How Far Can Brian Ride the
Daylight 4449 Express?
A Strength-Based Model of Asperger Syndrome
Based on Special Interest Areas
Mary Ann Winter-Messiers, Cynthia M. Herr,
Casey E. Wood, Amy P. Brooks, Mary Anne M. Gates,
Tasker L. Houston, and Kelly I. Tingstad
This article presents one of the principal theories to emerge
from a larger exploratory study. The research team conducted
interviews about special interests with 23 participants with As-
perger syndrome (AS), ages 7 to 21, who were eligible for ser-
vices under autism and enrolled in an extended school year
program. The authors also obtained written surveys from 18
parents. A strong positive relationship was found between en-
gagement in special interest areas and individual strengths in
areas typically seen as AS deficits, including communication,
social, emotional, sensory, fine-motor, executive function, and
academic skills. A review of the strength-based model of AS
and special interests is followed by practical ideas for effectively
incorporating special interest areas into school, home, and
community.
C
lara Park will never forget the pediatrician’s comment
regarding her then 22-month-old daughter Jessy. “If
you’re not worried, I am,” the doctor declared (Park,
1995, p. 27). Later, with a diagnosis looming for Jessy, her
mother feared “the worst [possible] diagnosis he could give
us . . . autism” (p. 33). Robert Ritvo (2006), a retired UCLA
School of Medicine child psychiatrist, recalled that in 1954 “a
diagnosis of autism was tantamount to a death sentence; the
equivalent of cancer” (p. 13). Temple Grandin’s mother, Eu-
stacia Cutler (2004), revealed that when she began consulting
with her pediatrician about baby Temple, she dreaded hearing
his inevitable advice: “Institutionalize her” (p. 17). Park
(1995, p. 40) described how her daughter’s diagnosis felt:
“Like living under water. We might never come up, yet we had
not the option of drowning.”
By no means limited to classic autism, these responses are
common among parents of children with Asperger syndrome
(AS). In a study by Bashe and Kirby (2001), 372 parents said
that immediately upon hearing the AS diagnosis, “54% of
the parents felt sad, 47% felt anxious, 44% were overwhelmed,
and 34% felt fearful” (p. 130). Upon diagnosis, the parents of
FOCUS ON AUTISM AND OTHER DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
VOLUME 22, NUMBER 2, SUMMER 2007
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PAGES 67–79
Brent, a child with AS, struggled with the big question: “Why
us?” (Myles & Simpson, 2003, p. 168). The distress that most
parents of children with AS experience is exacerbated by the
fact that on average they have to wait 5.5 years longer for a di-
agnosis than parents of children elsewhere on the autism spec-
trum (Goin-Kochel, Mackintosh, & Myers, 2006). When the
teacher first told her, “Something isn’t quite right with your
son,” Echo Fling (2000) said she “felt . . . caught in the head-
lights of an oncoming 18-wheeled truck. I froze and waited”
(p. 16).
Why do these diagnoses incite such fear and sorrow, not
only in parents who face classic autism but also in those facing
a diagnosis of AS for their children? Myriad reasons converge
to explain the negative reaction of parents, medical profes-
sionals, educators, and the general public to an autism spectrum–
related diagnosis. Among the most obvious reasons is simply
that AS has most commonly been defined by a deficit model.
In other words, we tend to see AS only in terms of the char-
acteristics that are lacking (deficits), such as a lack of social
skills, challenges in understanding abstract language, lack of
eye gaze and joint attention, unusual responses to sensory
stimuli, and repetitive behaviors. This deficit model is firmly
anchored in the fact that, in North America, individuals
who meet the criteria spelled out in the fourth edition, text
revision, of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Men-
tal Disorders (DSM–IV–TR; American Psychiatric Association,
2000) are likely to be diagnosed with AS. As a guide to
“mental disorders,” the DSM–IV–TR diagnostic criteria for
Asperger syndrome, 299.80, naturally focuses entirely on defi-
cits, excluding strengths. These deficits include “impairment
in social interaction . . . failure to develop peer relation-
ships . . . lack of spontaneous sharing . . . lack of emotional rec-
iprocity . . . encompassing preoccupation with one or more
stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal
in intensity or focus . . . inflexible adherence to specific, non-
functional routines . . . repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g.,
hand or finger flapping or twisting) . . . [and] impairment in
 FOCUS ON AUTISM AND OTHER DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
68
social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning”
(p. 84).
These powerful terms clearly identify deficits, not
strengths. In this article, however, we present a strength-based
model for viewing AS based on our study of the special inter-
est areas (SIAs) of children and youth with AS and the ame-
liorating impact of SIAs on their deficits.
The Deficits of AS
Although the specifics vary, in general, similar deficits are rec-
ognized across AS diagnostic criteria in the areas of social,
communication, narrow interests, speech and language skills,
and in some cases, motor clumsiness. Conspicuous by their ab-
sence is the identification of either sensory or emotional
deficits, which do not appear outright in a single set of the di-
agnostic criteria named above. Relative to neurotypical indi-
viduals, Klin, Volkmar, and Sparrow (2000, p. 118) made the
crucial observation that “a relative strength may still be a
deficit when compared to normative performance.”
The Social Deficit
Deceptively simple, the social deficit extends into every corner
of the lives of individuals with AS and includes severely limited
skills for social reciprocity (Asperger, 1944/1991; Attwood,
2006; Janzen, 2003). The inability to conduct personal inter-
actions easily; attract, develop, and maintain friendships; dis-
cern appropriate behavior in countless and diverse social
settings; instinctively control impulsive words and actions;
know without being taught the hidden curriculum of society;
and experience empathy and other social emotions are but a
few of the disabling outcomes of this critical deficit (Attwood,
2003, 2006; Ritvo, 2006).
In exposing the “hidden curriculum” of school, home, and
community, Myles, Trautman, and Schelvan (2004) revealed
a labyrinth of social values, mores, customs, and beliefs that,
without specific instruction, remain veiled to most individuals
with AS. They define the hidden curriculum as the skills that
we are not taught directly yet are assumed to know. They are
the skills without which we cannot navigate successfully through
society. These skills encompass such seeming minutiae as which
urinal a boy should choose in a public restroom, knowing what
not to bring for lunch in middle school (a tuna sandwich), and
knowing what to do before using a swear word at school
(check for any adults who might be watching). Other breaches
of the societal code common to children and youth with AS
include invasion of personal space, differences in eye contact,
inability to infer the perspective of another, and the inability
to distinguish genuine friends from those who use children
with AS for their own self-seeking ends. Without the knowl-
edge of these and countless other critical social skills, children
and youth with AS “remain on the periphery of social activ-
ity” (Zager, 2005, p. 9) and, as they mature, typically retreat
deeper into themselves.
