- Known for using gestural signing at her lectures, a system of 'home signs' she developed because of a receptive language processing disorder.
- She and her husband Chris Samuel established the world's first international self employment service for people on the autistic spectrum.
- Grew up with 'dysfunctional language' and came to understand sentences around the age of nine. Unlike those who 'think in pictures', Donna describes herself as a kinesthetic thinker for whom movement, pattern, theme and feel give definition to her world. Whilst fluent in typed language and able to get by in spoken language, she still uses representational objects and gestural signing to keep up with receptive language.
- Wrote her first screenplay, Nobody Nowhere, in 2005. It was optioned by Hollywood producer, Beverly Nero. She went on to write numerous other screenplays, working on these with award-winning writer and script editor, Frederick Stahl and gained representation from Liz Hanley of Bicoastal Talent.
- Married Chris Samuel in 2000 in the Victorian spa town of Great Malvern, Worcestershire, UK.
- She was first tested for deafness at age 2, assessed as psychotic at age 2, labelled disturbed through childhood, again tested for deafness at age 9, then formally diagnosed with autism in her 20s. Her first screenplay, Nobody Nowhere (based on the book of the same name) covers the breakthrough realisation of her autism and how this contributed to dramatic changes in the understanding, teaching and treatment of people with autism worldwide.
- Melbourne, Australia. (September 2006)
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content