Social Networking on the internet may be the answer to the Asper's desire to interact with others. On social networking sites people can get to know others without the stress of having to interpret nonverbal communication. There is still the obstable of “reading between the lines” and interpreting aphorisms, but since there often is a delay in responses, the asper has time to figure out what things might mean.

There are any number of venues for social networking; myspace and facebook are common examples, but people also build communities on sites like LiveJournal and Blogger. In addition, people form connections on sites like HubPages and Squidoo, social networking sites have additional tools to help form these connections.

I am carrying out an experiment to see if some of these sites can help me make connections and earn money. I have not the intensity and motivation of an entrepreneur, but like most aspers I may develop an obsession with it, and if I do, then likely I will accomplish my goals. However now, without such motivation, I am limited to doing work on the sites that interest me and watching the results. I like the idea of writing articles, and I like the idea of doing less formal articles like the ones I have done here. However I also have a history of doing extensive research in databases and online, and I have joined two sites where I will write those more formal items. I have also joined what I call a professional exposure site. These sites are Knol, WordPress and LinkedIn. On those sites I will build my resume as an instructor of topics in psychology, and hopefully use them to obtain online teaching positions. With my love of teaching and my fluency with computers and online venues, I should do well.

On the forums, I interact with people on topics related to Aspergers, but also interact with some people informally about things like the price of gas, what they are watching or doing, etc. I don't have any way of meeting some of these people, and I think we count on that in what we say to each other. From this type of interaction I made a few friends and some enemies. There are many communities, from the metropolitan Wrong Planet to the adult content Intensity Squared. The one I run focuses on building work opportunities for aspers and is called Neurolands. There are sites that are specifically for support such as On the Spectrum, and others with high intellectual standards such as the now inactive Fractalus.

I have found many other good resources online, both for information and to find other ways to interact with people. Here is a by no means comprehensive list of Asperger's community resources I found. I will review the sites I have not so far, and update it as I find more. Note that there are a few sites listed with a warning that they contain adult content. This can be anything from crude language to nudity.

Websites

The Asperger's Syndrome Institute

Autism Network International (ANI)

Creative Minds

The Global and Regional Asperger Syndrome Partnership (GRASP)

This is a content site with educational information and other resources: Neurolands Asperger's and Autism Portal

This site has many resources including mini-courses and other information:

Online Asperger Syndrome Information & Support (OASIS)

This site lists self-employed aspers and has services for aspers and those who support them: Autties.org

Directories

An attempt at a comprehensive list of AS resources rdos.net

These are for people with Asperger's. Visit the sites to find out if they include parents and significant others in their welcome.

Forums

Asperger/Autistic Forums at Colour-se7en Aspergers Girl aspergersforum

Aspergia(currently inactive)

AspieChaos

Aspieland.com

Aspies for Freedom

Autinet mailing list

(This one is more of a discussion list)

The Autism Channel

AutismForum

This one has excellent links to other aspects of autism such as the connection with celiac disease: BrainTalk Communities: Asperger's Syndrome

The Christian Aspie Forum

Warning! Adult content: Damned Village

Warning! Adult content: The Drivel

Fractalus (gone :( )

Gestalt: An Autism and Psychology Discussion Forum

Warning! Adult content and erotica: Intensity Squared

Neural Deviant

This site lists international resources, articles, artwork, forum links and information about Aspergers. It also has its own forum:The Neurolands

On the Spectrum

Stim City

Spectrumites

Warning! Adult content: Wrong Planet

zOMG Aspies! Forum

Blogs

Ask An Aspie neurodiversity.com

includes a mailing list: Independent Living on the Autistic Spectrum (inlv) mailing list

A rant about people who don't have Aspergers and how they don't understand and treat aspers: Institute for the Study of the Neurologically Typical

All pictures of autistic adults: Autistic Adults Picture Project

The first online guide for people with AS by the late Marc Segar, continued as a wiki (link on the page) A Survival Guide for People with Asperger's Syndrome

A collaboration of groups working on Autism. It looks like they will fund research: Center for the Study of Autism

Yahoo Groups: Spiritual Aspie

This is a Yahoo homepage that is fun to look at and visit: oddizms

Sales Referral Sites – these redirect you to ads for things like e-books Asperger's Syndrome World Community (ASWC) Patty's Home Page

Publishers

Jessica Kingsley Publishers ASD books and resources