Japanese Delegation
Support Group Coordinator of the
Japanese delegation.
The First week of December 1998
| During the week, a group of families and other interested individuals came from Fukuoka, Japan to visit North Carolina and learn and share with others whose lives are affected by autism. Their visit culminated in a presentation to CHALU at the December 7 meeting. |
| CHALU President Lori Ireland first gave a brief history of CHALU, then introduced Mr. Kita, the leader of the Japanese delegation. He stated that this is his second group trip to the U.S. --he brought a group to a conference in Greensboro four years ago. "Our Love for Our Children Unites Us" was the theme for this trip, which included 7 adults, several children (some with autism), both families and professionals. They came from different organizations, but one well represented was The National Organization for Parents of Children with Autism, which has regional chapters comparable to The Autism Society of America. Mr. Kita then introduced three individual presenters from the group. |
| The first speaker shared with CHALU about the Division of Parents founded in 1972 by parents who sought a special class for their children with autism. The next year, they were successful, and now there are 5 elementary and 4 middle school classes in their area. Their endeavor was supported actively by many, including legislature. The public education system in Japan is said to be quality, though not sufficient because individuals with autism often need lifetime support. The oldest person with autism involved in this particular group is 38 years old. Many are living in segregated institutions. This was once thought to be best, but now normalization is becoming more popular. Support groups and services used to be divided by age groups, but now is done by geographic location so people can work together to improve conditions within their own area. Some high priority items include setting up new task forces in Living Support, Welfare Support, Education, and Public Relations, developing vocational and social groups, and recruiting student volunteers. Although this is by title a parent group, much help is sought from professionals and the city government has even provided the group with office space. |
| The second speaker was also a parent. She described a unique opportunity called Sibling Camp. This university sponsored program is over 30 years old and is held twice every year--once in March, then again in August. The August camp usually includes about 300 people, including 50 kids with autism, divided into 3 groups--1) autism/staff, 2) parents/teachers, 3) siblings/classmates/volunteers. The camp lasts for 4 days and provides numerous opportunities for group members to learn and have fun together. The March camp is designed specifically for siblings of individuals with autism and the focus is on how to deal with the stress that comes from having an exceptional sibling. Two major benefits that come out of these camp sessions include many college volunteers who decide afterwards that they want to do something lifelong with autism, and a change in attitude of non-autistic family members. She cited the personal example of her own daughter's experience. |
| The third speaker was a student of special education with an emphasis in research and support of autism. He was particularly interested in the use of technology to assist in communication and social skill training. He felt that Japanese methods at this point were not sufficient and wished to learn what was being done in the U.S. Some key differences he shared between the Japanese and American experience with autism were as follows: the U.S. enjoys more legal support and has a far more active parents' group, the U.S. focuses on structured teaching while in Japan there is seemingly more debate over theories, and the U.S. has high guaranteed quality of education until a student reaches the age of 21. Parents can also be critical in solving this problem as exemplified by the Carolina Living and Learning Center. |
| After the formal presentations were finished, the group opened up to questions and comments. |
| "What kind of legal support is available in Japan?" --Since Japan does not have the equivalent of our ADA and IDEA, they must constantly fight actively for appropriate education for their children. There is always the danger of a child being institutionalized or expelled simply because teachers do not know what to do. |
| "Are there disability support groups to work with?" --The primary one is the Parents of Children with Autism Organization, but there is still no single, large lobbying group. |
| "What would you improve on what you have seen in the U.S.?" --The Japanese group has self-funded free group homes and sheltered workshops. Students who are more handicapped get more services. |
| "Is there a stigma in Japan for having a handicapped child?" --Yes, this is likely universal. |
| "Describe your study of special education/genetic research." --Programs similar to TEACCH do exist in Japan, but the field is very small overall. There are many researchers, but they are not often part of special education training and they tend to be secretive about their work. |
| Members of CHALU and the Japanese delegation exchanged both formal and informal tokens of appreciation, then the meeting was adjourned. |
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