Watson Dollar

Autism Light #287 is Watson Dollar. 

Watson Dollar is a 20 year old man with autism from Magee, Mississippi in the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area. After two decades of silence, Watson has amazingly started to communicate with the use of his iPad. Watson Dollar is an Autism Light for demonstrating to the world that communication can surface even later on in the life of someone with autism.

Watson Dollar's last word was uttered in 1993, when he said "Lights" before having surgery on his ears. He was diagnosed with autism on May 17, 1993. Through the years Watson remained silent although he was given speech therapy to try and help him communicate. His mother Pam Dollar said in the video included in this post, "Never give up, because that big breakthrough can come when you least expect it. Watson was 20 years old when this big breakthrough came for him. And at that point we just assumed we probably were where we were going to be."

On November 11, 2011, Watson Dollar miraculously communicated his first words in two decades through his iPad in a conversation with his mother. The words he typed was part of a discussion about not using his mother's glass because she was sick. He then typed the words, "I love you, Mom. Very much (Source)."

Emily Le Coz of The (Jackson, Mississippi) Clarion Ledger wrote a news story on Watson Dollar's communication. In the video below Emily Le Coz explains that now that Watson can communicate he has goals to develop friends, erase false stereotypes about autism, and to find a job.

 
When the news broke recently of Watson Dollar's breakthrough, it served as a bright light to the autism community. Watson Dollar is a living example that has given many parents of older children precious hope that they can hold on to.

Special thanks to Watson Dollar for being an Autism Light. We look forward to hearing more from Watson as his communication serves as an inspiration and window into the world of one who has autism.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Rebecca Mullican

Autism Light #280 is Dr. Rebecca Mullican.



Dr. Rebecca Mullican

Dr. Rebecca Mullican is a professor in Special Education, and a professional presenter and researcher on the subject of autism.  Dr. Mullican resides in the greater Jackson, Mississippi area with her husband Bryce. In 2012 she founded the Jackson Autism Center in Jackson, Mississippi. Dr. Rebecca Mullican is an Autism Light because of the impact her diverse autism work is having to improve the lives of those with autism and to inspire and teach those who will one day work with those with autism.

Education: Dr. Rebecca Mullican earned her PhD. in Special Education from the University of Southern Mississippi. She wrote her dissertation on the subject of "Family Experiences and Children with Autism who use Speech Generating Devices."

Philosophy: Dr. Rebecca Mullican's approach to the education of those with autism is that "there is no one treatment or therapy method that works for all individuals on the autism spectrum. As a professional in the field of autism, it is important to be exposed to many therapies and treatments so that you can make an informed decision regarding each child or individual you work with. What works for one may not work for another (Source: Email from Rebecca Mulllican to Autism Light on 5/30/2013)."

Professor: Since the Fall of 2012, Rebecca Mullican has served as a Visiting Professor in Special Education at The University of Southern Mississippi.

Jackson Autism Center: Dr. Rebecca Mullican founded the Jackson Autism Center in 2012. It was a transition that brought her full circle from teaching to operating an intervention center. The Jackson Autism Center says, "Dr. Rebecca Mullican has a passion for providing intervention services to children with disabilities. Rebecca left the classroom and founded Jackson Autism Center to make a greater impact for kids with disabilities, families, and the community. She believes that each child needs a program built around how he or she learns; there is not a one-size-fits-all (Source)."

The following news story features Dr. Rebecca Mullican sharing about her work at the Jackson Autism Center on Autism Awareness Month.



For more information on the Jackson Autism Center visit their website at www.jacksonautismcenter.com.

Diverse Methods:  Dr. Rebecca Mullican has been trained in diverse approaches to autism treatment. "Her trainings range from ABA and verbal behavior to SCERTS, social stories, augmentative and alternative communication, and LAMP. She also has years of experience with behavior challenges and positive behavior support (Source)."

Conference Speaker: Dr. Rebecca Mullican has been a presenter at several autism or disability related national conferences. The conferences she has spoken at includes the ATIA (Assistive Technology Industry Association), TASH, and Autism Society of America.  

Publications: An article by Dr. Rebecca Mullican called "Building Communication Skills Through Speech Generating Devices" appeared on pages 6-7 of the June/July, 2013 issue of The Autism Notebook - South Florida.

Hobbies: Dr. Rebecca Mullican enjoys movies, traveling, photography, scrapbooking, and spending time with family when she has time. She also has a dog named Samson and a cat named Toby (Source).

Social Media: You can follow the work of Dr. Rebecca Mullican at the Jackson Autism Center on the following social media areas.

