In our experience, if there is something I feel that needs to be understood by
people and healthcare professionals is that the spectrum is called a spectrum for a reason and just because a kid can
give you eye contact or have imaginative play doesn't mean that they aren't
autistic.
That's when Diane Sherman, who teaches
autistic children, heard Pepperberg, a visiting professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's MIT Media Lab, describe how she'd trained Alex: First, the bird watches a trainer
give instructions to another
person, who models correct and incorrect behavior; then Alex gets a chance to mimic the behavior.
There is a strong demand in Bridgeport for a
person - centered program that
gives autistic students the social, independent living and vocational skills they need to not only obtain a high school diploma but to also have a successful future.