a guide for higher education professionals - autism · communities nationwide. this guide will...

Emerging Practices for Supporting Students on the Autism Spectrum in Higher Education:

A Guide for Higher Education Professionals

EmergingPracticesforSupportingStudentsonthe AutismSpectruminHigherEducation: AGuideforHigherEducationProfessionals

L eadInstitution

RochesterInstituteof Technology

CollaboratingInstitutions

EasternUniversity

MercyhurstUniversity

RutgersUniversity--NewBrunswick

The Universityof TennesseeatChattanooga

Universityof WestFlorida

WesternKentuckyUniversity

Consultant

College AutismSpectrum

GuideContributors

Laurie Ackles,Director,SpectrumSupportProgram,RochesterInstituteof Technology

MartyBoman,Director,Kelly AutismProgram, WesternKentuckyUniversity

Jane ThierfeldBrown,Co-founder,College AutismSpectrum

DouglasCornman,Coordinator,CollegeSuccessProgram,EasternUniversity

PamelaLubbers,ProgramCoordinator,CollegeSupportProgram,RutgersUniversity–NewBrunswick

BradMcGarry,Director, AspergerInitiativeatMercyhurst,MercyhurstUniversity

MichelleRigler,Director, The MosaicProgram, The Universityof TennesseeatChattanooga

OtherContributors

NicoleBoulais,RochesterInstituteof Technology

JoshuaBauroth,RochesterInstituteof Technology

LornaBusch,RochesterInstituteof Technology

VanneeCao-Nguyen,Director,StudentDisabilityResourceCenter,Universityof WestFlorida

Disclaimer; The viewsandideasexpressedhereinarethoseofthecontributors anddonot

necessarilyreflectthoseof AutismSpeaksor any otherinstitution.

Fundingforthispublicationprovided by the AutismSpeaksFamilyServicesCommunityGrant.

TableofContents

WhatIs AutismSpectrumDisorder? ............................................................................2

UniqueStrengthsandChallengesofCollegeStudentswith ASD .................................3

ExecutiveFunctioning AcademicSkills Self-Care SocialCompetence Self-Advocacy CareerPreparation

UniqueOpportunitiesandChallengesintheCollegeEnvironment .............................5

RightsandResponsibilities IndependentFunctioning

Taking Action:MitigatingStudentandEnvironmentalChallenges................................7

IndirectSupport:Creatinga WelcomingandSupportiveCampusClimate Raising Awarenessand Acceptance TrainingtheCampusCommunity DevelopingCampusExpertise EnhancingExistingProgramsandServices

DirectSupport:Developing TargetedServicesforStudentswith ASD CoachingandMentoring TargetedInstruction TransitionProgramming SupportedLiving SocialProgramming StudentEmpowerment

Identifying a Campus Response to Support Students with ASD..................................12

GettingStarted: Assemblinga TaskForce IssuesofDisclosure

ProfessionalDisclosure StudentDisclosure

ConsiderationsfortheDevelopmentofaComprehensiveProgramModel EstablishingProgram AdmissionCriteriaandIntakeProcess ProgramStaffing ProgramFunding EvaluatingProgramSuccess

SupportModelPlanning Worksheet...........................................................................18

References .................................................................................................................23

ExistingComprehensiveProgramModels...................................................................24

What Is Autism Spectrum Disorder?

Currently,onlyalimitednumberofcollegesacrossthenationoffer specializedsupportsthat addresstheneedsoftheincreasingnumberofcollegestudents ontheautismspectrumpursuingpostsec-ondarydegrees.However,the1in125childrendiagnosedwithanautismspectrumdisorder(ASD)in 1996arestartingtoarriveatcollegecampuses,andmorerecentnumbersindicatethe diagnosisratehas risento1in68, over halfofwhomwill have averageor above averageintellectualabilityandbecollege-bound(CDC,2014). Thesedramaticallyincreasingnumberswithinhighereducationwillchangethena-tureof how wesupportstudents, yet thereisalackofinformationavailableconcerningeffectivesupport models. To addressthescarcityofinformation, thisguideincorporatestheideasandsuccessfulpractices ofhighereducationprofessionalsatpostsecondaryinstitutions who have workedwiththeiruniversities toestablisheffectivesupportsforstudentswith ASD. Itisthegoalofthiscollaborativeefforttofacilitate thedevelopmentofpostsecondaryinitiativestoensurethatstudentswith ASDwillfindsupportincampus communitiesnationwide. Thisguidewillprovidehighereducationprofessionalswithasystematicand practicalresourcetoguidetheminthedevelopmentofauniversityspecificsupportmodelforstudents with ASD.