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The Communication Deficit
Temple Grandin (2006) recently observed that for her, a per-
son with autism, “the differences in thinking and processing
information have made learning to communicate effectively a
life-long struggle” (¶ 3). She also confided that “there is noth-
ing more frustrating than not being able to communicate”
(¶ 9). Not surprisingly, the communication deficit contains
many struggles. These commonly include initiating and taking
turns in conversation; choosing appropriate topics and know-
ing the proper time and place to open a topic; knowing how
to ask questions of someone else and let him or her talk; un-
derstanding correct use of grammar, vocabulary, and articula-
tion; interpreting abstract and literal language, such as idioms;
knowing the correct way to use voice mail and e-mail to com-
municate with teachers and employers; and understanding
context-appropriate styles and levels of speech to use with par-
ents, the elderly, people in positions of authority, and other
adults (Gillberg, 2002; Klin et al., 2000). The communication
deficit is perhaps at its most painful when its appearance in the
child with AS incites neurotypical peers to teasing or bullying.
In this most costly outcome we come full circle, returning to
the interrelation of the communication and social deficits.
The Emotion Deficit
Emotions are another principal area of deficit observed in the
AS profile, albeit one that is not included in any of the five
standard AS diagnostic criteria and is rarely the subject of writ-
ing or research in the AS literature. Frith (2003) noted that
the emotional deficit refers not only to the recognition of emo-
tions in self and others but also to the ability to express emo-
tion personally. She affirmed that individuals with AS, like other
human beings, experience a variety of emotions—readily ob-
servable, for example, in a child’s angry meltdown or a collec-
tor’s joyful response upon finding a long-sought-after Algerian
license plate to add to his or her collection. Although it is not
true that individuals with AS never display empathy, many
writers refer to empathy as one of the prime emotional defi-
ciencies of the AS profile, noting the far-reaching impact of
having little or no ability to imagine oneself in another’s posi-
tion (Attwood, 2006; Frith, 2003).
An especially challenging aspect of this deficit is what we
might call “emotional confusion.” This occurs when individ-
uals with AS confuse facial expressions, verbal expressions, and
body language, interpreting them to mean something other
than—or opposite from—what the other person intended. For
example, to the child with AS, a teacher who is serious may
appear threatening, or an urgent voice may sound angry. A
happy face may be seen as neutral, while a displeased expres-
sion may be interpreted as sad. Noting the inevitable confu-
sion of emotional states, Grandin observed, “Emotions are
hard to figure out; they’re not logical. My emotional make-up
is simple. Everything I think falls into . . . happy, sad, scared,
or angry” (Grandin & Barron, 2005, p. 34).
 VOLUME 22, NUMBER 2, SUMMER 2007
One damaging outcome of this deficit is low self-esteem.
Indicators include being easily frustrated, overly critical, using
negative self-talk, and “seeing themselves as losers” (Grandin
& Barron, 2005, p. 10). Another common emotional defi-
ciency in AS is fear. Barron described this as “the Catch-22 of
social functioning . . . constant, nagging and persistent” that
dogged him relentlessly through his school years (Grandin &
Barron, pp. 60–61).
Many individuals with AS experience the results of their
emotional deficits and the destruction of their self-esteem
most strongly in the school environment, from kindergarten
through high school. Ritvo (2006) noted that the negative
feelings students with AS express about school are not, as
many suppose, signs of rebellion or even anxiety but the result
of not knowing what is expected by their peers. Many of these
individuals therefore prefer to be left alone, often resulting in
extreme anxiety and depression.
The Sensory Deficit
Perhaps one of the most mysterious and complex elements of
AS is the range of hypo- or hyper-responses to visual, auditory,
olfactory, gustatory, tactile, vestibular, and proprioceptive sen-
sitivities that have an impact on every area of daily life for the
individual with AS (Kern et al., 2006; Myles et al., 2004). This
vital area is also conspicuously absent from the previously men-
tioned five diagnostic criteria. For the first time, research data
provide evidence that global sensory processing of individuals
on the spectrum is significantly different from that of neuro-
typical peers (Dunn, Myles, & Orr, 2002; Kern et al.). Because
the potential responses to sensory stimuli are innumerable,
each child will have a unique mix, and children and youth ex-
perience them across home, school, and community settings.
Among the sensory stimuli that children and youth may find
aversive are scratchy clothing or labels; intense or weak light-
ing; physical pain; contrasts in food flavors, colors, temp-
eratures, or consistencies; close proximity of one food to
another; rapid verbal commands; unexpected or painful
sounds; rough, smooth, or sticky surfaces and textures; per-
fumes or odors; intense or weak lighting; schedule changes;
chaotic visual fields; close or distant personal space; and unfa-
miliar environments (Janzen, 2003; Myles, Cook, Miller, Rin-
ner, & Robbins, 2000). To complicate the sensory challenges
that children and youth face, Aquilla, Yack, and Sutton (2005)
cautioned that responses to sensory stimuli will change through-
out the day, depending on each individual’s “sensory thresh-
old” (p. 202) or level of tolerance to aversive stimuli, personal
stress, and anticipation of a given situation.
The Fine-Motor Deficit
Gillberg (2002) and the International Statistical Classifica-
tion of Diseases and Related Problems (ICD-10; World Health
Organization, 2005) provide the only sets of diagnostic crite-
ria to mention a motor deficit in AS. Hans Asperger (1944/
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69
1991) recognized that the 4 children with whom he worked
all exhibited unusual and gauche patterns of movement. Using
Asperger’s work as a guide, Wing (1981) found that 90% of
the 34 children she studied demonstrated poor penmanship
skills. Gillberg (2002) also noted that the fine-motor move-
ments of individuals with AS tend to be particularly clumsy in
social settings. He observed typical fine-motor stereotypic
movements in younger children with AS, such as “tightly held
or shivering fists” (p. 39), noting that these stereotypies can
occur when the child is in a state of excitement or anxiety.
When these stereotypies occur in adolescents with AS, the
teens know they are viewed by peers as deviant; therefore, they
go to great lengths to hide or mask them (Gillberg, 2002).
The Executive Function Deficit
The term executive function (EF) does not appear in any of the
prominent AS diagnostic criteria. However, Pennington, Ben-
netto, McAleer, and Roberts (1996) observed that EF defi-
cits are prominent in autism. Operationally, Manjiviona (2003,
p. 64) defined EF as “the ability to set goals, initiate a plan,
inhibit distracting stimuli, monitor performance, and flexibly
change from one point of focus to another.”
Killiany, Moore, Rehbein, and Moss (2005) divided EF
into aspects of “organization, regulation, and awareness” (p. 59).
Concentration, decision-making, planning, and sequencing
are skills they recognized as part of the organizational aspect
of EF. Self-regulation included control of negative emotions,
such as anger, and the ability to initiate behavior and repeat
responses. Finally, awareness referred to being able to see
“deficits in oneself” (p. 59), reflexively fulfill social standards,
and regulate one’s behavior based on feedback from others.
