I’ve had the pleasure of watching my three daughters go off to college. There were a few ups and downs along the way but they each fairly easily found their footing and navigated the experience with no lasting scars.
Most young people face some challenges in navigating the transition from high school to college: choosing a college and major; leaving the comforts of home, beloved pets, and best friends; dealing with a difficult professor, a challenging roommate, lousy dining hall food.
For high school students on the autism spectrum, the challenges are compounded and the journey can seem to be filled with unexpected stumbling blocks. Once at college, students with autism find that the supports they became accustomed to at home and school are no longer readily available and we see them quickly become overwhelmed with navigating new experiences and a complex college system.
According to the 2018 National Autism Indicators Report: Transition into Young Adulthood study, fewer than 20% of college students with autism had graduated college or were on track to graduate after five years. Students who attend but don’t earn a degree can find themselves saddled with college debt and facing an uncertain future.
Parents and guardians of college-bound students on the autism spectrum, who are often highly engaged during the college planning process, the transition to higher education, and sometimes well into the college journey, are looking for ways to give their student the best chance for college success.
This blog is intended to help college-bound students on the autism spectrum, and those who support them, to anticipate the challenges and proactively prepare for the transition to higher education. Through this blog we will walk the journey together, discussing how to plan for expected setbacks, identify appropriate supports, and deliberately step back and allow the student to take the lead.
I look forward to sharing this adventure with you!
Two key laws that college-bound students (and their parents) should know about
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Students with disabilities who have utilized accommodations or modifications under an Individual Education Plan (IEP) or a Section 504 plan in high school will likely be looking to continue to receive accommodations and disability related supports in college. However, it’s important to remember that special education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) exists in K-12 education only. Once students cross the stage at high school graduation the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) takes over.
Not only is the law different, but students should know that some of the support and accommodations they’ve had in high school won’t necessarily be available in college. In fact, some rather typical special education modifications just don’t translate to the college setting. Here are a few high school accommodations that may look quite different on a college campus:
Copies of teacher’s notes: Most colleges utilize peer note takers and a note taking accommodation is meant to simply be a supplement to a student’s own class notes. In some instances, students may receive an accommodation for the ability to audio record class lectures, in place of a personal note taker. This usually works well for a student with focus challenges or someone who has difficulty simultaneously listening to the lecture and taking down notes. Some faculty will post copies of the PowerPoint slides for the class, however, this isn’t something disability services can require of faculty. *Check out this note taking technology solution: Smart Pen
Additional time for assignments: Some colleges may approve an accommodation that provides additional time for assignments based on a students’ documented disability. This can be helpful if there are certain types of assignments that give a student trouble (eg: writing assignments, long-term projects). In reality, assignment extensions often have a negative impact on students with disabilities since it can cause a backlog of assignments that must be completed before the semester ends. Students who need additional time to complete academic work may, instead, consider requesting an accommodation for a reduced course load.
Preferential seating: College classes rarely have assigned seating. Students who benefit from a specific seating arrangement (eg: seating close to the teacher for focus) may be encouraged to simply choose the seat that best meets their learning needs.
Extra credit:While some faculty may offer opportunities for extra credit, grading policies are the same for all students and there is no special considerations due to disability.
Modified grades: No, sorry.
1:1 classroom aide: This is a tricky one, particularly if classroom needs are not directly related to academic tasks (ie: transcription for someone with physical limitations) or accessibility (ie: note taking or interpreting). An accommodation might allow for a personal care attendant (PCA) for non-academic classroom tasks due to physical limitations. When a disability impacts behavior, students run the risk of not being considered “otherwise qualified” and colleges can point to behavioral problems as disqualifying a student from dormitory living, on-campus programming, or attendance altogether. Get more information about what it means to be considered “otherwise qualified” here.
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
Family Education Rights and Protection Act (FERPA) ensures that educational information, personally identifiable information, and directory information is protected. It gives college students the right to review their own records and to decide who has access. This means college representatives are prohibited from discussing information about the student’s academic record with parents. This applies even if the student is under 18.
There are a few instances where information can be shared without a student’s consent. First, if a student is considered a threat to themselves or to others, college personnel may share information with parents. Secondly, for a student under 21, violations related to drug or alcohol use may be disclosed to parents.
Please note that while FERPA allows campuses to release information to parents under these circumstances, it does not require it. School policies vary widely regarding parental notification.
