WAAD 2013
2nd April was declared as World Autism Awareness Day in perpetuity by the United Nations General Assembly in 2007, “to highlight the need to help improve the lives of children and adults” with autism, so that “they can lead full and meaningful lives”. 2013 will be the sixth annual day, raising awareness of autism and celebrating the lives of those who are affected by the condition. Events are organised all around the world: see the National Autistic Society, Autistica (UK), and Autism Speaks (USA) websites.
'Light It Up Blue' is a global initiative, now in its fourth year, led by Autism Speaks to help raise awareness about autism, by ‘shining a light on autism’. Significant global landmarks will be lit up in blue, and others are supporting the initiative by for example wearing blue to work, lighting buildings in blue or similar activities around the world.
Members of the Brain & Behavioural Sciences Discipline wearing blue in support of World Autism Awareness Day, 2 April 2013. From left to right: Drs Duncan Banks, Payam Rezaie, Ilona Roth, Claire Rostron, Ellie Dommett, Rosa Hoekstra and Paul Gabbott. Photograph taken by Dr Saroj Datta.
The Open University has produced material on autism that is freely available via the University’s ‘OpenLearn’ webpages. Click on the links provided below to access these resources. You can explore the world of autism and challenge your own assumptions, learn about autism through an easy-to-understand overview (provided by Ilona Roth and Rosa Hoekstra), explore the different talents that can sometimes be associated with autism, dispel some myths around autism, and even test your own knowledge of autism by taking a short quiz.
• The World of Autism
• What is Autism?
• Interests, Skills and Talents
• 'Test your knowledge of autism' Quiz
If you would like to learn more about autism and our autism-related activities, or to study autism at the Open University (SK124 Understanding the Autism Spectrum), please follow the links provided below:
General Information about Autism
Autism Related Activities at the OU
Raising Awareness of Autism in Africa
The Autism Spectrum in the 21st Century
Researching the Autism Spectrum: Contemporary Perspectives
SK124 Understanding the Autism Spectrum
World Autism Awareness Day sites:
United Nations WAAD site
National Autistic Society WAAD site
Autistica WAAD site
Autism Speaks WAAD site
Light it Up Blue - Raising Awareness for Autism
These webpages were generated by Andrew Lloyd, Faculty of Science, The Open University.