I have to tell my whole college about Autism. Please help!

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My principle asked me to give a presentation about it to the whole college. At the time I was obsessed with Neurodiversity. (Okay, I still am) and I wanted to educate people on what Asperger's really is. (I'm not a stereotypical aspie, at all!) I had also believed my whole life that anyone who found out would treat me differently, and I had come to a point where I wanted to prove myself wrong.

I've started a presentation that uses images of brain scans to show that there's a real physical difference. I hope this will make it seem less like a mysterious mental illness. I then have pages of text with one image explaining 'symptoms' (for lack of a better word, please, somebody find a better word!). But after reading a bit about this, I wonder if I should start off by explaining myself and my own differences, and then putting the label on it and explaining that it comes from a difference in my brain. Anyone have ideas or have suggestions to help me?

I think the best way to approach this talk is to start with yourself, if you are comfortable with doing so. Explain how you are different and how you are similar to other people. You could then branch into the topic of Asperger's/Autism Spectrum and go into detail about what it really is. Hit home the idea that we are not all alike even though we have similar issues to deal with sometimes.

Another approach is to start with things that people assume about Asperger's/Autism Spectrum that are wrong. You could explain using examples how they are wrong in those assumptions. Then lead into the defining of what causes it.

Something that may be of use to you at this stage is to look at TED and TEDx talks on youtube about this subject. Some of those talks are quite well done.

Thank you QuantimChemist.
I will definitely start with myself now, especially because there are many second language English speakers at my college who have never heard about autism.

Glad that I could be of some assistance to you. Good luck at the talk.

Well done you! Little surprised the headmaster asked you to do it infront of the entire school! sounds like he might be the first person that needs a little more understanding of the said brain type!hehe... But aside from that, yes, maybe just speak about yourself and how you feel and see things, how it can effect you, the situations that everyday people take for granted which for you can be an enormous challenge mentally and physically..and what people see on the outside is not necessarily the reflection of the inner. This is a perfect moment to advocate the spectrum, as mention removing the stereotypes, ie lack of empathy etc and back this up with clippets from recent university research showing these public believed theories have been wrong all along..and if people see children screaming in a shop or a mall that just maybe they are not trying to be awkward but extremely overwhelmed by their surroundings, and maybe mention some things positive about anything that you can seem to do better than others, but its about a partnership, a mutual understanding.. This information will stay with them into adulthood where they can then give their own children the right information if ever it came up in discussion...Changing the mind frames of almost entire populations is a slow progress, but these wrongful ideologies are past down to the next. So you are an awesome advocate to help get the train rolling I dont want to say too much as this is a very personal thing seen from your eyes and therefore should be what comes from your own heart! Best of luck

Good luck with the talk (if it hasn't happened already!)

Update; I gave the presentation and it went REALLY well. I'll upload the presentation once I've double checked it to make sure I credit all the images. Everyone respected it and nobody treated me differently.