Abstract
New scientific frameworks for thinking about autism, and improved inclusion of autistic voices in the research process, are changing our understanding of what autism is. Recent autism research suggests that the social communication difficulties autistic people often experience are due, in part, to mutual misunderstanding between autistic and nonautistic people. To understand why these misunderstandings occur, we have to first understand how autistic people experience social communication: what their expectations are, what they find difficult, and what they wish non-autistic people would do. In this talk, Holly Sutherland will cover some key concepts that will help to answer these questions, and explain how these can be used to improve communication between autistic and nonautistic people. (Invited speaker.)