These elements describe the most challenging aspects of the
school day for many children and youth with AS and can be
tied directly to typical behaviors of those with AS. For exam-
ple, Killiany et al. suggested that recent-memory deficit may
influence a child’s ability to participate in a conversation be-
cause he or she cannot recall the topic. Further, the need to
repeat behaviors perseveratively may be caused by the child’s
inability to remember that a task has already been completed.
Killiany et al. also found impairment in information process-
ing and organization in children and youth with AS, two pri-
mary issues for students with AS in organizing daily schedules,
managing homework assignments, preparing for exams, and
generally succeeding in school obligations and culture.
The inability to focus attention on a particular activity is
another problematic aspect of the EF deficit. Frith (2003)
noted, however, that children with autism have “peculiar at-
tention, not poor attention” (p. 171). For example, Frith ob-
served how difficult it is to interrupt a child with autism while
he is focused on something else. Lovaas, Koegel, and Schreib-
man (1979) referred to the theory of “stimulus overse-
lectivity,” which explains that these children focus on one
insignificant detail, instead of seeing the larger, more impor-
tant picture.
 FOCUS ON AUTISM AND OTHER DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
70
Summary
While these social, communication, emotion, sensory, fine-
motor, and executive function deficits describe critical and sig-
nificant challenges in the AS profile, by no means do they tell
the whole story of individuals with AS. Research suggests that
children and youth with AS can also demonstrate surprising
strengths under one condition: They must enter social, com-
munication, emotion, sensory, fine-motor, and executive func-
tion skills through the sole door of their individual SIAs.
Purpose of the Study
Winter-Messiers (in press) defined SIAs as “those passions that
capture the mind, heart, time, and attention of individuals with
AS, providing the lens through which they view the world.”
According to Attwood (2003, p. 127), SIAs seem “to be a
dominant characteristic, occurring in over 90% of children and
adults with AS.” Many of the major figures in autism, such as
Temple Grandin (2006) and Lianne Willey (2003), refer to
special interest areas of persons with autism or AS in their writ-
ing. Examples of SIAs range from the common, such as trains,
dinosaurs, and video games, to the more eccentric, such as
vampires, goats, and toilets (Winter-Messiers; Attwood, 2006).
Despite their prominence in the AS profile, special inter-
ests are an area on which almost no research data exist. Par-
ents and teachers often perceive SIAs only as bothersome,
socially hindering, and even detrimental activities, and stu-
dents’ involvement in them as a behavior to be extinguished
(Attwood, 2006). However, Asperger (1944/1991, p. 45)
noted the positive potential of SIAs in the individuals he stud-
ied, observing that “a special interest enables them to achieve
quite extraordinary levels of performance in a certain area.”
When asked to name her favorite SIA, Jessy Park stated firmly,
“All obsessions are good!” (Park, 2001, p. 112). Attwood
(2006) emphasized that SIAs are far more than hobbies. He
referred to Asperger’s highly positive perception of SIAs, say-
ing that Asperger “considered the abilities demonstrated in the
interests to be a special gift” (p. 198). This also emerged clearly
from the research study by Winter-Messiers (in press).
Figure 1 shows that an individual’s engagement in his or
her SIA can help build strength in areas traditionally seen as
deficits in AS. In Frith’s trenchant words, “Current theo-
ries . . . are more concerned with explaining the cognitive
deficits of autism than the special talents. . . . [S]uch theories
remain hopelessly incomplete” (Tréhin, 2006, p. 10). The pri-
mary research question that drove the design and implemen-
tation of this original study was, “What are the origin and
development of special interest areas in children and youth
with Asperger’s syndrome?” (Winter-Messiers, in press). The
present SIA model was derived from the study of the special
interests of 23 participants with AS, ages 7 to 21, described in
Winter-Messiers (in press).
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Special Interest Areas: Foundation for a
Strength-Based Model of AS
The deficit model of AS mentioned earlier highlights the dys-
functional aspects of people with AS in comparison to a neuro-
typical profile. Research into SIAs has led to the development
of a new, strength-based model of AS to stand alongside and
complement this traditional deficit model. Analyzing interview
data, the authors noted a definite pattern of functional and be-
havioral change as participants answered questions. When talk-
ing about their SIAs, some of the participants’ AS-typical
impairments were diminished. Although each individual in-
terviewed exhibited a particular constellation of behaviors re-
lating to his or her AS, all of them showed improved func-
tioning in one or more of their AS deficit areas when they
focused on describing their SIAs.
The Social Strength
Impairment in social interaction is one of the major deficits of
AS. This social impairment may be seen as an inability to in-
terpret or reciprocate social signals, a failure to develop peer
friendships, an inability to offer appropriate social and emo-
tional responses to others, or an indifference to contact with
peers (Gillberg, 2002). Winter-Messiers (in press) observed
some of these behaviors in interview participants. For exam-
ple, many participants seemed wary or reserved in speaking
until asked about their SIAs. When the topic shifted to their
special interests, the whole tenor of the conversations changed.
Students became more animated and enthusiastic as they were
encouraged to explain their SIAs at length. Motivated to con-
vey the fascination they felt for their special interests, they used
more appropriate social interaction, verbal language, and body
language, and their communication skills improved.
Several participants shared an interest in video games, and
some used this activity as a bridge to social interactions in-
volving their special interests. The interviewers noted that stu-
dents frequently attempted to engage with peers about their
SIAs. Although often seen as socially naive, many of these stu-
dents revealed a level of social sophistication when approach-
ing others about their special interests. Brock, for example, was
prepared if his listeners did not show an interest: “Well, if
they’re not interested, I don’t really talk about airplanes at all.”
Then he described his strategy. “First, I usually don’t talk
about it . . . , and if I have a really good friend . . . they might
come over to my house and then they’ll see all these planes
around and they’ll tell me that ‘planes are a really cool
thing’ . . . and then I’ll know.” Ryan remembered another so-
cial strategy: “If they don’t look interested, I change the sub-
ject. I say, ‘Hey, I can change my voice!’” Charlie wanted to
clarify, “I also make dragons, not just dinosaurs. Everyone
needs to know what they are . . . dragons, dragons, dragons!”
Similarly, Brock admitted, “I just wish they’d think planes were
cool.” Charlie shared with us his strategy concerning his life-
 VOLUME 22, NUMBER 2, SUMMER 2007
71

FIGURE 1. Strengths resulting from the engagement of children and youth with AS in their SIAs.

like clay dinosaur creations: “Well I don’t tell ’em, but, like,
people just start lookin’ at ’em.”