Students may give written permission to release their records by signing a Consent for Release of Records. However, it’s important to remember that students may be required to complete a release form each time information is to be released and they must follow whatever process the university sets forth regarding releasing records. Additionally, college students can revoke FERPA consent at any time.
So what’s the best way to find out about your college student’s progress and experience? Families should engage in dialogue with their college student about their expectations and decide what the student’s communication responsibilities are, including how often you will talk together and what information will be shared. It is best to work together to create a communication plan, in advance, that both the student and parent can feel good about.
Rothstein, L. (2009). Disability law issues for high risk students: Addressing violence and disruption. Journal of College and University Law, 35(3), 691-720.
Expect the road to college success to be filled with setbacks
Students with autism are heading off to college in record numbers. In fact, based on statistics from the National Center for Special Education Research, more than 200,000 students on the autism spectrum will arrive on campuses over the next decade. Unfortunately, a majority of students with disabilities who start college, including those with ASD, won’t successfully graduate. While there is not one clear cause or one simple answer, it’s important to consider the role resiliency plays in success.
Fixed vs Growth Mindset
A Rice University study found clear evidence that college students are more likely graduate when they have a belief that their intelligence can improve over time, also known as having a Growth Mindset. When students lack a growth mindset, they see intelligence as a fixed trait and may be tempted to:
put in minimal effort when maximum effort is needed;
hide mistakes rather than address them;
avoid seeking help due to fear of being seen as not smart enough;
become overwhelmed when setbacks occur.
Hard Work Beats Talent
Encourage a growth mindset by praising efforts instead of intelligence or results
Carol Dweck
The Four R’s: Facing Adversity
Recognize
Admitting a failure can be difficult and students are sometimes tempted to hide their head in the sand when things start to fall apart. I’ve worked with students who avoid talking about the things that are not going well and by the time they feel ready to face a failure, it’s too late to turn things around. When things don’t go as expected, it’s important to recognize the setback and keep talking positively, even about making mistakes.
Successful students expect to face new challenges, arrive at college prepared to work hard and struggle some, and recognize that setbacks are a natural part of the learning process.
Reach Out
Colleges often have lots of resources to offer but students need to be willing to utilize them. Students who are facing academic challenges should be encouraged to visit their professors’ office hours and seek out tutoring supports for challenging courses. Not sure what resources are available or the process for utilizing them? Academic advisors and disability services staff will be familiar with all the resources the campus offers and can refer and direct students.
Successful students ask for feedback, aren’t too proud to seek out support for academic and personal challenges, and are prepared to take advantage of campus resources.
Reflect
Reflection provides us the time to think through our experiences and find ways to turn mistakes into lessons. Life is full of setbacks so students have plenty of opportunity to practice active reflection before they go off to college. Students need to be able to ask themselves: What went wrong?What could I do better next time?What can I learn from this?
Successful students accept responsibility for their mistakes, understand that personal growth is as important as academic learning, and see setbacks as an opportunity to grow and improve.
Rally
Students need to avoid getting down on themselves for their mistakes and instead spend their time and energy thinking about how to do better in the future. Students sometimes need supportive permission and encouragement to “press the restart button”. They can be encouraged to work with college support staff, perhaps a faculty member, academic advisor, or counselor, to make a plan that will help them avoid making the same mistake twice.
Successful students leave mistakes behind and don’t get stuck in the past, but instead plan for what they can do next to move ahead successfully.
The acceptance letter has arrived but is the student really ready?
SELF ADVOCACY is the ability to understand and communicate one’s needs to other individuals, understanding your strengths and weaknesses, developing personal goals, being assertive and making decisions. Self-advocacy is essential to college success. Below are three key self-advocacy skills that are critical to college readiness:
1. UnderstandING rights and responsibilities: High school students, who are accustomed to taking a back seat to the expertise of parents and teachers, should be prepared to be an expert about their own needs and take the front seat when they arrive at college. Students will be responsible for disclosing their disability to the student accessibility office, submitting a request for accommodation, and working with their faculty to make plans to utilize approved accommodations.
