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As a boy in the 1960s, Wolf Dunaway was told he wouldn't amount to anything. Born with autism and 13 other disabilities, including cerebral palsy and brain damage, doctors advised his parents to put him in a mental hospital, but they refused.

Now 49, Dunaway, of Pikesville, works as an IT specialist for the Social Security Administration in Washington, D.C. He was on hand Friday to speak at Skyline Elementary School's end-of-year celebration for the Suitland school's autism program for students in kindergarten through third grade.

Students in the autistic program were presented with an award highlighting their unique achievements, such as excellent participation, math skills or etiquette and sang "The World's Greatest" by R. Kelly.

Dunaway, both articulate and funny, talked to parents and teachers about his struggles dealing with autism as a child and as an adult.

"I used to bang my head against the wall and throw tantrums [too]," Dunaway said, explaining that outbursts likes these usually come from moments of fear or confusion.

Dunaway said it is important for the autistic to teach those around them how to deal with their actions, retelling a story of how he dealt with a difficult coworker who had a tendency to touch him. Many people with autism do not like to be touched, he said, adding that he tries to tell new people he meets not to touch him.

Principal Mark Dennison said it was important for parents and staff to see all that Dunaway has accomplished.

Dunaway "inspired us and showed us that anything is possible," Dennison said. "Our autism students can be just like [him]."

At Skyline, the autism program is inclusive, and students attend general education classes with other students. Currently the autism program only includes students in kindergarten through third grade, but programs in Prince George's County will be extended to fourth grades next year.

"We expect everything from our kids that everyone else would expect from their kids," said lead autism teacher Solina Johnfinn. "You need to treat them as you would treat everyone else."

Fifth-grader Brian Jones said his brother, Dylan, who is in third grade and in the autism program, has made some great improvements this year.

"He really loves the computer and he is better at it than me," Brian said.

Third-grade autism teacher Ch'cara Upchurch said she has seen her students' skills in making inferences improve tremendously since the beginning of the year.

Children with autism lack the ability to infer things, or read between the lines, Dunaway said, adding that it is a skill that can be learned, but it is not innate.

"As a child, if my mother told me to take the clothes upstairs, I would put them at the top of the steps," he said. "I wouldn't put them in the bedroom. I would leave them at the top of the steps."

E-mail Megan McKeever at mmckeever@gazette.net.