Should we be “treating” autism or is there a different way to think about the issue?

As discussed on the slides, much of treatment for individuals on the autism spectrum is targeted towards a reduction in the behaviors typically associated with autism (such a stimming or stereotypies) or towards increasing the number of behaviors you would expect to observe in a neurotypical individual (such as increasing the use of productive language). However, amongst members of the autism community this can be quite controversial. Many individuals with autism argue that they don’t need this type of treatment at all–that their autism is one facet of what makes them unique individuals, just like anyone has their own habits and quirks. What are your thoughts on this debate? Should we be “treating” autism or is there a different way to think about the issue? And if environments, such as the classroom, were more inclusive, would such treatments even be necessary?