• Facebook - Jackson Autism Center
• Twitter @JacksonAutism

Special thanks to Dr. Rebecca Mullican for making a difference for autism in both her national influence as well as her day to day work at the Jackson Autism Center in Mississippi. The autism community in Mississippi is fortunate that Dr. Rebecca Mullican is shining her light for autism. You may find out more about Dr. Rebecca Mullican by reading her online resume. This post will be linked today on the Mississippi Lights post at Autism Light. You can find out more in that post on all the Autism Lights from the state of Mississippi.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

The photo in this post was used with permission of Dr. Rebecca Mullican.



Hernando High School Interact Club

Autism Light #268 is Hernando High School Interact Club. 

Hernando High School is located in Hernando, Mississippi in DeSota County, Mississippi. The high school's Interact Club has provided leadership for an annual community observance of the "Light It Up Blue" Campaign, beginning in April, 2012, in observance of World Autism Awareness Day. Hernando High School's Interact Club is an Autism Light for leading their community in the Autism Speaks Light It Up Blue Campaign for Autism Awareness Day in April.
For two years Hernando High School's Interact Club has been able to get the high school and many community businesses to light their buildings up blue. Holly Neel and Angela Gregg are two of the clubs teacher/sponsors.
2012 "Light It Up Blue": Here is a video of Hernando High School's Interact Clubs first "Light It Up Blue" project in 2012 that was produced by Kerry Magro for Kerry's Corner. Kerry Magro was Autism Light #119. The "Light It Up Blue" Campaign was a highlight of the Interact Club's goal to serve their community and earned them the "Business of the Month" award in May, 2012. The school's website explains the importance of the "Light It Up Blue" campaign to the Interact Club organization in this way. 

Hernando High School Interact Club, which is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Hernando, is made up of approximately 110 members and 4 sponsors. In April of 2012, the HHS Interact Club hosted the first "Light It Up Blue" event at Hernando's historic Square. This event brought over 500 people to the square in hopes of spreading autism awareness (Source). 

2013 "Light It Up Blue": Hernando High School's Interact Club held their 2nd Annual "Light It Up Blue" campaign in 2013. Here is a video of their special efforts in 2013.

Thanks to the efforts of the Interact Club, there is now a special "Light It Up Blue" page as part of the Clubs and Organizations at Hernando High School Website and "Light It Up Blue" has become an annual event for the high school and community. Special thanks to the Hernando High School Interact Club. It is hoped that the example they have set will influence those that follow them at Hernando High School and other schools around the world to lead autism awareness in their communities. 
Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Mississippi Lights

The State of Mississippi is the home currently to 5 Autism Lights. They include two professionals, two who have autism, including the first person ever diagnosed with autism, and a high school club.

Misissippi Autism Lights

Professionals:

1. Dr. Rebecca Mullican is the founder of the Jackson Autism Center and lives in the Jackson, Mississippi area.
2. Dr. Mark Yeager is known as the "Father of the Mississippi Autism Movement". He lives and practices in Smith County, Mississippi.

Individuals with Autism:

1. Watson Dollar learned to communicate through an iPad after decades of silence. He is from the Jackson, Mississippi area. 
2. Donald Triplett is the first person to be diagnosed with autism. He turns 80 this year and lives in Forest, Mississippi.

Other:

1. Hernando High School Interact Club has led two annual community observances for the "Light It Up Blue" Campaign for Autism Awareness. They are located in the city of Hernando in DeSota County, Mississippi. 

You may reach all these posts by searching the blog through the "Mississippi" Label.

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The map of Mississippi is from the Wikipedia Commons.

Donald Triplett

Autism Light #267 is Donald Triplett.

Donald Gray Triplett is from Forest, Mississippi and has autism.  Donald was born in September, 1933 and will turn 80 this year. Donald Triplett was the first person ever diagnosed with autism. Donald Triplett is an Autism Light for making history with the first autism diagnosis and for having a long and happy life that reveals much about the lifespan of someone with autism. There is an entry in the Encyclopedia Britannica on Donald Gray Triplett in recognition of him being the first person diagnosed with autism.

Donald Triplett was referred to as "Case 1....Donald T" in a 1943 medical article and starting with that piece of information John Donvan and Caren Zucker were amazingly able to track Donald down in Forest, Mississippi. Here is a video that John Donvan and Caren Zucker called "Finding Donald" about their research of locating Donald for an article they penned for the Atlantic in October, 2010 (Source).


Dr. Leo Kanner: At the persistance of his parents, Oliver and Mary Triplett, Donald Triplett was evaluated by Dr. Leo Kanner at John Hopkins University in 1938. Kanner was known as the nation's top psychiatrist of his day. There was no label for Donald's condition at the time, but Dr. Leo Kanner began to see the same traits in a handful of other children and it was eventually confirmed as autism. One telling observation Dr. Kanner made about Donald Triplett's education is this: "He attended a country school, where his peculiarities were accepted and where he made good scholastic progress (Source)."
Donald Triplett spent a year away in an institution as a child, attended Millsaps College, and has visited 36 foreign countries and 28 states in the United States, but he always returns to his home in Forest, Mississippi. Today Donald Triplett lives alone in Forest, Mississippi in the house where his parents raised him. John Donvan and Caren Zucker write this about Donald Triplett's struggle with communication.

