James Williams
Welcome to my website on autism. I’m James
Williams. I live in Northbrook , Illinois , a Chicago
On my website, I have archived speeches I
have given and the essays I have written over the years. Scroll down to view
the archives.
If you have come to this website looking
for the other presenter on autism named James Williams, who resides in Texas Texas
Click
here to view my speaking and appearance schedule.
Talks and Presentations / Essays / Miscellaneous
The
Autism Camp Test (2010)
An
abridged version of a test written as part of a series of training materials
for the annual staff trainings at
In Search of the Proper Autistic Friend (2006)
A
presentation that describes observations of young children I conducted during
volunteer work at a child care center. Based on these observations, this
presentation discusses potential difficulties that arise when autistic
individuals try to interact with their peers.
Understanding: The Free Therapy (2004)
Most
people have a need to understand what they are doing at all times. In this
presentation, I describe possible things that can happen if that need is not
met.
A Whole New World (2000)
A
presentation that describes problems that autistic people encounter in their
daily lives with drama. This was the first presentation I wrote.
The
Autism Empathy Test (2004)
A
presentation that discusses differences between autistic and neurotypical
abilities in the form of a test. It is also presented in the form of a
slide show.
What To Do During An Autism Cataclysm (2005)
A
presentation written for special-ed teachers and parents of children with
autism that gives examples of problems that occur in a home or school
environment, and what should be done to mitigate those problems.
Auditory Training: My Personal Experience and Thoughts (2005)
A
presentation that talks about this therapy, which I have had several times.
How Do Autism's Symptoms Relate to Abilities of Non-Autistic People?
(2005)
A
presentation written for middle school students that relates autism to issues
that occur in the daily lives of neurotypical individuals. Also available en Espanol.
My Unconventional Life with Autism
(2005)
A
presentation that discusses stories from my life, things I have observed, and
what can be learned from these stories.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of
Autism (2005)
A presentation written for and presented to late elementary and middle school students (4th to 8th grade) to teach autism awareness by referencing scenarios from the Harry Potter book and film series.
The Role of Context in Defining
Autism (2006)
A
presentation written for professionals that discusses how our perception of a
behavior changes based on where the behavior took place, and when rules
sometimes don’t work.
The Importance of Critical
Thinking (2006)
A
presentation that discusses how conventional rules don't always work when
applied to autistic people. Situations are discussed that show when such rules
should be bent, and when conformity isn’t always a necessity.
Autism's Appearance in Books and
Film (2006)
A
presentation that describes the appearance of autistic symptoms in popular
culture, and what we can learn about autism from these examples.
Check It Out! A 3rd Grade Autism
Reading List (2006)
A
presentation for teachers that shows the appearance of autistic symptoms in
books that are usually assigned to or read by grade-school students.
Essays
Oakton
Community College Autism Interview (2011)
An
interview I gave with a student at Oakton Community College, in Des Plaines,
Illinois, for an English class.
On Independence (2010)
An
essay about redefining what it means to be an independent adult with autism, as
well as different options for independence. Written for S.I.
Focus.
Ask James Williams (2005)
A
column published in S.I. Focus, a quarterly magazine.
On Curing Autism (2004)
Essay
published in the book “The Sound of Falling Snow,” by Annabel
Stehli.
Six Principles Of Autistic Interaction (2005)
Essay
on the rules many autistic individuals use when they interact.
The Court of Expectations Is In Session (2004)
A
letter I wrote that was presented in court arguing why Special Education
services should not be taken away from two autistic children.
The Power of Fear (2004)
An
essay that discusses the relationship between fear and autism.
The
Days of The Week (2004)
An
essay explaining the mathematics behind this savant skill.
A Tale Of Two Daycares (2005)
An
essay that talks about the policies and rules of two daycare centers and the lessons
that can be learned from them.
Thoughts on the Mindset of
Individual People (2005)
An
essay I wrote that tries to explain why some people are unwilling to change
their beliefs or values, and why it’s not worth it to try to change them.
The
Ten Commandments of Autism Understanding (2006)
A
list of guidelines that should be considered when someone tries to understand
autism.
Recommended Viewing (2004)
A
list of movies that I enjoy, and recommend that people see them to enrich their
understanding of autism.
Miscellaneous
Diary
of a Kindergarten Intern (2011)
A
fictionalized retelling of a diary I wrote when working as an intern in a
kindergarten classroom at a public school in the Chicago suburbs. The story is
true, but all names, including myself, as well as places and locations have
been changed to protect the privacy of the people involved.
Dates on a Calendar (2011)
A
one-act play telling a story of a social misunderstanding.
One-Way
Street / Music My Friend (2011)
Two
poems I wrote for my high school newspaper describing autistic ways of
thinking.
Highlights from the Q+A Blog (2010)
Archived questions that I have been given from my Q+A blog, as well as my answers.
The Wescott
Alphabet (1996)
A
collection of photographs representing the alphabet, taken in 1996.
Essay
about the author, and information on how to contact him.
Links
to other autism web sites, courtesy of the website of autistic author Will
Rogers.
Recent and Upcoming Appearances
Find
out where James Williams will be speaking next and where he has spoken before.
If
you have any questions or comments, or would like James to speak at your
conference, school, support group, or autism agency, you can contact him here.
You can also post your question or comment here.
Any material
on this site may be reproduced, provided I am given acknowledgement as the
author.
However,
this site also contains copyrighted material, the use of which has not always
been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. I am making such material
available in my efforts to advance the understanding of autism and topics
related to autism. I believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such
copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US
For more
information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml.