Paul Kotler

Paul Kotler is a self-advocate who types to communicate.  He received training in self-advocacy at the Autistic Self Advocacy Network in 2012, then run by Ari Nie’man.  This experience was a turning point for him.  Paul is a student at Widener University where he is working toward a degree in Psychology.  He has served as a panelist and guest speaker at various events throughout the country, including The American Occupational Therapy Association’s Annual Conferences, the UJA-Federation of New York Hilibrand Autism Symposium, and as a guest lecturer for courses at NYU’s Occupational Therapy Department.  His perspective has also been shared in various publications including Wired.com, OT Practice and in his blog, The Diverse Appearance of Autism.

Paul had his breakthrough in communication at age 14 with Soma Mukohopadhyay’s Rapid Prompting Method, which led to independent typing.  He is an advocate for all those without a voice, working to help neurotypicals understand that being nonspeaking does not mean low cognitive ability, nor do sensory and movement differences.   It is Paul’s feeling that being socially connected and fully engaged in community are just as important for individuals who type to communicate, as for everyone else.