FOR ALL THE PROGRESS that Donald has made in the decades since—the driving, the golfing—conversation is an art that continues to elude him. He initiates on occasion, but his purpose is generally to elicit a piece of information he needs (“What time is lunch?”) or to make a passing observation (his comment about the sticker on our car). A regular chat, the casual back-and-forth of kicking around an idea, is something he has never experienced. (Source).

Hobbies: Donald Triplett's hobbies include golf, traveling, assigning numbers to people he meets, and watching television shows such as "Bonanza". 
Donald Triplett's life has been remarkably blessed because of both the resources his parents had to prepare their unique child for life and the compassion the entire Forest, Mississippi community has had in taking Donald under their wings over the years. Donald eats every Sunday with his younger brother Oliver. Now that his parents are both gone, Donald relies on the support and protection of his community even more. To this day Donald's living expenses are provided for through an irrevocable trust fund that his family established for him. 
Special thanks to Donald Triplett for being an Autism Light. Donald and all those, who have been part of his support network over the almost 80 years of his life, demonstrate to us that an individual can have a life full with autism. For more information on Donald Triplett read the full article that appeared in The Atlantic in October, 2010. If there was ever any evidence needed that individuals with autism can live a normal life span, one needs only to look at Donald Triplett. His story is a reminder that plans need to be made in society for the care of both adults and senior adults with autism.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Mark Yeager

Autism Light #153 is Dr. Mark Yeager.

Dr. Mark H. Yeager is from Smith County, Mississippi. He is often referred to as the "Father of the Mississippi Autism Movement." Viewed as the top authority on autism in the State of Mississippi, Mark Yeager has provided services to people with autism since 1975. "His experiences range from being a classroom teacher to program developer creating new and innovative based programs (Source)." Dr. Mark Yeager is an Autism Light for the dedication he has had for over 35 years to improving the quality of life for people with autism in Mississippi. The effectiveness of his work is an example to the autism field across the United States and world.

The following is a video of Dr. Mark Yeager speaking on "The Hidden Part of Autism" on May 5, 2010 at The Institute for Disability Studies at the University of Southern Mississippi.

Autism Light asked Dr. Mark Yeager how he felt we could best help improve the quality of life for those with autism. He shared the following:

I think that one of the most misinterpreted issues within the ASD community is that people with ASD prefer not to do many things.  This often leads to them being left out of so many opportunities.  My years of experience has taught me that it is not the lack of interest or desire but the lack of opportunity that keeps autistic people away from so much.  It is our collective responsibility to provide as many opportunities as possible for our autistic friends and family members so that they can enjoy participating in life with everyone else --Dr. Mark Yeager. 

Adjunct Professor: Dr. Mark Yeager is a 1998 graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi, where he earned his Ph.D. in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Dr. Mark Yeager serves as an adjunct professor at both the University of Southern Mississippi and William Carey University.  Dr. Mark Yeager created and taught the first classes in the state of Mississippi exclusively dedicated to autism (Source). He has also delivered autism lectures to the Minister of Education in India.

Autism Bill of Rights: One of the ways in which Dr. Mark Yeager's autism work has been felt outside of Mississippi is related to the Autism Bill of Rights.  He created the Autism Bill of Rights and the document can be viewed at this link.

Autism Camps: Mark Yeager also serves as the Camp Director for Autism Camps in Mississippi known as TEAAM'S Adventure Based Programs. The programs allow people with autism inclusive opportunities to experience a camp program.  In this past year 190 campers and 140 volunteers were involved in the Kamp Kaleidoscope and Camp Walapei at their Center Ridge Outpost.  The Center Ridge Outpost is about 6 miles south of Raleigh, Mississippi.  The website for more information on these Autism Camps is at www.autismcamps.org.

Yeager Group: Dr. Mark H. Yeager is co-founder of the Yeager Group. The Yeager Group provides "assessments, quality training, assistance in the classroom, teacher and family support, IEP recommendations, behavior programs, student counseling and more (Source)." If you are interested in their services contact them at The Yeager Group, PO Box 37, Mize, MS 39116 or through other channels listed on their website.

Social Media: You can follow Dr. Mark Yeager at the following social media areas.

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Google+

For more information on Dr. Mark Yeager vist his biography at this Website.  Special thanks to Dr. Mark Yeager for shining your light for over 35 years to improve the life of people with autism in Mississippi.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Photo: The photo in this post is used with permission of Dr. Mark Yeager.