What is Autism Spectrum Disorder? The two maindistinguishingfeaturesofautismspectrumdisorder(ASD) aredifficultywithsocial

communication,andrestricted,repetitivebehaviorsorinterests(DiagnosticandStatisticalManualof MentalDisorders;DSM-V,2013).Characteristicscommoninautismspectrumdisordersincludeareli-anceonrigidroutines,heightenedsensitivitytosensorystimuli,anddifficultyregulatingand expressing emotions. Thesetraits, which areunderstoodto have aneurodevelopmentaletiology,varygreatlyinpre-sentationandintensity,makingthisahighlyheterogeneouspopulation. Thisheterogeneityisalsoreflect-edintermsandlabelsused over time. For example,theterms Asperger’sSyndrome(AS)andhighfunc-tioningautism(HFA) have historicallybeenusedtoreferencethoseonthespectrumwith mildautistic traits. ASD was officiallyrecognizedasadiagnosisinthe1990s,after which theincidencehascontinued torisedramatically. The recentsurgeindiagnoses(to1in68) may beduetoarisingawarenessof ASD, broaderdiagnosticcriteria, or, assome have speculated,possibleexposuretobiologicalandenviron-mentaletiologicalfactors(Boyd&Shaw,2010). Whatevertherootcause,thegrowingprevalenceof ASD coupledwithincreasesinK-12supportsforthispopulationhas resultedinrapidlyincreasingnumbers of studentswith ASDenteringpostsecondaryinstitutions. Whilethesestudentsareoftenintellectually capableofmasteringcollegelevelcoursematerial,thechallenges which stemfromthecommoncharac-teristicsof ASDcanposesignificanthurdlestothesuccessfulcompletionof apostsecondarydegree.In addition,itisimportanttonotethatmanystudentswith ASDenteringcollegealsofallinthetraditional 18-25yearoldcollegecohortandbringwiththemthesamedevelopmentalchallengesfaced by their peerswithout ASD(typicallydevelopingpeers). Theseincludeidentity,cognitiveandmoraldevelopment challenges. Therefore,itisessentialtokeepinmindthecommondevelopmentalneedsofthisagegroup whileunderstandingthedistinctneedsofthispopulationin ordertohelpthemsucceedinpostsecondary education,pursuetheircareergoals,andcontributetothediverseandskilledworkforceofthefuture.

It is the goal to ensure that students with ASD find support in campus communities nationwide.

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Unique Strengths and Challenges of College Students with ASD

Unique Strengths and Challenges of College Students with ASD Individualswith ASDpossessuniquestrengthsthatcanhelpthemexcelin academicsaswellas

otherliferealms. Thesecharacteristicsoftenincludeahighmotivationtolearnwithinfocusedareasof interest,apropensityforvisuallearning,skilledrotememory,andsuperiormathskills.Inaddition,they bringadiverseperspectivetoproblem-solving,canbemeticulousaboutperfectingtheir work, have an eye fordetail,andoften have auniquelylogical way ofthinkingthataffordsthemtheabilitytoarriveatpracti-calsolutions. Whilestudentswith ASDarriveatcollegewithmanyfavorablequalities,certainskillsetsare typicallyunderdevelopedandthereforenegativelyimpactthetransitionintoandpersistencethoughcol-legeaswellastheirpost-collegeplacementintheworkforce. Theseskillsets have beencategorizedand groupedintosixdomainsinordertohelpthereaderbetter understandtheprominentareasofchallenge andultimatelytoassisthighereducationpersonnelinchoosingpracticesthatmightmosteffectivelyhelp studentswith ASDreachtheirpotential. The sixdomains, which have beenidentified by reviewingexisting literatureand by consultingwithexpertsinthefield,include: ExecutiveFunctioning, AcademicSkills, Self-Care,SocialCompetence,Self-Advocacy,andCareerPreparation.