2. ArticulatINg IMPACT of disability: Although families are usually partners in the college search and are often involved in initial conversations with accessibility offices, college-ready students should be prepared to lead those conversations. Disability professionals will expect students to be able to talk about what accommodations they are currently using and what they think they will need in college. Students need to be able to articulate what they see as their academic strengths and challenges. It’s helpful if students are prepared to answer the question: “What is difficult for you and what helps?”
3. RecognizING and admitTING strugglES: Colleges often have lots of resources available to students; students have access to faculty, advisors, residence coordinators, academic supports and disability office staff. Some colleges even have specialized supports for students with autism. However, students must be prepared to identify when they are struggling, be willing to reach out for support, and be open to trying new strategies. Being willing to accept help and utilize available resources is a critical skill and can mean the difference between success and failure. Before committing to a college, it’s a good idea to investigate the supports available and perhaps visit key offices during a college visit to get familiar with staff and procedures for utilizing the office. It can be helpful for families to talk together about which resources the student is committed to using as well as have a plan for regular communication about progress in case additional resources need to be put in place once the college journey begins.
Self-Care is any activity that we do deliberately in order to take care of our mental, emotional, and physical health. Good self-care skills are critical to college success. Below are four key skills that college-bound students should master before heading off:
4. managING medications: Medication can be an important component of care for students with autism who have co-occurring ADHD or other mental health conditions. However, medication adherence tends to drop off when students enter college. This could be related to the stigma of visiting the college health center or local pharmacy for refills, or students may feel that reliance on medication stifles their ability to finally “handle things on their own”. Students with autism may have trouble establishing new routines around fluctuating class schedules, or fall victim to “out of sight, out of mind” when medications are locked in a personal dorm safe. College-ready students should understand not only what medications they are prescribed and why they are important, but also what consequences they might face if they discontinue use. Being fully aware of how a medication contributes to their wellness will help students prioritize taking medication as prescribed. You may consider trying one of the many medication tracking apps available.
5. KEEPING A HEALTHY sleep routine:Sleep issues are very common for those on the autism spectrum and lack of sleep (quality or quantity) can have an detrimental impact on a college student’s social and academic success. We’ve seen too many students, especially those who struggle with procrastination or excessive gaming, stay up until the wee hours of the morning only to fall asleep at 6AM and miss a project due date, an entire day of classes, or an important exam. Once sleep patterns are interrupted, it can take a student several weeks to reverse their routine, leaving them severely behind academically. Before students arrive at college, they should have a good understanding of what helps them keep their sleep on track and have some tried and true strategies and tools that help them reset their body clock when things go awry.
6. ESTABLISHING A reliable hygiene routine: On a college campus, one student’s poor hygiene can impact an entire community, especially considering that college students both live and work in fairly close quarters with their peers. Families should have frank discussions with college-bound students about non-negotiable hygiene practices as well as the impact they can have on personal health and social success. Students should begin taking responsibility for washing their own clothes and bedsheets early in their high school career so they feel confident taking care of these tasks when they arrive at college. Students may need assistance creating a visual schedule of both morning and evening hygiene routines and posting those where they can readily be seen and referred to. I’ve read good things about the Brili app to help with establishing and monitoring routines.
7. Handling stresS: Eating well, exercising and getting enough sleep can go a long way toward keeping stress under control. However, students on the autism spectrum can experience unique stressors related to navigating social relationships, sensory sensitivities, and dealing with executive functioning weaknesses. Chronic stress can seriously impact physical and mental health so it’s important that students can identify the signs and symptoms of stress and confront it before it becomes debilitating. Arranging meetings with faculty, academic advisors, or tutors can help students make a concrete plan to deal with academic challenges that may be causing stress. Most colleges have campus counseling services that can help students discuss stressors. However, most campus counseling centers are overwhelmed by demand due to the rise in mental health needs and therefore may limit the number of sessions they offer to each student. It is important that students who have relied on regular support from school counselors or mental health professionals during high school make proactive plans to identify an off-campus mental health counselor so they can be assured ongoing mental health support.
In 2002, the Nobel Prize in economics went to Daniel Kahneman for his work in behavioral economics, a blending of ideas from psychology and economics. Kahneman is also credited with the development of prospect theory which explains how individuals often MAKE DECISIONS using FAULTY REASONING which, rather than being based in logic, evolve from emotions, attitudes and cognitive BIASES.