The Communication Strength
Communication, comprising reciprocal verbal and body lan-
guage, is another area of impairment in the deficit model of
AS. The interviewers noted that when engaged in SIAs, chil-
dren and youth with AS can communicate effectively, using
fluent speech, sophisticated vocabulary, and good conversa-
tion skills. During interviews, students’ use of language im-
proved as they shifted from topics of less interest to them and
began talking about their SIAs. Charlie was reluctant to talk at
first, giving only slow and halting replies: “Uh, I don’t, think
so, I just, whatever.” He became excitedly fluent as he an-
swered questions on his special interest. “My favorite is a Yu-
Gi-Oh! card that combines with three blue-eyed white
dragons, and due to polymerization it forms those three into
a three-headed dragon!” Park (2001, p. 132) also noticed that
her daughter Jessy’s SIA, art, had “other kinds of importance”
for Jessy beyond the art itself: “It brings her into contact with
other people. It enhances her communication skills” (p. 132).
Creating opportunities for a child or youth with AS to engage
in his or her SIA will, in turn, create opportunities for en-
hanced communication.
Impaired nonverbal communication is another feature of
AS that was observed in the students interviewed. Interview-
ers worked in teams of two, with one person asking questions
while the other took notes on participants’ nonverbal be-
haviors not revealed in the audiotapes. Observers often noted
(a) restricted eye contact, (b) a lack of facial expression and
gestures to support verbal language, (c) posture and orien-
tation of the head or body turned away from others, and
(d) standing either too close or too far away when talking to
others.
Some of the students also used repetitive motor manner-
isms that had no obvious communicative intent, such as tap-
ping the fingers, flapping the hands, or rubbing a shirt sleeve.

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 FOCUS ON AUTISM AND OTHER DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
72
When discussions centered on SIAs, a range of improvements
in these students’ body language was observed, including
more direct eye gaze, greater use of appropriate gestures to
emphasize speech, orientation of the body toward interview-
ers, and a decrease in fidgeting movements. For example, at
first Will talked while looking without expression down at his
lap, and he often turned completely away from the interviewer
while answering a question. When the subject of his special in-
terest was introduced, however, he turned to look directly to-
ward the interviewer for the first time and smiled. Brian gave
only monosyllabic and repetitive answers to questions at first,
but when his interviewer picked up on his special interest in
trains, he made direct eye contact. In her field notes, the in-
terviewer wrote that “he got so excited that you could barely
understand his excited and hurried words.” In general, body
language became more appropriate as participants were more
motivated to respond to questions on their special interests.
The Emotion Strength
People with AS often have difficulty with emotional self-
regulation and accurate detection of other persons’ emotions.
Living in a world of incomprehensible social or sensory sig-
nals can lead to emotional meltdowns, anxiety, or depression.
Many students who were interviewed spoke negatively about
themselves in some aspects, but all of them exhibited strong
positive emotions when discussing their SIAs. Attwood (2003)
described how engagement in the music SIA of some indi-
viduals with AS led to emotional strength. He pointed to “a
remarkable ability to communicate emotions in musical com-
positions and performances (which appears to be such a con-
trast to the difficulties the person has with empathy and the
communication of emotions in his or her interpersonal and
social life)” (p. 131). Schneider (1999), an adult with high-
functioning autism, also found a path to emotion through his
SIA, opera. In his autobiography, he wrote that he is often able
to “find [himself] in sympathy with characters” (p. 39).
In the current study, her love for horses helped Sarah cope
with difficulties: “Whenever I’m around horses, I don’t think
about anything else. . . . Like if I was stressed about one thing,
and I went to see a horse or get on a horse, that thing I was
stressed about, I wouldn’t be stressed about anymore.” Danny
exclaimed with joy, as he proceeded to talk about his SIA, “I
was born to like Disney. . . . Disney is my life. Disney has been
my most happiest hope in my whole life!” Describing his warm
emotional response to his SIA, he also told the interviewers
that seeing “Aladdin and Princess Jasmine flying on the magic
carpet and singing ‘A Whole New World’ made me feel love
in my heart.”
Other participants projected their special interests into fu-
ture careers. Thus, Brock once explained to the lead author,
“I will be the best pilot in the world. I will have a red phone
and the president will call and ask me to do things for him.”
Nate also had an ardent goal for his future: “The reason I
wanna move back there [to Hollywood] is, I wanna be a com-
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poser and, and just take over John William’s job, get into that
job, and compose Harry Potter [and] The Terminal.”
The Sensory Processing Strength
Many of the students interviewed had sensory processing prob-
lems, such as tactile, visual, auditory, or olfactory hypersensi-
tivities. Again, engaging in special interests seemed to mitigate
any sensory stressors in the environment. For example, Brock’s
special interest in airplanes motivated him to override his hy-
persensitivity to odors. He described a recent trip to an air
show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where he was barraged with sen-
sory stimuli. He explained to the interviewers that the “T-6
[aircraft] was really loud. . . . There were some jets, some
aerobatic teams, a lot of flight simulators . . . a lotta oil.” Per-
haps without realizing it, Brock revealed the many sensory
stimuli that he had withstood for the love of planes, including
challenges to auditory, visual, vestibular, tactile, and olfactory
senses. Nate described to interviewers his passion for drum-
ming, obviously a source of intense auditory and tactile stim-
ulation. Despite the limitless potentially aversive stimuli found
at a 4-H fair, Owen shared, “I also like, uh, really like, um,
showing my goats in 4-H at fair . . . and hanging out with my
goats.” Sarah, whose SIA was horses, also loved animals and
farm life and clearly did not mind the varied sensory stimuli
present on a farm. She described her dream for the future: “I
would like to kinda go to, like a farming kinda place where I
could work with all sorts of animals, like sheep and, probably
not cows . . . like horses and goats and all that. . . . That way
I’ll be around animals and horses.”
The Fine-Motor Strength
Motor control problems are another characteristic of AS,
including gross-motor clumsiness and difficulties with fine-
motor tasks, such as handwriting. Participants in the current
study were motivated to persevere with complex motor tasks
if they involved their SIAs. While dysgraphia hampered most
of these students, their SIAs—including drawing, sculpting,
cartooning, building airplane models, building things with
Legos®, and playing musical instruments—often required ex-
ceptional fine-motor skills. Thus, their passion for involvement
in their SIAs motivated them to persevere in difficult fine-
motor activities. For example, the mother of Nate, whose
SIA is composing, reported that he “builds orchestras with
Legos” and also referred to Nate’s “drum set, keyboard, and
other percussion [instruments].” Justin’s grandmother re-
ported that he “requests special paints . . . builds elaborate
[Star Wars constructions].” Twelve parents noted their sons’
involvement with video and computer games, both of which
require fine-motor dexterity. At the extended school year pro-
gram where interviews were conducted, Charlie was intent
upon showing the astonishingly intricate green clay dinosaurs
he was sculpting. One student excelled in the gross-motor ac-
tivity of swimming, enjoying an independent sport that does
 VOLUME 22, NUMBER 2, SUMMER 2007
not rely on the more complex social signals of many team
sports.
