A short film was launched yesterday to celebrate that courage and document the stories of children with the condition.

The film was the result of the "courage is a telescope" series of workshops for kids with Aspergers run by Sutherland Shire Council.

Asperger syndrome is a developmental disorder related to autism. Sufferers have serious impairments in their social and communication skills, including poor nonverbal communication.

Many have good cognitive and verbal skills, and typically have normal to superior intelligence.

This year's program involved four workshops exploring the various challenges that kids with Asperger syndrome face.

The "courage is a telescope" program is part of the council's two-year-old Access: Arts program which focused on depression in 2006.