College and the Autistic Student
By Reecy Aresty
College Admissions/Financial Aid Expert and Author
As researchers learn more about Autism and as public school services
improve, more autistic students will graduate from high school and be
academically, socially and emotionally prepared for college.
This report offers a wide array of information that families
should be aware of and valuable resources for those families who are
blessed with an autistic child.
Autism, a
neurological-based developmental disability, affects an estimated one in
166 people, according to a 2004 study by the Centers for Disease Control
Prevention. Both children and adults with
Autism typically show
difficulties in verbal and nonverbal communication, social interactions
and leisure or play activities, according to the Autism Society of
America. Autism affects individuals differently and to varying degrees.
Experts agree on the following advice upon
detection of Autism:
1.
Seek
immediate treatment for your child.
2. If
possible, find someone to work with the child at least 20 hours a week,
i.e. a therapist, teacher, parent, grandparent or someone from your church
or group. Look for progress after one month.
3.
Do not
allow the child to sit and watch TV all day. Get them engaged and play as
many games as possible that require taking turns.
4.
New
parents learning they have an autistic child must recognize immediately
that they cannot do it all by themselves. They should contact
Autism societies or chapters to find resources, join support groups and
talk with other families about their experiences.
5.
Help
the child to develop their areas of strength, particularly among
high-functioning students with Asperger’s Syndrome (a neurobiological
condition characterized by normal intelligence and language development
with deficiencies in social and communication skills), and get them job
experiences during high school.
Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia
is one of the few colleges in the US that has a special program in their
Autism Training Center, which works with Autism spectrum disorders like
Aspergers. Although many colleges have counselors and staff familiar with
Autism, only Marshall has a program tailored specifically
for autistic students. The program serves three of the university's 16,360
students and may eventually accommodate 10; it will remain small by
choice.
“The goal is not for all
students with Autism to attend Marshall, but for the program to become a
model for other colleges,” says Barbara Becker-Cottrill, the Center's
director. “The true goal is for students to have the ability to attend the
university of their choice. Our work will be working with other
universities on how to establish a program such as this on their own
campuses.”
Kim Ramsey, the Marshall
program's director, had this to say, "The problem is, social and daily
living issues are interfering."
This is not to be confused with a special education program. Like all
students, they must meet and maintain the university's academic standards.
The Center offers tutoring, counseling, a quiet space to take exams, and
help in the navigation of the bureaucracy and social world of college,
i.e. how to schedule classes, join clubs, buy books and replace ATM cards
that don't work.
In a recent issue of the
bimonthly, Asperger’s Digest, Lars Perner, an assistant professor of
marketing at San Diego State University who has Asperger’s Syndrome, said,
“How many college students have forms of Autism is impossible to determine
as many go undiagnosed or are simply perceived as a little bit strange.
The exact cause is unknown, although both genetics and environmental
factors are suspected of playing a role. Some of these students might be
able to get into college because of fairly strong academic credentials and
a reasonable academic showing. That may not mean they will be able to
stay in college.” Perner is also the author of a college selection
guide.
Sadly, most autistic students either drop out or don’t even apply to
college because they have difficulty with such tasks as doing all the
paperwork, time management, taking notes and sitting for exams. Stephen
Shore, who is finishing his doctoral degree in special education at Boston
University and has been diagnosed with atypical development with strong
autistic tendencies, said, “More programs like Marshall's were needed. I
think they would do much better and there would be a much higher rate of
success if this type of program were available elsewhere.” However, as
researchers learn more about Autism and public school services for Autism
improve, more autistic students will graduate from high school and be
academically, socially and emotionally prepared for college.
College Selection - Your Number One Priority
The following must be
considered, but only after the family has visited the campus and is
convinced their student will be able to “survive” at that school:
1. Accommodations:
If proper accommodations are not made available to the student, then it
would be futile to attend that particular college.
2.
Curriculum:
Ideally, there will be enough areas of interest for the student.
3. Setting:
urban or rural, close to
home or far away, and a large or small student body are all issues that
must be factored in.
4.
Cost:
Last but not least; like the 5th C when searching for that
perfect diamond – is the cost. Paying for college is actually the easy
part, because no matter what, you can borrow the money! And never lose
sight of the fact that all the financial aid in the world is useless
without that coveted admission ticket!
Some other criteria that should be particularly important for autistic
students include:
1.
A highly structured academic program
2.
A second-to-none disabilities services program (or its equivalent)
3.
A willingness to be flexible
4.
Support for individual needs and a centralized counseling center
Experience with Autism is
helpful, but the most important characteristics of the disabilities
services program and counseling center are the commitment to providing
individualized support and a willingness to learn about each student’s
disability and needs. Because of the learning differences of students with
high functioning Autism/Asperger’s Syndrome, they often benefit from
tutoring, organizational and personal support services.
Sometimes, a smaller
school is easier for students who learn better in a smaller and quieter
environment. For students who will find the degree of independence and
organization required for living at college to be intimidating, it can be
helpful to live at home for the first year or two of college and
gradually make the transition to more independent living. Some colleges
offer cooperative education programs, in which students alternate between
taking academic courses and working in related jobs. Such programs have
the ability to help students explore potential careers and develop
essential work skills.
Academic Assistance and Accommodations
In college, students
are given the responsibility of advocating for themselves.
They can receive support
from the disabilities services program or not, but they will have to be
able to make many decisions for themselves.
In many colleges,
the disabilities services program will write a letter to relevant
professors indicating that a student has a disability and may need special
accommodations. This letter might be the student’s responsibility to give
to the professor, or it might be sent out to each professor. In
either case, it is then likely to be the student’s responsibility to
follow up with the professor and request specific help.
Many students will need coaching and support in order to do
this.
Some counselors may be willing and able to help, others will not. In many
instances, it will be necessary and helpful to have a tutor. The
disabilities service center will usually be able to assist with the
required services.
Academic accommodations
have been helpful as well as necessary for some students with Asperger’s
High Functioning Autism because they need a little longer to process
information and organize responses. This can mean that they will take a
little longer in responding to questions in class and should receive the
required extra time on quizzes, tests and exams. Due to difficulties in
processing and screening sensory information, a distraction-free
environment may be important for ongoing studying and for taking exams.