The Executive Function and
Academic Skills Strengths
An EF deficit has considerable impact on children and youth
with AS, particularly in academic tasks. The diverse challenges
implied by an EF deficit include difficulties with organizing,
planning, sequencing tasks, regulating emotional awareness,
setting goals, initiating plans, screening and prioritizing stim-
uli, managing transitions, and monitoring personal behavior.
During interviews, many stories about events or activities that
required successful EF skills were related. For example, when
he talked about his preferred setting in which to compose,
Nate demonstrated an ability to strategize, plan, and recognize
his own needs: “[I] think more at night. When I am in bed, I
have music in my head . . . and that’s when I like composing
music for movies, so that I have a good feeling.” Brock told
interviewers about the source of his inspiration and one way
that he organizes his time: “I like reading books, ’cause then
I find new pictures of planes that I can be inspired by. . . . If I
just had an inspiration, then I go out in the back yard to play
[airplanes].”
Several parents talked about their children’s organizational
skills when related to their SIAs. One parent said plainly of her
son’s strategy, “Definitely lots of organization.” One mother
observed her son’s specific strategy for competing with him-
self on video games. “He organizes by whether he has beaten
the game or not. If not, the game stays on top of the pile. Once
beaten, it goes on the bottom.” One mother wrote that her
son organizes his special interest in Disney movies by his “fa-
vorite characters [and] cartoons.” A different parent remem-
bered that “when her [son] was little, he used to line up his
Matchbox vehicles by type (trucks in a line, cars in another,
etc.).” Surprisingly, parents reported almost equally the group-
ings by which their children organized their SIAs: (a) shape
(2 parents), (b) number (2 parents), (c) color (3 parents),
(d) year (1 parent), (e) style (2 parents), (f ) size (2 parents),
and (g) category (6 parents).
Finally, when interviewers asked participants to respond to
questions on their SIAs, the interviewers observed examples of
children and youth initiating conversation on the topic of their
SIAs; speaking in more sequential, organized thoughts and
speech patterns; discussing social strategies that required ad-
vanced planning; using sophisticated, professional vocabulary
to discuss their SIAs; confidently sharing their plans for SIA-
related college and careers; describing enjoyment in reading,
researching, and learning from books, magazines, and the In-
ternet; and screening out distracting stimuli in the interview
environment. It was evident that when these children and
youth were allowed to speak freely about their SIAs, their
global organization abilities—physical, intellectual, oral, and
social—came almost immediately into sharper focus and
showed improvement for the duration of the SIA discussions.
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73
Practical Applications of the
Strength-Based Model
Given the essential nature of SIAs to students with AS, and the
positive impact engaging in SIAs has on their lives and skills,
how can parents and professionals apply this information most
effectively? Incorporating a student’s SIA into school, home,
and community activities may result in positive changes in
attitude, motivation, skills, engagement, compliance, and the
general well-being of the student.
Making the Most of SIAs in Schools
Teachers have yet to realize the power of SIAs to improve stu-
dents’ classroom behavior, academic performance, and moti-
vation to complete assignments and tasks. As stated, students
with AS do not consider their SIAs to be mere hobbies or
leisure activities but regard them as integral to themselves.
They do not see a separation between the SIA and their core
being. Thus, there is clearly an untapped gold mine of drive
and passion within students when they are engaged in their
SIAs. The educator’s challenge is to discern how best to tap
into the reserve of a student’s passion about goats, saxo-
phones, or Disney films. The SIA is so intensely important to
a student with AS that he or she is utterly compelled to be in-
volved with the interest and to learn more about it. Attwood
(2003, p. 131) described this consuming drive as “the almost
insatiable thirst for access to the interest.” From the current
study, several practical ideas have emerged about how to help
teachers integrate individual SIAs into the curriculum and
daily practice of students with AS.
A classroom teacher may wish to set the stage for incor-
porating the SIA into a student’s school day by interviewing
the student about his or her SIA. Not only will this demon-
strate the teacher’s interest to the student, strengthening their
connection, but the information gleaned by the teacher will
reduce the possibility that he or she will arrive at premature
conclusions about the student’s SIA. A boy may seem, for ex-
ample, thoroughly invested in a local university football team.
Upon talking with him, however, it may become apparent that
he is not actually interested in playing football or going to
football games; instead, his passion is the game statistics and
the players’ personal achievement records. Talking with the
teacher also provides the student an opportunity to converse
freely about his or her passion and gives the teacher an op-
portunity to assess the student’s oral language and communi-
cation skills.
Once the teacher has gathered information on the stu-
dent’s SIA, he or she has at least four ways in which to apply
the strength of SIAs in everyday practice toward progress in
academic, behavioral, learning methods, and school-based em-
ployment applications. To apply SIAs to students’ daily tasks,
however, the educator must first consider his or her primary
goal in assigning particular tasks to the student. Is it really his
or her ultimate goal, for example, that Kayla write about sum-
 FOCUS ON AUTISM AND OTHER DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
74

mer vacation as assigned, or is the goal that Kayla learn to write for suggestions about relevant assignments that he or she will
a well-organized essay, even if she chooses to write about her find appealing.
SIA, the African horned tarantula of Mozambique? If the Table 1 lists ideas for integrating a dinosaur SIA into the
teacher can accept that the process of learning occasionally typical curriculum of an elementary school student with AS.
takes priority over an assigned learning product, he or she may For example, a writing lesson for this student with a special in-
infuse the SIA into academic tasks to enhance student moti- terest in dinosaurs could be to research and write a paper on
vation and progress. the Tyrannosaurus rex ; a math lesson could be to solve story
problems about how many tons of leaves a Triceratops con-
Academic Application. When beginning to incorporate sumes each day; and an art assignment could be given to build
the SIAs of their students into the general curricula to increase a clay model of a Stegosaurus.
