The Bottom Line
Pros
- Three major names in the field come together in the video
- A good non-technical introduction to the autism spectrum
- Provides a good starting point for conversation and sharing
- Helps parents and others to understand they're not alone
- Provides a voice of hope to those who are starting out on the autism voyage
Cons
- Static videography (talking heads)
- No diversity within the group of speakers
Description
- One-hour DVD
- Produced by the Autism-Asperger Publishing Company
- Copyright 2009
Guide Review - DVD Review: Living Along the Autism Spectrum
In essence, the video is an interview with two men who have been deeply affected by autism, conducted by a man whose grandson is autistic. The interviewees are psychologist Robert Naseef and autism education expert Stephen Shore, both of whom are well known within the autism community. The interviewer is Dan Gottlieb, a psychologist, Philadelphia radio personality and quadraplegic whose grandson, Sam, is the subject of Gottlieb's book Letters to Sam.
What makes the DVD much more than a set of talking heads is the very personal nature of the conversation, which parents will find both familiar and, at times, hard to hear.
Rob Naseef is the father of a boy with profound autism; his story includes the excitement of his son's birth, and then the slow and heartbreaking regression into non-communication. Naseef describes his responses to his son's disability, and how he was able to come to terms with and even find new strength from it.
Stephen Shore is an adult with autism who holds a Ph.D. in Education and has become an internationally known speaker and writer. Shore has found ways to tell his story that combine a bit of pathos with a lot of humor, and he does a fine job explaining his experience with autism in this presentation.
