to follow directions
3. Ability to learn new tasks
4. Speed of work
5. Accuracy of work
6. Frustration tolerance
7. Safety
8. Motivation
9. Ability to follow complex directions

21.
Consequence Chart: Potential employers
Objectives Alternatives ADEQ- Family Sonora Quest
Environmental Practice Labs-Lab
Health Specialists- Technician
Specialist Lab Tech
Intellectually interesting 1 2 3
Know what to expect 3 1 2
Social considerations 2 1 3
Benefits / Compensation 2 1 3
Work environment 3 1 2
Physical problem 3 1 2
accommodations
Education 3 2 1
Personal considerations 2 1 3
Totals:

22.
*Good jobs for visual thinking people
with AS
• Animal trainer or veterinary technician -- Dog obedience trainer, behavior problem consultant.
• Automobile mechanic -- Can visualize how the entire car works.
• Building maintenance -- Fixes broken pipes, windows and other things in a commercial setting.
• Building trades -- Carpenter or welder. These jobs make good use of visual skills.
• Commercial art -- Advertising and magazine freelance work.
• Computer programming -- Wide-open field, especially in industrial automation, software design,
business computers, communications and network systems.
• Computer-troubleshooter and repair -- Can visualize problems in computers and networks.
• Drafting -- Engineering drawings and computer aided drafting.
• Equipment designing -- Many industries, often a person starts as a draftsman.
• Factory maintenance -- Repairs and fixes factory equipment.
*Some
• Laboratory technician

23.
*Why are these examples bad jobs for
a person with AS?
• Air traffic controller
• Airline pilot
• Cashier
• Casino dealer
• Futures market trader
• Receptionist and telephone operator
• Short order cook
• Taxi dispatcher
• Waitress

24.
Uncertainties Chart: Am I able to
work?
Outcomes I am unable to work I am able to work part-time I am able to work full-time
Chances Most Likely Likely Least Likely
Consequences I will remain at home I will work and will be I will work and will be unable
and become my unable to attend to to attend to household
wife’s homemaker. I household duties. I will be duties. I may not be able to
will be able to attend unable to attend to my sustain this work pace for
to my interests as I interests. Moderate anxiety more than a year or two. I
will no longer be “on and stress. will be unable to attend to
the clock”. Least my interests. High anxiety
anxiety and stress. and stress.

25.
Self-Accommodation
Take 1
• Sectioning in progress.
• Please be so kind as to knock on the door
before entering as this process is very
sensitive to vibration and air currents.
• Also, your friendly ultra-microtome operator
has an over-developed startle reflex… ;)

26.
Self-Accommodation
Autistic Jihad
• Please Knock On The Door Before Entering.
• Please be so kind as to knock on the door before
entering as I am very easily startled and I do not
wish to die prematurely as a result of a heart attack.
• Also, I have no wish to conduct an uncontrolled
experiment with an un-capped syringe full of
Uranium salts… ;)
- Carlos

27.
References used for
this presentation

28.
Local Resources

29.
National Resources

30.
Employer Resources
Employer
Resources

31.
In case of emergency:
Rob Crawford
Life Development Institute
www.lifedevelopmentinstitute.org
rcrawford@life-development-inst.org
(623) 773-2774, ext. 217