Share My World
by Michelle Tetreault, In-Sight alum and volunteer September 2005

The idea and concept for our project, ‘Share My World’, derived from my curiosity about autism. I have known a bright young autistic boy named Johnny, now 13, for many years and I have always wondered how he perceived the world. I knew that photography would allow him to communicate in a non-verbal way.

This is why Bridget Tweedy and I headed out to San Diego, California so we could test out this pilot project with Johnny and many other special needs children in the Jamul School District. By giving them simple digital cameras, which are easy to handle, they would get immediate results from the pictures they took and then put them into scrapbooks to share with their families. Our main objective was for the kids to have fun; we wanted them to feel free to photograph anything they wanted without limits on their own creativity. While the plans were a bit shaky at first - trying to find digital cameras, enlisting helpers for the project, and getting the idea approved by the schools - the program was a huge success. The students loved taking photographs and making their books, while the teachers were astounded by some of the students’ abilities. One fifth grade girl with Down’s syndrome, who functions intellectually at the level of a three year old, made amazing pictures that changed the way her personal aide perceived her. This young girl was able to communicate at a level that nobody expected! Another boy with Autism liked to take pictures holding the camera upside down. The kids blew us all away with their enthusiasm and skill.

Photos by “Share My World” participant

We would like to expand the ‘Share My World’ project to include other schools in different parts of the country. Perhaps by working with organizations that provide support for children with special needs we can get the necessary funds to buy digital cameras and other materials, so as not to put a strain on the schools’ limited resources.