Executive Functioning Executivefunctioningreferstothecognitiveprocessesthatallowforgoal-directedactivity.

Theseprefrontalcortexcapacitiesincludeorganization,workingmemory,complexproblemsolving, sustainedattention,andself-regulation(Parker,D.R.&Boutelle,K.,2009).Deficitsinexecutivefunction-ingcanmakedailytasks,suchasorganizingacademicwork,challengingandcanalsomakeitdifficultto controlemotionalandbehavioralimpulses.

Individualswith ASDpossessvaryingdegreesofexecutivefunctioningdeficit, which canmakeit difficulttoadapttotheorganizationalaspectsofindependent livingandself-directedlearningrequiredfor collegesuccess. Whileoftenfullycapableofmasteringcoursecontent,these studentssometimesstruggle tocarryouttheactions(e.g.,planning,prioritizing) necessarytoinitiateandcompleteacademicwork. Duringhighschool,consistentsupport,oversightandguidancefromfamilyand/orschoolpersonnel may have facilitatedsuccess;however,inthepostsecondaryworld,theseexternalsupportsareoftenlimitedor nolongerreadilyavailable.

Academic Skills Academicskillsrefertospecificstrategiesandtechniquesthatenablesuccessfullearningandaca-

demicprogress.Examplesincludetestpreparation,note-taking,textbookreading,library/researchskills, writingcompetency,andworkingwithinone’slearningstyle.

For alltransitioningcollegestudents,aninitialadjustmenttothe rigorofcollege-levelcoursework iscommonandexpected. Typicallydevelopingstudentsadapt by monitoringacademicprogressand applyingnew studytacticswhennecessary.Ontheotherhand,studentswith ASD,manyofwhom have successfullynavigatedhighschoolacademicswithrudimentaryacademicstrategies,canstrugglewitha rigidtendencytostickwiththefamiliar. Thistendencycanlimittheflexibilityneededtochangelearning methodsandapplynewstrategiesinresponsetovariedteachingstylesordiverseacademicdisciplines. Althoughtheyoftenpossessstronglanguageskills,college studentswith ASD may strugglewithcollege-levelwritingduetoproblemswithorganization,abstractlanguage,andperspectivetaking,aswellas practicallimitationsresultingfromunderdevelopedfinemotorcoordination. Withoutspecificinstruction intheseareas,studentswith ASDcanstrugglewithlearningandapplyingthestrategiesnecessaryforaca-demicsuccess.

Self-Care Self-careinvolvesmaintainingone’spersonalwellness,includingsleep,hygiene,exercise,nutri-

tion,sensoryintegration,stressmanagement,medicationmanagementandbudgeting. Inessence,this domaincorrespondstocultivatingoptimalwell-beingandtakingresponsibilityforone’shealth.

Whilethetransitionfromchildhoodtoadulthoodrepresentsatimein which individualsgradually takeownershipofprovidingfortheir own needs,studentswith ASD may needadditionaltimetode-velopindependenceintheareaofself-care.Studentswith ASD frequentlystruggletomaintainconsistent

4

Unique Strengths and Challenges of College Students with ASD

hygieneandsleeppatternsand may have difficultyindependentlymanagingmedicationsnecessaryfor focusandstabilityofco-occurringconditionssuchasattentiondeficitdisorders,anxiety,anddepres-sion.

Asaresult,studentswith ASD may struggletofunctionadequatelyenoughtomeetexpanding academicresponsibilities.Collegelifeisalsofullofnewand variedstimuli(e.g.,firealarms,crowded dininghalls,constantsocialization,etc.)thatmakeit particularlydifficultforthosewithsensoryintegra-tionchallenges. Withouteffective ways tohandlesensoryoverloadandotherstressors,studentswith ASDcanbecomeoverwhelmedand may resorttofamiliarself-soothingtendencies,suchasrockingor pacing. Thesetendenciescouldbeperceivedassociallyinappropriate,leadingstudentswith ASDto becomeincreasinglyisolatedfrompeers.

