Like Colour To The Blind
Encyclopedia
Like Colour To The Blind (1998) is the third in a series of four autobiographical works by internationally bestselling autistic
author Donna Williams
. Once published in the US using the American spelling 'color', it is now published worldwide by Jessica Kingsley Publishers
using the UK spelling 'colour'. It has been published in several languages worldwide.
Like Colour To The Blind covers Williams' relationship and 'accidental marriage' to 'Ian', a man on the autistic spectrum
as she exorcises the vast array of stored behaviours, responses, actions and phrases from her repertoire to discover what is left that is 'self'. The pair also develop a system called 'checking' which they use to tap into true wants and likes, as the only means of differentiating these from stored or learned responses.
The book relates Williams' diagnosis with scotopic sensitivity syndrome
, and her experience with tinted lenses on her visual perceptual disorders including visual fragmentation, context blindness, face blindness, and loss of depth perception. This led to a wide social awakening to visual perceptual disorders in people on the autistic spectrum.
Williams also writes about facilitated communication
, covering the story of 'Alex' and quoting his first letters, as he develops communication for the first time through assisted typing, enabling his movement from special education towards a future as a college graduate.
Autism
Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. These signs all begin before a child is three years old. Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their...
author Donna Williams
Donna Williams (author)
Donna Williams is a best-selling author, artist, singer-songwriter, screenwriter and sculptor diagnosed with autism after being assessed as a psychotic infant in 1965 at age two, tested multiple times for deafness and labeled disturbed throughout childhood, before treatment for gut, immune and...
. Once published in the US using the American spelling 'color', it is now published worldwide by Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Jessica Kingsley Publishers is an independent, multinational publishing house headquartered in London, and founded in 1987 by Jessica Kingsley. JKP publishes books pertaining to the social sciences and behavioural sciences, with special attention to art therapy and autism spectrum disorders,...
using the UK spelling 'colour'. It has been published in several languages worldwide.
Like Colour To The Blind covers Williams' relationship and 'accidental marriage' to 'Ian', a man on the autistic spectrum
Autism spectrum
The term "autism spectrum" is often used to describe disorders that are currently classified as pervasive developmental disorders. Pervasive developmental disorders include autism, Asperger syndrome, Childhood disintegrative disorder, Rett syndrome and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise...
as she exorcises the vast array of stored behaviours, responses, actions and phrases from her repertoire to discover what is left that is 'self'. The pair also develop a system called 'checking' which they use to tap into true wants and likes, as the only means of differentiating these from stored or learned responses.
The book relates Williams' diagnosis with scotopic sensitivity syndrome
Scotopic sensitivity syndrome
Scotopic sensitivity syndrome, also known as Irlen Syndrome and Visual Stress Syndrome, approximating in some ways to Meares Irlen syndrome, and 'Visual Stress', refers to visual perceptual disorder affecting primarily reading and writing based activities...
, and her experience with tinted lenses on her visual perceptual disorders including visual fragmentation, context blindness, face blindness, and loss of depth perception. This led to a wide social awakening to visual perceptual disorders in people on the autistic spectrum.
Williams also writes about facilitated communication
Facilitated communication
Facilitated communication is a process by which a facilitator supports the hand or arm of a communicatively impaired individual while using a keyboard or other devices with the aim of helping the individual to develop pointing skills and to communicate...
, covering the story of 'Alex' and quoting his first letters, as he develops communication for the first time through assisted typing, enabling his movement from special education towards a future as a college graduate.