My chosen topic of interest for this part of my blog is Autism, taken from a fieldwork placement in a paediatric clinic setting. I have chosen Autism as it is a topic of great interest to me, I also have many personal experiences involving children with Autism. According to Shriver (2011) “Autism is a complex developmental disability that causes problems with social interaction and communication. Symptoms usually start before age three and can cause delays or problems in many different skills that develop from infancy to adulthood”.
Below are the links for 3 online communities I have chosen:
The first online comminty I have choosen is an Auckland based company that specialises in counselling and psychotherapy. The intended purpose of this site is to teach readers what Autism is, how it is caused, and how it is diagnosed. A great feature about this site is that it helps the viewer in finding a therapist that is right for them. This site is interactive as it has a specified section for asking questions, however, I feel this could be confusing for some as all questions regarding the site are posted here. The site contributes by answering these questions within 48 hours of them being posted.
The Second site I look into was the Autism New Zealand website. The intended purpose of the site is again to teach readers about Autism and the supports that are out there but it also supports readers in finding support and information that this site may not offer. The site offers a national newsletter and personal stories where viewers can read and either write their own personal experience or comments on others experiences. This online community also offers options for readers to assist with fundraising for people with Autism and enable then to donate or become a member of Autism New Zealand. This site is not only aimed at parents but also children, as it has games for them to play.
The third site I have chosen, Altogether Autism, is a great site for keeping up to date with up and coming events that are happening around the country. Readers are able to subscribe to a monthly newsletter and request information that they require specific to the needs of themselves or the person with Autism. This site is interactive as it gives viewers the opportunity to ask questions that are then answered by the site. Also, this site offers opportunities for employment- it offers a section on job vacancies where one can apply online.
Majority of people who make access to these online communities are parents seeking advice and information about their child who has autism or parents that suspect there child has autism.The online communities chosen for this particular tutorial are all New Zealand sites. Trust worthy sites often encourage people to participate on these as they feel more comfortable in sharing information and know they are going to get a reply from those close to them.
These sites all relate to occupational justice. Occupational justice is similar to occupational deprivation but refers to factors that are internal or individual such as illness. These sites encourage people with autism to seek the help required and attain information needed to understand there disability so they can continue with current relationships and conditions for living.
These sites also prevent against occupation deprivation, they encourage people with autism to continue with daily occupations and acquire, use and enjoy daily occupations. The sites provide resources and contact information for support groups within the community.
Autism is a developmental disorder that disrupts a child’s ability to socially interact and communicate with others. When considering ethical issues that may arise in this community there are many, following are just a few.
Acceptance by others within the community, perceived at a lower level of ability that actually able.
Perceived as something that they are not, can be stereotyped by others, varying degrees of autism are not understood by all. Lower functioning individuals, may not have the capacity to understand normal rules or cultural norms, others may do things that are less than ethical, because they feel that the autistic person might not be able to advocate for themselves
Benefits of online communities allow people to access information in the comfort of their own home, at a speed that suits them. It allows them to have contact with others who have the same connections as them and gather resources from all over the world and from a variety of different sources.
Limitations with accessing these online communities include that of only being aimed at a specific target audience. The information sourced may not always be reliable as it is difficult to tell where and who the information is coming from. Some sites have to have specific software to enable some items to be viewed or accessed. Without this software one may not have access to all required information.
References
Shriver, E. K. (2001). National Iistitute of child health and human development. USA.
References
Shriver, E. K. (2001). National Iistitute of child health and human development. USA.
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