Social Competence Socialcompetencereferstotheabilitytorelatetoothersand isaffected by how anindividual

understandsandrespondstoverbalandnonverbalcommunication.Includedinthisdomainarethe interpretationofothers’thoughtsandfeelings,social reciprocity,andcomprehensionoflanguage pragmatics(Tager-Flusbert,1999).Inessence,socialcompetenceistheability togetalongwithothers; acriticalskillforestablishingandmaintainingpersonaland professionalrelationshipsbothduringand afterthehighereducationexperience.

Whilemostpeopledevelopmasteryoftheintuitivenatureofsocialinteractioninearlychild-hood, thoseontheautismspectrumoftendon’tformthesameunderstandingofsocialrelatednessor possessthesamesocialskillset(Stichter,et.al,2010). Thisdeficitmakesnavigatingthesociallyladen atmosphereofcollegeparticularlydifficultforstudentswith ASD.Challengeswithinitiatingconversa-tionsandtheinabilitytoreadsocialcuesleadstofailed attemptstoconnectwithpeersandultimately contributestoisolationandloneliness.Studentswith ASDalsotendtointerpretcommunicationliter-ally,makingitdifficulttounderstandsarcasm,aswellassocialandclassroomnorms. Additionally, studentswith ASDoftenpossessexcellentvocabulariesandcanappearhighlyarticulate, which can leadothers(peers,faculty,oradministrators)tomisinterpretsocialdifficultiesasdisrespector indiffer-ence.

Self-Advocacy Self-advocacyreferstoknowingandcommunicatingone’sneedswhileunderstandingcorre-

spondingrights,responsibilitiesandresources(Brinckerhoff,L.C.,1994).Paramounttosuccessinthis domainareself-awareness,thecapacitytoanticipatechallenges,andtheabilitytoaccessappropriate resources.

Throughouttheprimaryandsecondaryeducationalprocess, parentsand/orschoolpersonnel oftenidentifyandplansupportsforstudentswith ASD,providinglittleopportunityforthesestudentsto develop and practice the self-advocacy skills necessary at the college level. This becomes a challenge in thecollegeenvironmentastheprocessforrequestingaccommodationsand accessingsupportservices requiresassertiveindependentactiononthepartofthestudent. Additionally,difficultieswithplanning, personalflexibility,andsocialcommunication,makeithardforstudentswith ASDtorecognize how andwhentoaskforhelp,oftenresultinginafailuretoaccess adequateandtimelysupport.

Career Preparation Careerpreparationreferstovocationalexploration,thejobsearchandapplicationprocesses,

aswellasgainingappropriateworkexperience.Includedinthisdomainaretheskillsofnetworking, resume-writing,interviewing,andnavigatingthesocialworldofwork. The importanceofcareerdevel-opmentduringthecollegeyearscannotbeunderestimatedgiventhatsecuringfulfillingemploymentis oneoftheultimategoalsofhighereducation.

Whilepostsecondaryinstitutionsareintegratingcareerpreparationinitiativesatearlierstages ofthecollegeexperience,theseinitiativestypicallyfailtoaddressthespecificchallengesofindividu-alswith ASD, who oftenfindthemselvesunderemployed(Wehmanetal.,2014).Collegeeducated

5

Unique Opportunities and Challenges in the College Environment

studentsontheautismspectrum may struggletotransferknowledgeandskillstoemploymentsettings.In addition,theirsocialinteractionstylecanunderminetheirchancesofsuccessinaninterview,wherecan-didatefitisoftenbasedon“soft-skills”(e.g.,personalcharacteristicsandinterpersonalrelations)rather thanmeasurableskillsoreducationalbackground.Oncehired,theindirectsocialcontextofworkcanbe confusingandsensoryintegrationissuescanmakeitdifficulttofunctioninworkenvironmentswithout appropriateaccommodationsandsupportivemanagement.