Biases are filters that shape the way individuals see the world based on prior experience. When filters go unchecked, they can lead to automatic biases that cause well-intentioned managers to overlook highly talented candidates in favor of mediocre performers, who may match their unconscious stereotypes of what top talent looks like.
Hiring the right people is crucial to business success but many employment decisions are riddled with faulty assumptions. In fact, managers often make poor hiring decisions because subjective measures are not good predictors of who the right people are and information tends to be filtered through unconscious bias.
Hiring based on objective measures of skills and behaviors allows for better hiring decisions and ensures a broader talent pool. For autistic job seekers who have communication challenges, an opportunity to showskills rather than tell about them can be beneficial. Large companies like Microsoft and DXC Technology, as part of their focus on neurodiverse hiring, use job auditions, an interviewing techniques that asks candidates to work on a project in order to demonstrate what they can do and how go about it. Concrete skills are put on display over several days and inconsistent eye contact or a weak handshake are overlooked in favor of fit for job tasks.
Hiring managers who interview for cultural “fit” rather than cultural “add” are likely to dismiss a job-seeker who they feel might disrupt the cultural status quo.
Making hiring about merit, not background | Omer Molad, Co-founder and CEO of Vervoe
Economics of PRODUCTIVITY
Most organizations see a significant gap between their employees actual performance and their potential performance. Some of that can be attributed to office politics — the time and energy used to navigate relationships with colleagues and manage the challenges of an organizational landscape and power hierarchy.
Job-seekers on the autism spectrum, who can struggle with interpersonal communication, are much more likely to avoid office politics and instead immerse themselves in the work. While colleagues may be initially taken back by the limited social interaction their coworkers on the autism spectrum engage in, once they see the results of their work they are more apt to be pleased with the contributions neurodivergent job seekers make to the team’s success.
Lack of employee retention is costly to a company’s bottom line. When talent isn’t retained, money dedicated to onboarding and training is wasted, production is lost, and company culture can be negatively impacted.
Motivated by routine and predictability, employees on the autism spectrum are at reduced risk for turnover and tend to be highly loyal. Employees with autism are rarely anxious to leave a satisfying position to seek out new opportunities. Providing comprehensive onboarding and quality management and supervision also leads to better employee retention. For employees on the autism spectrum, supportive management and supervision including clear communication and consistent feedback, is critical to employment success.
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 requires most employers to provide reasonable accommodations that enable qualified people with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their jobs. While employers may worry that hiring people with disabilities will be costly, the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) says that 50% of accomodations cost less than $500 and 19% of accommodations cost nothing at all.
Get information about DXC’s Autism at Work Dandelion ProgramHERE
Otto, N. (2017, August 9). Avoidable turnover costing employers big. Retrieved November 10, 2019, from http://benefitnews.com
Student retention, persistence and graduation are major concerns for colleges and universities. According to the National Center for Education Statistics only about 60% of students attending public universities will graduate after 6 years. For college students on the autism spectrum, that percentage drops to less than 20%, with many students leaving within their first year.
What impacts college retention for students with autism and what can be done help students on the autism spectrum find success in college?
We see students prematurely exit the university due to typical challenges related to poor preparation, financial constraints, family stressors, and lack of academic fit. However, social factors also influence continued enrollment in post-secondary education. For college students with autism, a sense of belonging is critical and social connection is a powerful predictor of both college satisfaction and persistence. Additionally, a sense of belonging and connection acts as a protective factor against mental health challenges.
Where does this leave students on the autism spectrum, who may struggle to find spaces and places where they feel socially confident, comfortable and connected?
Peer mentoring in higher education is regarded as an effective intervention to impact both academic and social outcomes, particularly for college students with autism. Many colleges have implemented mentoring programs as part of their student support services and most specialized support programs for college students with autism include mentoring as a key component of their programming.
Peer mentoring relationships are mutually beneficial, allowing mentors to act as useful role models and trusted allies as they share their knowledge, advice and experience. Students with autism benefit from having a safe environment in which to work through issues, ask questions, and raise concerns as they navigate the complex college environment.
What can a mentor do to help a student with autism who is struggling in college?
Mentors can help students who may be struggling in the dorms by discussing roommate issues or problems related sleep or hygiene routines. Mentors who are familiar with the campus can assist students in understanding the many resources available, think about when to reach out for help, and understand the process for utilizing office hours, tutoring supports, or accomodations. Mentors can assist students in learning new ways of managing a college course load, suggesting tools and strategies that have worked for them. Students with autism may need help managing the social transition to college as well and mentors can help direct them toward clubs of interest and assist students in setting and meeting social goals.
