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Understanding Autism: A Personal Perspective on Learning Through Authentic Conversations
Why true autism understanding comes from real conversations, not short immersive autism-like simulations.
As an autistic person, I often see people trying to understand what my experience is like. Many programs attempt to help by using virtual reality (VR) or special activities that simulate how autistic people experience the world. These simulations are meant to teach non-autistic people about autism, but in my experience, they don’t truly show what it’s like to be autistic. A much better way to learn is by talking to autistic people, listening to our stories, and valuing our experiences.
The Limitations of Autism Simulations: Why They Fall Short
Simulations might give people a small glimpse of what some autistic individuals experience, but autism is more than just sensory overload. It affects how I think, learn, and communicate every day of my life. Happe and Frith (2006) explain this well:
“A short-term simulated experience can never show the lifetime of detailed thinking and sensory experiences that autistic people have.”