student engagement, teachers must first consider their stu- Table 2 offers ideas for integrating a First Ladies SIA into
dents’ areas of academic strength and challenge. In which sub- the curriculum of an advanced middle or high school student
jects does a student especially need to be motivated to succeed? with AS. These lessons are appropriately more complex and re-
What small adjustments or adaptations could be made to the quire higher level thinking. The purpose of these adaptations
curriculum to incorporate the student’s SIA in those chal- is to teach a student with AS the concepts and skills outlined
lenging areas? Incorporating the student’s SIA into the math by his or her school’s core curriculum within a context that al-
curriculum, for example, can be as easy as placing stickers on lows him or her to accurately represent his or her knowledge
a worksheet or writing the SIA topic into story problems, and skills. The question to be examined is “Is this student truly
something with which the child’s parent may be able to assist. weak in writing, or is he or she unmotivated to write?” Only
Is there a specific book to read, an Internet site to explore, an by allowing some assignments to be integrated with the SIA,
expert to consult, a presentation to prepare, or an essay to as in Table 2, can the answer and the student’s true abilities
write on an SIA-related issue? Again, parents can be consulted emerge. Intentionally designing assignments and tasks to in-
for assignment ideas and appropriate experts to contact. Sev- corporate a student’s SIA will improve the student’s ability to
eral parents reported that their children are experienced in focus on academic tasks. In return, the output produced by
Internet research: talking with experts and sending e-mail. De- the student on these SIA-infused assignments will provide the
pending on the child, it may be appropriate to ask the student most accurate measure of the student’s academic ability. In
suggesting the integration of SIAs into academic assignments,
it is important to recognize that a student’s SIA does not have
to be integrated into every academic assignment or that a
TABLE 1 student should never be required to complete a traditional as-
Examples of the Integration of a Dinosaurs SIA into signment as originally designed by the teacher. Rather, inte-
Core Elementary School Curriculum gration can be used to motivate a student to learn skills and
Academic areas Dinosaurs-integrated assignments complete particular assignments, and to reward compliance
with nonpreferred tasks and assignments.
Reading Read The Complete Guide to Prehistoric Life Children and youth can also benefit from taking classes at
(Haines & Chambers, 2006).
school related to their SIAs. This has the potential to enhance
Writing Research and write a paper on Tyrannosaurus self-esteem, increase SIA-related skills, and create opportuni-
rex.
ties for friendships with students with similar interests.
Spelling Learn to spell names of dinosaurs.
History Research the Precambrian period. Behavioral Application. A second way to apply SIAs in
the classroom is by motivating the student to behave ap-
Speech Present life history of paleontologist George
Gaylord Simpson. propriately through engagement in the SIA. For example, a
teacher could establish a “work/play” routine in which the
Math Write story problems about tons of leaf
consumption by Triceratops. student completes a set number of tasks to earn free time in
which to engage in an activity related to his or her SIA. In ad-
Science Research the asteroid theory of the
dition, a teacher could reward a student’s appropriate behav-
Cretaceous extinction.
ior by allowing access to his or her SIA. A student with AS
Art Design and build a clay or papier mâché
could learn to manage his or her own behavior by taking a sen-
model of the Stegosaurus.
sory break from the class activity to engage in a simple form
Internet skills Research the paleontology wing of the of his or her SIA. For example, the child who has countless air-
Smithsonian Institution (Washington, DC)
planes could be asked to pick one for his sensory break. A
and the American Museum of Natural
History (New York). Consult with teacher could also motivate work completion by promising a
paleontologists online. student whose SIA is Eleanor Roosevelt’s work during World
War II that if she writes the assigned essay on the Allies, for

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 VOLUME 22, NUMBER 2, SUMMER 2007
75

TABLE 2
Examples of the Integration of an American First Ladies
SIA into Core Middle or High School Curriculum
Academic areas First Ladies–integrated assignments

Reading Abigail Adams was a voluminous writer who championed the causes of women. Read her letters in Abigail Adams: A
Writing Life (Gelles, 2002).
Writing Historically, American First Ladies have chosen a humanitarian cause on which to focus their efforts while in the White
House. Write an essay describing the project you would choose and how you would use your influence to bring
national attention to your favorite cause.
Spelling Choose 10 words from your books on Lincoln and Adams that are rare or no longer in use today. Investigate their
etymology to learn what they meant at the time. Have they evolved into words that we use today? If not, why do
you think they disappeared from use?
History Eleanor Roosevelt held a more independent and powerful public position in the White House than any prior First Lady.
Research how her influence shaped and encouraged the country during World War II.
Speech Choose your favorite First Lady and portray her in a first-person speech about her personal values and beliefs.
Math Find the birth and death dates of all the First Ladies, and calculate their ages at death. Plot their life spans on a
computer graph. Find the average age of all the women. Did the life span of First Ladies increase over time?
Psychology First Lady Mary Lincoln experienced severe depression and, some believe, chronic mental illness. Read Mary Lincoln:
Wife and Widow (Sandburg, 1995), and consult The Insanity File: The Case of Mary Todd Lincoln (Neely & McMurtry,
1993). What was the view of mental illness in Mary Lincoln’s day? Are American attitudes different today? Why?
Science How does the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian Institution preserve its priceless collection of
First Ladies’ inaugural gowns? What challenges do the curators face from age, humidity, mold, insects, and so on?
What techniques are used to preserve these national treasures? Are different techniques used for the older gowns,
such as that of Martha Washington?
Art Construct a miniature model of your favorite First Lady’s inaugural gown, or design a miniature of a White House room
in her era (e.g., the Lincoln bedroom, the restored Kennedy library).
Internet skills Choose a First Lady and research her papers online at the National Archives (Washington, DC). Write the curator of the
First Ladies exhibit at the National Museum of American History with a question you have about a First Lady. Find
three Web sites that provide more information about First Ladies.

the next essay she may choose to write about Roosevelt’s
wartime causes.
Learning Method Application. A third option for ap-
plying SIAs in the classroom is to allow the student with AS
to use his preferred method of researching information on his
SIA to learn about nonpreferred classroom topics. For exam-
ple, a student who loves to look at books with photographs to
learn about cars could use the same method to locate infor-
mation on mammals for a science lesson. A student who en-
joys doing Internet research on John Williams could use the
same method to research explorer Meriwether Lewis for a so-
cial studies assignment. Teachers would be wise to incorporate
the student’s preferred method of learning to spur work com-
pletion. Fifty percent of the participants in the current study
indicated that reading books was their preferred strategy for
learning about their SIAs. Will stated, “I always like going to
the library; they have really good books.” When asked if he
learned facts about Disney from watching movies, Nate
replied, “I even find them out in books, too. I have a Disney
A to Z book that tells me everything about Disney.” Many par-
ticipants said they also read about their SIAs online. Sarah said,
“I like to read books a lot and learn a lot about other differ-
ent breeds of horses. Or, like to look on the Internet and
books, magazines, and all that.” Displaying confidence in his
Internet skills, Tom asked, “Do you know Arizona is supposed
to have thunderstorms coming up soon? Some time this week
actually they are supposed to have thunderstorms happening
there. I read, I saw it on Netscape.”
School-Based Employment Application. A final way in
which SIAs may be applied to school is to create a school-based
job related to the student’s SIA. For example, if the student’s
interest is brooms, the teacher could arrange for the student
to work with the custodian in a sweeping routine. A student
with an interest in numbers and patterns could work in the
school library shelving books. Similarly, a student interested in
radio broadcasting could read morning announcements over
the school’s public address system. While engaging in these ac-
tivities, the student will learn valuable vocational skills as well
as experiencing firsthand how his or her SIA may translate to
career opportunities when he or she finishes school. Most stu-

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 FOCUS ON AUTISM AND OTHER DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
76
dents with AS want to do well and want to please teachers. In-
tegration of assigned tasks with SIAs increases the possibility
that the student will work hard to achieve his or her personal
goals. As Nate said to the interviewers, “I just have to work at
my hardest to be a composer and go compose music.” Stu-
dents with AS are highly capable of investing themselves in
hard work—if that investment can come through the door of
their SIAs.