For students with autism, there are benefits related to the mentoring relationship itself in terms of increased opportunities to practice social communication and interaction, help in understanding social expectations, and reducing isolation.
Supportive peer relationships foster a sense of belonging and contribute to college success. For students with autism, peer mentors are important source of social support as they work to integrate into campus and find college success.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a scientific discipline focused on the design of intelligent machines. These intelligent systems work and react like humans, performing tasks that require reasoning, learning, planning, problem-solving and perception and have the ability to detect, classify and respond to complex phenomena, emotions and other stimuli (Asthana & Gupta, 2019).
AI has a big impact on how we live, work, and entertain ourselves and applications are advancing the work being done in finance, education, transportation and healthcare. AI is also having a positive impact on the autism community.
Diagnosis: Timely diagnosis and early intervention in autism contributes to better long-term outcomes for children and while current diagnostic practices are effective , they are also time consuming.
Wall, Dally, Luyster, Jung, & DeLuca (2012) describe the work being done to advance and streamline autism diagnosis, involving the development of an abbreviated autism screening tool. This 7-item classifier, developed using big data, AI and machine learning techniques, replaces the standard 93-item, 2.5 hour exam and allows for highly accurate, rapid detection of autism (Wall, et. al, 2012).
This screening has the potential to shorten the wait time for clinical assessment and diagnosis as well as provide more timely social and behavioral intervention for autistic children.
Support: AI has also been used in the development of smart technologies that can support social development for autistic people outside of a clinical setting. AI supported robots, applications, as well as wearable AI technologies and virtual coaching can provide opportunities for people with autism to increase social and emotional learning.
With the help of AI, technologies have been developed that encourage facial engagement, teach facial recognition, and provide digital coaching and feedback to help people with autism respond to social situations. These technologies allow for social rehearsal and skill building in a natural setting and reduce the reliance on parents, teachers, and therapists.
Employment: Perhaps the most exciting connection between autism and artificial intelligence is happening in the employment space. As the field of artificial intelligence has grown, so has the demand for skilled workers in the emerging technology industries.
As the demand for tech talent outpaces the current supply, employers are left searching for ways to fill that gap. This has led employers to think more creatively about establishing a talent pipeline that includes autistic job seekers and those who identify as neurodivergent. With an unemployment rate at about 80%, autistic job seekers with good technical skills are ripe for the choosing and large companies like Dell, Microsoft, and Ernst & Young are recognizing this untapped talent source as the answer to the skills gap.
Neurodivergent employees are not only highly loyal and intensely focused, but contribute to a company’s bottom line with strong analytic skills, systematic thinking and the ability to recognize patterns in data and code. In addition to enhancing the bottom line, a more inclusive workforce means companies have access to diverse perspectives, which leads to better products and services for their customers.
While there is a need to retool human resource processes, adjust standard interviewing practices and learn new styles of management in order to a accommodate job seekers and workers who think differently, employers are realizing that these adjustments can also be valuable to neurotypical employees.
While neurodiverse hiring efforts are still in the early stages of development, the momentum is growing and employers are beginning to think big about ways to tap into this important talent source.
Asthana, P., & Gupta, V. K. (2019). Role of artificial iintelligence in dealing wtih emotional and behavioural disorders. International Journal of Management, IT & Engineering, 9(5), 398-403
Wall, D. P., Dally, R., Luyster, R., Jung, J., & DeLuca, T. F. (2012). Use of artificial intelligence to shorten the behavioral diagnosis of autism. PloS one, 7(8), doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0043855.
a view or opinion that is incorrect because based on faulty thinking or understanding
I’ve listened enough. It’s time for me to speak.
Neal Katz, Autistic self-advocate
As autism has become more prevalent, we’ve seen increased portrayals of autism in the media. TV shows featuring autistic individuals, such as Atypical, Good Doctor and Big Bang Theory, can contribute to awareness of autism. However, these portrayals often show a narrow view of autism and don’t accurately reflect the subtleties or variances in the autistic experience. This can contribute public misconceptions about autism that can eventually negatively impact educational and employment opportunities for autistic individuals.
