When different minds are explored science is typically used to find methods of treatment which are based on preconceived hierarchical notions of what type of people should be preserved and promoted and what type shouldn't. Even if there is a clearly defined dysfunction of the brain that can be positively altered by scientific methods, there aren't many ways that anyone would know the best, safest, and the most efficient way to create such an alteration because the focus of the research is normalization and mind control of this population rather than their preservation or health.
Some have suggested that the dramatic increase in the diagnosis of learning disabilities, psychological maladjustment, and neurological disorders is the result of societal failure and a more toxic environment. Rather than look at whether or not this is true I believe it is more important to look at how different cultures have approached social reformation based on scientific research, what the goals were, and who the goals were designed to serve.
Faith based programs such as religion are certainly one way that is used to govern or reform a society. The practice of psychology as a whole (with all its inconsistencies and the variety of ways it's practiced) is basically faith based so it is a religion in that sense even though scientific research is used to promote it.
Within such religions, rules are established of right and wrong so that one type of behavior is praised while another is rebuked. Punishment (both physical and verbal) along with expulsion is a powerful motivator, but I don't think there is any more powerful motivator than shame. That feeling of shame goes a long way in keeping people in their place and out of the way.
Unfortunately, the goals of social reformation go much further than reducing crime and promoting ethics.The laws are used more in ways that shame is encouraged for societal misfits and unpopular subcultures. Having fewer acceptable expressions will help to promote the narrow set of products and services that have already proven to stimulate the economy. With fewer diverse expressions being recognized and accepted the companies that already have power will keep it as will the people who run them.
To treat learning disabilities schools claim to have special classrooms to help. The main focus of public schools however is to promote as many successful graduates as possible so the separation is really more geared toward providing the most likely to succeed with an opportunity to not be held back by being in the presence of these less capable students.
Deinstitutionalization for people with mental illness has provided little or no real changes in how this population is understood and treated, and therefore, it's not even a Band-Aid on the problem but more of a way to distract people from the more important issues.
Prescribing psychiatric medication is described as an art rather than a science because even if they could better understand the brain functions involved, the goal of mental health has always been to protect the public.
Science will likely not be useful for empowering people with learning impairments or psychological and neurological disorders as long as the promotion of certain products which are marketed with little or no regulations is what is mainly influencing the research.
The best scientists can do to help autistic people within such an environment is to refute bogus claims like "vaccinations cause autism" and "normalizing behavioral programs are needed to treat autism".
As long as the prejudices about autism have such a influence in what may be considered by some as "scientific research" or "scientific discovery" the human rights of autistic people will not be served by scientific thinking.
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