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and to say his sentences in “sing-song” fashion. He
speaks slowly, dragging out his sentences. Sometimes
in public places such as restaurants, he talks too
loudly. When reminded of these actions he does
correct them. The instructor reinforced our efforts to
help him. She also helped him to discover that he
enjoyed singing.
As his employment takes only a half of his day,
unless he is working on a special project, he is left
with the afternoons and evenings. He really needs
to have something to do all the time. Two afternoons
a week he employs a personal trainer at the YMCA.
He will tell you that his parents want him to build
up his upper body muscles to enable him to stand up
straight for all his six feet six inches in height.
Keaton presently attends a group for autistic adults;
it is held on the campus of Virginia Tech University.
He has the opportunity to interact with other people
who have Asperger’s Syndrome. This workshop meets
monthly and is supervised by a Virginia Tech graduate
student. She shares materials containing suggestions
and ideas for employment; and she instructs them
on skills that could improve their conversation. The
group practices their newly acquired knowledge on
one another, and play board games that enrich their
understanding of the skills. This experience has
aided Keaton in his public speaking.
He volunteers to help fill backpacks for elementary
school children in Pulaski County. The program
called, Feed My Sheep, allows students selected by
the faculty at each school to secure food to take home
for the week-end. Keaton visits the residents at two