Hi Janna, It's understandable you having these doubts but many of us who have FC'd our tails off in bygone times have no doubt that what Ben says here is on the mark.  Autism (LFA) is a distinct condition and that's why so many were able to conclude that all autisitics were retarded at one time.  If the evidence changes, as it has for those who FC'd extensively, it follows one can reasonably assume on the basis of autism being a distinct condition that all autisitics are in fact very bright. I also had an autistic client who refused to type.  By that time I had FC'd with enough of them to know he was refusing not based on low intelligence, but simply because he didn't want to communicate for whatever reasons.  He lived with the auties I was FCing with and they confirmed he was VERY bright through FC. Tom --- On Sun, 11/9/08, Janna Hoskin <janna@...> wrote: From: Janna Hoskin <janna@...> Subject: Re: [Autismlist] expectations for persons with "low-functioning autism?" To: autismlist@yahoogroups.com Date: Sunday, November 9, 2008, 10:21 PM I currently work with a girl who has autism and mental retardation, as well as some seizure activity. While I do not doubt that she is smart, she does not have "superior intelligence," and she does not read or show any interest in using the computer. I do think that FC should be attempted in many cases, but such a blanket statement is ridiculous. -Janna, who also worked with a boy who was a HFA and had mental retardation On Sun, Nov 9, 2008 at 10:54 PM, Arthur Golden <golden@shani. net> wrote: You are invited to go to: http://health. groups.yahoo. com/group/ autismfc/ message/1733 and read through message #1737 (including a message each from Char Brandl and Tom Smith) and join in a public open discussion about the question I posed of: expectations for persons with "low-functioning autism?" Please note that my 36 year-old son Ben, nonverbal with "low functioning autism" facilitated his answer of: "All LFAs without exception have superior intelligence and it will be agreat tragedy if they are not allowed to show it through full support FC." Arthur Golden of Jerusalem Israel ------------ --------- --------- ------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to:    http://groups. yahoo.com/ group/autismlist / <*> Your email settings:    Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to:    http://groups. yahoo.com/ group/autismlist /join    (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email:    mailto:autismlist-digest@ yahoogroups. com    mailto:autismlist-fullfeat ured@yahoogroups .com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:    autismlist-unsubscr ibe@yahoogroups. com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:    http://docs. yahoo.com/ info/terms/