Eachindividualstudentwith ASD,liketheirtypicallydevelopingpeers,enterscollegewith a uniquesetofstrengthsandchallenges. The domainsdescribed above representsomeofthemost prevalentareasofconcernasstudentswith ASDtransitionintoandstrivetofindsuccessincollegeand beyond. Additionally,it’simportanttoconsidertherealitiesofthecollegeenvironmentthat may present furtherchallenges,addingtothedifficultiesthatsomestudents have inearningapost-secondarydegree. Someofthesefactorsareaddressedinthefollowingsection.

While students with ASD arrive atcollege with many favorable qualities,certain skill sets are underdeveloped.

Unique Opportunities and Challenges in the College Environment Institutionsofhighereducation have developedsupportstructuresandcommonpracticesin

responsetothevaryingneedsofcollegestudents. For example,manycolleges have writingcentersto aidstudentsinthedraftingprocessforcourseassignments,tutorservicestoassist studentsinmastering college levelcontent,andcounselingcenterstoaddressthementalhealth needsofstudents.Campus disabilitycentersensureequalaccessforstudentswith disabilitiesandmulticulturalcentershelpenhance thecollegeexperienceforstudentsfromdiverseethnicandculturalbackgrounds.Evenwitharobust frameworkofservices,studentswith ASDoftenstruggletoadjusttothecomplexitiesofnavigatingacol-legesystemandthereforedon’tbenefitfromthetraditionalsupportstructures. Addingtothechallenge forthispopulationisadjustingtothecomplexshiftfromhigh schooltocollege. Thistransitionincludes changesinlegalmandatesthatimpactastudent’srightsandresponsibilitiesaswellasadjustmentstoa newandincreasedlevelofindependentfunctioning.

Rights and Responsibilities The rightsandresponsibilitiesforstudentswithdisabilitieschangeconsiderablyuponentering

postsecondaryeducation.Inhighschool,theIndividualswithDisabilitiesEducation Act(IDEA)empha-sizesstudentsuccess,andguaranteesafreeandappropriateeducationintheleastrestrictiveenviron-ment.Schooldistrictstakeresponsibilityforidentifyingstudents’ needs,determiningmodificationsand implementingaplanforsuccessbasedonastudent’sIndividualizedEducationPlan(IEP).Inhighschool, accommodations may includesignificantmodificationstocurriculum,testingformat orgrading. Addi-tionally,schooldistricts cover thecostofevaluationanddocumentationandparentsorcaregiversplaya primaryroleasadvocates.

Uponenteringcollege,IDEAisreplaced by supportfromcivilrightsmandates,the Americans withDisabilities Act(ADA)of1990, ADA Amendments Actof2008andSection504oftheRehabilitation Actof1973, which emphasizeaccesstoeducation.Postsecondarystudentsmustseekoutservices by self-identifyingasastudentwithadisabilitytothe appropriateoffice,providingdisabilitydocumentation andsubmittingarequestforaccommodations. Whileparentsplayanimportantroleinpreparingtheir

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Unique Opportunities and Challenges in the College Environment

studentsforthecollegeexperience,studentsmustinitiatethe accommodationsprocessandcommuni-catetheir own needs,withlimitedparentalsupport. Accommodationsinthecollegeenvironmentdonot altercourseworkordegreerequirementsandaremeantonlytoremovebarriersandensurethatanother-wisequalifiedstudenthasanequalopportunitytoparticipate inacademicprogramswithlittletailoring toindividualneeds(Thomas,S.B.,2000).