Contrary to popular belief, several studies have confirmed that autistic individuals do indeed have the ability to recognize and respond to the emotions of others. However, autistic people may have a variety of difficulties with emotional expression, including a tendency to misinterpret emotional clues. Difficulties with reading facial expressions and discomfort with eye contact can make it challenging to perceive and respond to emotional states. However, it’s important to remember that autistic people simply express empathy in different ways.
TRUTH: A less-than-typical empathetic response does not equate to a lack of empathy
I am different. Not Less.
Dr. Temple Grandin
MYTH: Autistic people aren’t interested in being social
At its core, autism has an impact on social understanding. This means that autistic individuals can have trouble navigating the social world but it doesn’t mean they aren’t interested in social connection. The truth is, autistic individuals may crave social connection but struggle to negotiate it. Sometimes, autistic people need alone time to recover from the high social demands of the day or may feel most comfortable on the fringes of social activity. I’ve worked with autistics who express an intense fear that making a social mistake could subject them to devastating rejection and further isolation.
TRUTH: Social reluctance should not be confused with lack of social interest
I don’t really understand why it’s considered normal to stare at someone’s eyeballs.
John Elder Robison
MYTH: Males are more autistic than females
While males are more likely to be diagnosed with autism than females, how much of this is due to diagnostic bias and misinterpretation of clinical presentation is under debate. Autistic females are often more adept at “masking”, hiding their autistic traits in order to avoid standing out. Symptoms are manifested differently in females than in males so girls who are experiencing significant social difficulties may simply be labeled as shy or immature. This can cause autistic females to experience a delay in diagnosis or be misdiagnosed as bipolar, anxious or depressed.
TRUTH: The impact of autism on females is different, not less
English is my 2nd language. Autism is my first.
Dani Bowman
MYTH: Autistic people can’t go to college
According to Shattuck et al. (2012) approximately 50,000 autistic adolescents per year enter adulthood and 34.7% of them attend college. That number has likely increased, as more colleges step up and provide campus support systems for the growing population of autistic college students. Of course, finding success in college depends on a lot of things. Autistic college students need to be good self-advocates, able to identify their strengths as well as their challenges and be willing to utilize the resources that are available to support their success. It’s important to have good self-care skills as well. Practicing wellness strategies that can ensure a healthy sleep routine and a manageable level of stress can make the difference between succeeding and floundering in college.
TRUTH: With the right supports, autistic individuals can attend college and be successful
*Please note, as is preferred by many individuals (e.g., Autism Self-Advocacy Network) identity-first language is used in this post
Shattuck, P. T., Narendorf, S. C., Cooper, B., Sterzing, P. R., Wagner, M., & Taylor, J. L. (2012). Postsecondary education and employment among youth with an autism spectrum disorder. Pediatrics, 129(6), 1042-1049.
Since today’s college students spend a majority of their day interacting with technology, it makes sense to look for technology solutions that can address some of the major challenges new college students on the autism spectrum can expect to face as they navigate the college experience.
All students need time to become accustomed to college life. It takes time to adjust to a new environment, increased responsibilities, and the expanded independence and freedom that comes with college life.
For college-bound students with autism spectrum disorders, who rely heavily on structure and for whom transitions are especially difficult, it can be helpful to identify new ways of establishing routine, managing adult responsibilities and controlling stress.
Building Routines
We often meet high school students who still rely on parental prompting to maintain hygiene, sleep or medication routines.
Starting in middle school, students should be building structured morning and evening routines that they can follow independently. This will not only ensure that proper attention is paid to hygiene, medication and sleep when they are ready to head off to college, but routine can also help students with autism feel much less anxious.
Habitica (iOS and Android) uses gamification to help students set and track habits and goals, earn rewards, and connect with other Habitica users.
Productive Habit Tracker (iOS) allows students to create a to-do list, plan their day and habits, track progress and get reminders.
Organizing the Workload
While a typical day in high school follows to fairly rigid schedule, when students enter college they face a less structured schedule that can include a fluctuating daily schedule and large blocks of free time.
Therefore, students will benefit from finding technology solutions that work for them in organizing and planning their time.
iHomework2 (iOS) allows students to easily record class schedules, document assignment due dates, and track grades.
MyHomework (iOS, Android, Windows, Mac) helps students stay organized and syncs across devices.