Making the Most of SIAs at Home
There are several ways in which parents can use their child’s
SIA to increase harmony in the home, encourage family co-
hesion, and manage behavior. As one mother noted of her
son’s SIA, it “gives him an outlet. . . . He is very happy and it
reduces the negative interactions in the house.” A side bene-
fit of SIAs in the home was mentioned by another parent, who
wrote, “It is important to have interests that are positive. In-
terests have [also] given parents a break.”
It is imperative that parents understand that engaging in
the SIA provides a primary, preferred way to relax, destress,
and cope with the world. As Welton (2004) noted through the
voice of a child, “When I’m doing something on my computer
or reading or writing about dinosaurs, I feel very happy and
relaxed, and I find it really easy to concentrate and focus.” Al-
lowing a child time to engage in his or her SIA after stressful
events may reduce anxiety and, therefore, increase the child’s
willingness to participate in these events. Similarly, free time in
which the child may engage in his or her SIA can be offered
as a reward for completing nonpreferred household chores,
such as cleaning the bathroom, gathering dirty laundry, or
emptying wastebaskets. A child with an SIA in horses may earn
a horseback riding lesson for keeping his or her room clean for
a week, or a student who has an SIA in aviation may earn a trip
to the airport after helping his or her parents wash the cars.
To facilitate communication and encourage interaction be-
tween the child with AS and his or her family, parents could
offer time spent engaging in the SIA in exchange for partici-
pation in a family outing. Parents may also wish to arrange day
trips or vacations focused on the child’s SIA. Family outings
to a farm supply store, automobile factory, or train museum
may encourage children with interests in animals, cars, or trains
to engage their family members in reciprocal conversation.
Furthermore, parents could invite family members or friends
who share an interest in their child’s SIA to participate with
the family in an activity focused on the child’s SIA.
Making the Most of SIAs in the Community
Participation in community events alongside peers and adults
without disabilities may be challenging to a child with AS. Pro-
viding community-based activities focused on the child’s SIA
may motivate the child to participate. For example, parents
may wish to involve their child in Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, or
a similar friendship group. Parents or group leaders could ask
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the child to share his or her SIA with the group. Group lead-
ers could allow the child to lead an activity addressing a topic
related to his or her SIA, or during meetings allow for sensory
breaks during which the child may discretely engage in the
SIA. Furthermore, a scout could design a badge related to the
SIA or complete a service project related to the SIA to obtain
a badge. For example, a child interested in forestry may be will-
ing to participate in a volunteer crew to maintain hiking trails
in the community. For an Eagle Scout project, a student with
an SIA in birds could build birdhouses to donate to local as-
sisted living centers or retirement homes. Parents can also seek
out charities that relate to the SIA. For example, a child with
an interest in geography may be motivated to raise money for
UNICEF after learning about the medical and educational
needs of children in impoverished countries.
Faith communities also hold possibilities for involving the
child through his or her SIA. Children and youth with AS tend
to be spiritual by nature and attracted to concepts such as faith,
prayer, life, and death (Isanon, 2001). Parents belonging to
religious organizations may encourage their child’s participa-
tion in church with the reward that he or she be allowed to
participate in a church activity related to the SIA. A child in-
terested in musical composition, for example, could compose
a musical piece for the choir to sing. The SIA could also be
used to motivate the student to apply him- or herself to reli-
gious education. Preparing for religious rites of passage, such
as a bat mitzvah, first communion, or confirmation, may be
rewarded with a special outing or trip to a place of interest re-
lated to the SIA. Parents could also invite adult members of
the church, mosque, or synagogue with an interest or profes-
sional background in the child’s SIA to serve as a mentor. Per-
haps the adult and child could coteach a class or workshop for
the religious community. A young person with AS whose pas-
sion is classic literature could volunteer to read favorite pas-
sages to elderly homebound members of his or her church or
temple. A student with a special interest in photography may
assist a mentor in creating a photo membership directory of
the parishioners.
Parents can also use a child’s SIA to motivate him or her
to participate in critical but tedious community outings, such
as trips to the dentist, pediatrician, grocery store, bank, or bar-
ber shop. Free time to engage in the SIA after the nonpre-
ferred outing may calm the child and encourage him or her to
behave appropriately to hasten access to the SIA.
Opportunities to shadow professionals in the field or to
explore museums, exhibits, historical sites, and libraries to
research the SIA are important to cultivating social skills and
community awareness in children with AS. Not only do these
opportunities allow the student to engage in the SIA and to
see its practical application in the real world, they also create
additional opportunities for practicing language and social
skills in real-life settings. Volunteer or part-time work can be
found in almost any field, from the child who loves cats and
dogs volunteering at the local animal shelter to the teenager
interested in child development securing part-time work at a
 VOLUME 22, NUMBER 2, SUMMER 2007
day-care facility. These opportunities allow the child or youth
with AS the opportunity to display his or her true talents in
their natural setting.
The special interest of a child with AS can be a powerful
tool in motivating work completion and appropriate behavior
at school, in easing anxiety caused by daily activities, and in fa-
cilitating participation in family events and community groups.
The strength-based model is a resource for parents and teach-
ers to “think outside the box” when working with children and
youth with AS. By tapping into the compelling hold of the
SIA, parents and teachers can dramatically enrich children’s
lives in school, home, and diverse community settings.
Discussion
The implications of using the strength-based model of AS to-
gether with a child’s SIA are vast and have the potential to have
an impact on every area of a child’s life, from identity to home,
school, community, and the development of future careers.
Impact of SIAs
On Identity. To truly know a child or youth with AS, one
must know his or her SIA. It is not enough just to acknowl-
edge that SIAs are important to children and youth with AS;
these children’s SIAs define who they are. SIAs represent
safety, boundaries, and a measure of control. To punish the
child by removing the cherished SIA is, in essence, to strip the
child of him- or herself and his or her source of comfort, sooth-
ing, and strength. SIAs are more than hobbies or pastimes.
SIAs help children and youth with AS make sense of the world
(Myles et al., 2000). Indeed, as Grandin and Duffy (2004,
p. 54) noted insightfully, “These passions will help them nav-
igate their world.” Through their SIAs, children and youth
with AS can do amazing things, and they should be encour-
aged and supported in their success through their SIAs. There
are countless considerations and concerns to keep in mind
when working with children and youth with AS. There are
also, however, many positive, impressive, desirable, and charm-
ing aspects of children and youth with AS. The current study
results represent a bright light in the sometimes dark lives of
individuals with AS.
