I have an autistic cousin who's constantly trying to normalize her life. After years of special ed classes she started taking regular classes at a Worcester public school and graduated (in the top 6% of her class no less). She's attending an area private college now as a business/accounting major and has a part-time job cashiering in a store near my apartment. She writes occasionally for autism-awareness newsletters to get people to understand.
That article was touching. It's always good to see people integrated positively into society rather than ostracized for something beyond their control.