Initiating Tasks and Managing Time
Students on the autism spectrum often become overwhelmed when faced with large tasks like writing assignments or projects. Getting started on assignments, especially in less preferred subjects, is often challenging as well.
Breaking assignments down into bite-sized parts can make things feel more manageable and often, once they get started, students become intensely focused and accomplish much more than they expected.
Marinara Timer (web based) uses the Pomodoro method to break tasks into short, timed intervals of work, spaced out by short breaks.
Google Calendar (iOS, Android, cloud-based) can be used to schedule reminders for repeating events like classes or non-repetitive appointments with professors, plan periods of focused work time, even create multiple, color coded calendars to track the due dates for each class.
Reducing Internet Distractions
The internet gives students access to an endless supply of information and entertainment. For students with autism, the internet is often used to connect with a source of friends and online community.
However, we have also seen the internet pull students into a rabbit hole of social media, wiki pages, and internet gaming that they can’t easily escape.
Productivity Owl (google chrome extension) allows students to block “time-wasting” websites and schedule “free-time” hours.
SelfControl (iOS) allows students to blacklist distracting websites for up to 24 hours
Managing Emotions
A healthy amount of stress can motivate students to be productive but overwhelming or uncontrolled stress can take a serious toll on a student’s physical health and emotional well-being.
All college students experience periods of high stress but people diagnosed with autism tend to have more difficulty regulating emotions than their typical peers (Cai, R., Richdale, A., Uljarevic, M., Dissanayake, C., Samson, A., 2018)
Breath2relax (iOS, Android) uses diaphragmatic breathing exercises to decrease the stress response and stabilize mood, control anger and reduce anxiety.
Calm (iOS, Android) features guided meditation for sleep and relaxation as well as sleep stories.
Of course, technology is only one tool students should have in their college success toolbox.
Colleges are often rich in resources so its important to combine technology tools with regular use of resources like tutoring services, office hours, and counseling or wellness supports as well as connect with academic support and disability service professionals on campus.
For students with disabilities in the US, leaving high school and entering the adult world or post-secondary education means a move from an entitlement based system of services and supports, under IDEA, to an eligibility based legal requirement under the ADA. The movement from coverage under educational law to protection under civil rights law means a change in focus as well, from educational success to educational access. For college-bound students with autism, whose access and support needs are often unique, educational accommodations, like extra time on testing, are important but not enough.
Can we expect colleges and universities to not only provide access to higher education opportunities but give students on the autism spectrum a fair chance for success as well?
We have seen the number of colleges and universities in the US that provide specialized supports to students on the autism spectrum grow exponentially in the past 10 years, from a small handful of colleges to well over 60 today. However, building specialized support programs is costly and much of those costs are passed onto families in the form of program enrollment and participation fees. Therefore, many students who could benefit from specialized supports, or a more inclusive approach to higher education, aren’t necessarily benefiting.
DID YOU KNOW? For every student on the autism spectrum that registers with the college accessibility office, there are 1 to 2 students with autism who don’t disclose.
ENTER…….AsIAm.ie, a not-for-profit organization in Ireland that provides education, support and advocacy to the more than 45,000 Irish with autism. AsIAm, with support and approval from the Government of Ireland, undertook research in 2016 to examine the experience of autistic Irish college students. The result was the establishment of an “Autism Friendly Campus” designation that would ensure students with autism enjoy both access and college success.
Encourage and enable autistic students to transition and participate in university programmes.
Support and build capacity to equip autistic students to meet the academic challenges of everyday university life.
Support and build capacity to equip autistic students to meet the social challenges of everyday university life.
Seek to establish an autism-friendly operational environment.
Seek to combat the stigma around autism and recognise the diverse experiences of those with the condition.
Develop understanding and relevant knowledge and skills within the university community.
Establish channels so that autistic students can have a voice in various aspects of university life.
Increase the employability of autistic graduates through a range of initiatives that will develop their soft-skills to support their transition beyond university.
As the number of students with autism attending college continues to rise, it’s time for an expanded definition of diversity to include neurodiversity. By building awareness and capacity, and following Ireland’s lead in focusing on the tenets and principles of Autism Friendliness, we can make higher education truly accessible to all.
A list of current autism specific support programs at US universities nationwide can be found here: College Autism Spectrum
Transitioning to College with Autism: Laying the Groundwork for Success 