On Academics. Asperger (1944/1991, p. 37) stated that
“exceptional human beings must be given exceptional educa-
tional treatment . . . which takes account of their special diffi-
culties.” Incorporating a child or youth’s SIA into his or her
academic curriculum can have many benefits. The SIA can be
the enticement for these students that keeps them engaged in
classroom activities and critical lessons. The student who re-
sists mathematics may be more willing to attempt required
math tasks when the SIA is incorporated into the assignment.
When motivated to complete such tasks, students with AS may
demonstrate previously hidden academic skills. SIAs can also
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77
foster generalization across academic and social skills. Taking
classes that naturally incorporate a student’s SIA will give a stu-
dent the chance to shine both academically and socially. All
students with AS deserve this chance; educators must find the
SIA enticement and use it to support academic and social gains
in the school setting.
At Home. SIAs are applicable and relevant to fostering
positive relationships in the child or youth’s home. Parents
who create family activities that incorporate their child’s SIA
will find not only that their child is enthusiastically involved in
the activity but also that their child’s communication and play
skills will improve, as will their relationships within the family.
The keys to this happening are to accept the child’s SIA and
to find creative ways in which to incorporate the SIA into the
daily routine at home.
On Community. SIAs are equally applicable in encourag-
ing social success and improved relationships within the com-
munity for children and youth with AS. Virtually any SIA can
be fostered in some kind of community activity. For the child
or youth interested in nature, camping, or woodworking, so-
cial associations such as Boy Scouts or Camp Fire can offer a
chance for him or her to use the SIA and develop skills in a
variety of tasks while also building leadership and friendship
skills. A child or youth with spiritual interests can experience
positive relationships with adults and peers in religious com-
munities. Mentors can be found to support almost any indi-
vidual and his or her SIA.
On Future Careers. Grandin and Duffy (2004) have writ-
ten most eloquently about the loss to society when individu-
als with AS are discouraged in the workforce: “Society loses
out if individuals with autism spectrum disorders are not in-
volved in the world of work or make other kinds of contribu-
tions to society” (p. vii). The SIA strength-based model must
be reinforced in the home, school, and community to persuade
the child or youth that he or she can pursue a future in the
SIA. Grandin and Duffy support this need for reinforcement:
“To build success, parents should help their children develop
their natural talents” (p. xi). Asperger (1944/1991) first
posited that even in the early years of life, the seeds of a mean-
ingful career lie within an individual’s SIA. He observed,
We can see in the autistic person, far more clearly than with any
normal child, a predestination for a particular profession from ear-
liest youth. A particular line of work often grows naturally out of
his or her special abilities. (p. 88)
When asked about their plans after high school, all but one
participant had clear ideas about college and career, linking
their present SIAs to dreams of future professions. They also
saw their SIAs as creating the path to accomplishing their fu-
ture goals. When Nate’s mother sought out the lead author to
provide additional information, she noted that “the behind-
the-scenes segments of DVDs help him feel like a composer,
 FOCUS ON AUTISM AND OTHER DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
78
and he thinks he learns all the inside tricks. He says, ‘I figure
I’m saving time in the future.’ ” Individuals with AS may have
the opportunity to choose specific careers because jobs reflect
their SIAs and thereby enhance the quality of their work prod-
ucts and their personal satisfaction. Holding a job related to
an SIA allows an individual to use his or her natural talents.
An individual with AS will not require as much training to hold
a job related to his or her SIA as he or she may need for an-
other job. A job related to an individual’s SIA could mean the
difference between a daily struggle to complete work-related
tasks or the satisfaction of a meaningful job well done each day.
There are other benefits to having a job that relates to an
SIA. Through such a job, an individual with AS may display
strengths that emerge specifically in relation to working with
the SIA. The individual would likely demonstrate strengths in
social skills, communication, emotion, sensory, and executive
function in the context of such employment. For example,
working as a librarian who catalogues books might be satisfy-
ing for somebody whose SIA is reading. As Grandin and Duffy
(2004, p. ix) emphasized, “For those on the autism spectrum,
finding a satisfying job also provides social opportunities
through shared interests.” Attwood (2006, p. 174) summa-
rized the rich personal potential for individuals with AS in pur-
suing SIAs: “The special interest can also provide a valuable
source of intellectual enjoyment and can be used construc-
tively to facilitate friendships and employment.”
Brian can indeed ride the Daylight 4449 Express as far as
his skills can take him. The school, home, and community en-
vironments of individuals with AS must be infused with op-
portunities for them to demonstrate their many strengths
through engagement in their SIAs. Educators and parents
must be advocates for children and youth and their SIAs.
There is no limit to what they can accomplish when they are
appropriately encouraged to use their SIAs to improve their
academic and social pursuits. As Asperger (1944/1991, p. 90)
wrote, “We have the right and the duty to speak out for these
children with the whole force of our personality.” They and
their futures depend upon our voices. Now.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Mary Ann Winter-Messiers, maitrise (equivalent to a master’s degree)
from Université de Paris IV-La Sorbonne, is a research assistant, in-
structor, and project coordinator for PASS in special education at the
University of Oregon. Her interests include autism; Asperger syndrome
and special interest areas; neurobiology and autism; and internalizing,
overachieving girls and family dysfunction. She is also the parent of a
child with Asperger syndrome. Cynthia M. Herr, PhD, is an assistant
professor, research associate, and PASS project director in special educa-
tion at the University of Oregon. Her interests include autism spectrum
disorders, learning disabilities, and special education law. Casey E.
Wood, MS, is a graduate student at the University of Oregon earning
her elementary special education teaching license. Her interests center
on effective classroom practices for children with autism spectrum disor-
ders, particularly Asperger syndrome. Amy P. Brooks, MS, has taught
Downloaded from foa.sagepub.com at PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIV on September 18, 2016
middle and high school students with moderate to severe disabilities in
Massachusetts and Oregon. Her current interests include autism, aug-
mentative communication, and social skills. Mary Anne M. Gates, MS,
is a speech–language specialist in the Bethel School District in Eugene,
Oregon. She works with children and youth in Grades K through 8 and
has a special interest in serving students with autism spectrum disorders.
Tasker L. Houston, MS, is a middle and secondary licensure graduate
student at the University of Oregon with an interest in teaching excep-
tional learners. Kelly I. Tingstad, MS, teaches at the Radlett Lodge
School for children with autism for the National Autistic Society in
Radlett, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom. Her current interests include
autism, Asperger syndrome, and the use of special interest areas to in-
crease effectiveness in teaching students with AS. Address: Mary Ann
Winter-Messiers, University of Oregon, Secondary Special Education,
175 College of Education, 5260 University of Oregon, Eugene OR
97403-5260; e-mail: messiers@uoregon.edu
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