Autism Brainstorm: An ASL Student Exchange

  
As American Sign Language II students at McAllen High School embark on our third year of this exchange, we are excited about the prospects of spreading our work through www.AutismBrainstorm.org.

We propose the following:

• ASL, especially for children with autism who are non-verbal, should be started at a much younger age to increase the opportunities for language development and communication.
• ASL students from McAllen High School will create digital books and videos to teach ASL to professionals, parents and members of the community who work with children with autism.
• Students-working-with-students creates what Kathleen Tehrani referred to as,"The opportunity to share compassion." Both groups of students benefit tremendously from this exchange.
• We would like for individuals and groups to have the opportunity to send us words they would like us to add to our books and videos.
• At some point, it would be an exciting opportunity for the students to offer workshops to interested individuals ready to SEE what our children with autism who are non-verbal have to SAY through sign language.

Sharing compassion and kindness through language
PROJECT PROPOSAL