Information Sheet

Working with a Person with Aspergers

Syndrome
CompiledbyAutismVictoria,2007,ReviewedandupdatedApril2011
PeoplewithAspergersSyndromecanbe
excellentemployeesastheyareoften
reliable,punctual,haveaprofessional
attitudetowork,ahighlevelofattentionto
detailandaregoodwithroutineand
repetition.
However,inordertoreapthebenefitsthat
anemployeewithAspergersSyndromecan
offer,itisimportanttoputinplacesome
strategiestoensuresuccess.
withsupportandunderstanding,make
reliableandproductiveemployees.
Intheworkplace,thepersonwithAsperger
Syndromemayhavedifficulty:
interpretinginstructions
innoisysituations
inunstructuredsituations
startingwork
organisingtasks

PeoplewithAspergersSyndromeoftenhave
difficultychangingfromtasktotask,multi
tasking,difficultywithlearningnewtasks
andtransferringskillsfromonesituationto
another.Thingsweassumeapersonlearns
fromexposureandexperiencehavetobe
specificallytaughttothepersonwith
AspergersSyndromeandconstantly
reinforcedtoreducethestress,confusion
andfrustrationwhichmayleadto Strategies
behaviouraldifficulties,orwithdrawaland
1. Keepinstructionsbriefandprecise
depression.
usesimple,concretelanguage
Understandingthedifficultiesofan writteninstructionsarepreferable
employeewithAspergersSyndromeis confirmthatthepersonhas
important,asisprovidingroutine,structure understood
andpredictability. usepeers/workmatestoprovider
cues
NoteveryonewithAspergersSyndromewill 2. Givethepersontimetoprocessthe
excelineveryjobbutwheretheydofinda instruction
nichetheyaregenerallywellregardedand

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besureyouhavehis/herattention
andthatyouallowthemenough
timetoabsorbeachinstruction
3. Ifpractical,makeuseofvisualcuesand
procedures
awrittenscheduleortasksheetis
preferabletoverbalinstructions
4. Breakworkintosmallersteps
checkprogressregularly
bepreparedtonegotiatewiththe
worker
OrganisationalSkills(Planning)
PeoplewithAspergersSyndromehave
difficultywith:
organisingthemselvesandtheir
belongings
listeningtomultipleinstructions
copingwithchangesroom,times,
workmates
distractionsbeingeasilysidetracked
interpretingabstractinstructions
sequentialinstructions
focussingontheimportantpartof
instruction
planninghowtotackleatask
fineandgrossmotorskills
Strategies
usevisualcuesandinstructions
colourcodetheinstructions
useconcretelanguage
Autism Victoria trading as Amaze T: 1300 308 699 W: www.amaze.org.au
allowtheworkertomarkoffeachtask
asitisfinished
pointtothestartingplace
showanexampleofwhatyouare
requiring
dailybriefingrechanges,targetsetc
formalpeersupportsystem
verbalreassurance
Communication
Theexpressive(spoken)andreceptive
(listening)languageskillsofthepersonwith
AspergersSyndromehaveparticular
characteristics:they
mayhaveaforeignoroddintonation
mayshowconcreteinterpretation
mayshowoneword/onemeaninguseof
words
mayshowunusuallinkageofthoughts
beconfinedtonarrowtopicsof
conversation
mayfeaturelearnedphrasesin
particularsituations
maybeoutofsynchsothattheir
receptiveskillsarenotnecessarilyinline
withtheirexpressiveskills
oftenshowsmisinterpretationofwhat
wassaid
oftenhearonlythebeginningorendof
aninstructionorcomment
arenotabletointerpretthereal
meaningofcolloquialisms,metaphors,
similes,sarcasmorwit
mayhavefeelingsofinadequacyand
isolationfrompeersbecausethey
cannotunderstandwhatishappening
2

Strategies
usevisualcueswherepossible
explainifyouarejokingorteasing
reassurethatitisOKtobewrongandbe
supportive
keepyourlanguagesimpleanddirect
talkthroughsituations...whatcouldyou
say?
Refrainfromusingsarcasm
SocialSkills
PeoplewithAspergersSyndromeareoften
sociallyblind.Thebigproblemisthatthey
donotknowhowtobehaveeventhough
theymayknowtheyaredifferentanddo
wanttointeract.They:
dontunderstandrulesofsocial
behaviour
maytalkaboutinappropriatesubjects
lackempathy...dontunderstandtheir
ownfeelingsletalonethoseofothers
canbeveryoutspokenandtactless
maydevelopafixationoncertain
individuals
haveastrongsenseofjustice,butsee
thingsinblackandwhiteterms
havedifficultymakingfriends
lacktheideaofpersonalspace
misinterpretthebehavioursofpeers
maydislikebeingtouched
canappearnaiveandarevulnerable
dontinterpretbodylanguageorfacial
expressions
havepoorconversationskills
Strategies
debriefsituationsbydiscussingwhat
he/shecouldhavedone
encourageselfcontrolbyprovidinga
timeoutperiodandlocationtoenable
themtodestressandrelaxwithoutany
Autism Victoria trading as Amaze T: 1300 308 699 W: www.amaze.org.au
socialexpectationsordemandsplaced
onthem.
usewrittenreminderstosupport
proposedactions
beveryawareofhowvulnerablethe
personmaybetopeerpressureand
beingsetup
Conclusion
IndividualswithAspergersSyndromeneed
consistency
predictability
acalmandcontrolledsupervisor
anorganisedworkplace
UsefulReferenceBooksinthe
AutismVictoriaLibrary:
ATTWOOD,T.,TheCompleteGuideto
AspergersSyndrome,JessicaKingsley
Publishers,2006.Thisbookisessential
readingforthoselivingorworkingwitha
childoradultwithAspergerSyndrome.Itis
writteninaclearandconcisemanner,with
plentyofexamples,practicalsuggestions
andresourcelists.
FAST,Y.,EmploymentforIndividualswith
AspergerSyndromeorNonverbalLearning
Disability,JessicaKingsleyPublishers,2004.
Thisbookisahandyguidetogaining
employment.Itincludesactualcase
exampleswrittenbyadultswithAsperger
Syndrome.Thisbookwouldbeusefulfor
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adultswithAS,employers,career
counsellorsandemploymentagencies.

HAWKINS,G.,HowtoFindWorkThatWorks
forPeoplewithAspergerSyndrome,Jessica
KingleyPublishers,2004.GailHawkinsisa
vocationalconsultant,havingspecialisedin
AutismSpectrumDisorderforthepast15
years.Thisbookisaimedatpeoplewith
AspergerSyndromewhoneedinformation
onhowtofindandmaintainemployment.
Thebookcoverstopicssuchaschoosing
appropriatecareers,buildingaresume,
educatingemployersandhowtodisclose
necessaryinformationtotheemployer.

MEYER,R.,AspergerSyndromeEmployment
Workbook,JessicaKingsleyPublishers,2001.
Thisworkbookhaspracticalactivitiesfor
individualswithAspergerSyndrometo
exploretheirtalents,strengthsand
difficultiesinpastworkexperiencesinorder
toidentifythebestsuitedjobsandwork
environment.

____________________________________
2011AutismVictoriatradingasAmaze.
Permissionisgrantedforthecontentofthis
informationsheettobereproducedinits
entirety,providedAutismVictoriais
acknowledgedasthesourceandthewebsite
addressisgiven.

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