Inadditiontochangesinlegalmandates,there may alsobepracticaldifferencesinthe way servicesareofferedinhighereducation. Whilesomesupports may beofferedintheformofapproved accommodations,otherneedsarecommonlyaddressedthrough self-accommodationor may becovered by noncompulsory,supplementalstudentservices. For example,astudent who receivedanaccommoda-tionforpreferentialseatinginhighschool may beexpectedtoarrivetoacollegeclassearlytosecure apreferredseatlocationontheirown. For somestudents,theaccommodationsreceivedaspartofa highschoolIEP may notbedeemedreasonableinthecollegesettingand may insteadbeaddressed by non-mandated,supplementalsupportservicesinthe postsecondarysetting. For example,astudent who receivedhomeworksupportorindividualizedinstructionfromaspecialeducationteacherorpersonal aid aspartofanIEP may notreceivesuchsupportasanaccommodationincollegebutinsteadwillbe expectedtoseekoutthetutoringoracademicsupportservices availabletothegeneralcampuspopula-tion. Whileinstitutionsofhighereducation have developedpathwaysandsupportstomeet ADA require-mentsforstudentswithdisabilities,someoftheunique supportstypicallyneeded by studentswith ASD areoftennotaddressedwithinatraditionalaccommodationsorcollegesupportservicesframework. For example,traditionalaccommodationsandservicesdonottypicallyaddress thesocialdeficitsorskill developmentthatmighthelpenhancetheparticipationand performanceforstudentswith ASD.

Notonlyaresupportslessenedanddecentralizedfromhighschooltocollege,butbehavioral expectationsandconsequencesfornoncompliancealsodiffer. For example,IDEArequiresthatastu-dent’sdisabilitybetakenintoaccountwhenconsideringdisciplinaryactionresultingfromaviolation of theschoolcodeofconduct. Thisisnotthecaseinhighereducation,wherestudentsfoundinviolationof conductrulesareheldfullyaccountablefortheirbehaviorregardlessofdisability. Thiscanbeespecially problematicforstudentswith ASD who may have difficultyrecognizingsocialnormsandunderstanding behavioralexpectationsand may strugglewithfunctioningappropriatelyinlessstructured collegeenvi-ronments.

Independent Functioning Beyondissuesofdisabilitymandatesandexpectationsforsupport services,studentswith ASD

strugglewiththeincreasedneedforindependentfunctioning requiredinacollegeenvironment. While theindependentlivingrequirementsofcollegecanbeadifficultadjustmentfor allstudents,studentswith ASD may find the transition especially challenging as they face independence from caregivers and educa-tional professionals who have assisted them in meeting many of their daily needs. College students, work-ingtowardbecomingfullyfunctioningadults,areexpectedtotake moreresponsibilityfornavigatingthe environmenttomeettheir own needs. For studentswith ASD, who areaccustomedtoamorecentralized highschoolsupportstructure,independentlymaintainingpersonalcare routines,managingmedications, organizingdailyschedulesandappointmentsandseekingoutneededresourcesinamoredecentralized collegeenvironmentcanbeoverwhelming.

Collegeisasocially-ladenenvironmentandthereforedifficultforindividuals who have beende-pendentonadultstoassistwithpeerconnections.Lagging behindtheirtypicallydevelopingcounterparts inemotionalandsocialdevelopment,studentswith ASDcanbeperceivedasnaïveandbevulnerable tobullying. Withminimaladultmonitoringofpeerinteractionswithinpostsecondarysettings,victimiza-tionofthosewith ASDcanbecommon.Suchchallengesareespeciallyprominentinresidentialcolleges wherestudentsexperiencehighlevelsoffluidsocialinteractionandlargeamountsofunstructuredand unsupervisedtime. For studentswith ASD,unanticipatedsocialandlivingchallengesdistractfromthe learningprocessandcannegativelyimpactsuccessintheclassroom.

The realitiespresentedasaresultofchangingrightsandresponsibilitiesandrequirementsfor increasedindependentfunctioning,makethetransitiontoandsuccessincollegeespeciallychallenging forstudentswith ASD.Significantcollegeresourcesaredevotedtosupportingallstudentsthroughthe

7

Taking Action: Mitigating Student and Environmental Challenges

collegetransitionprocesswithstandardinitiativessuchasfirst-yearseminars,academicsupports,and cocurricularprogrammingopportunities. Whilethiscommitmenthasbecomeacommonfeatureacross highereducationandistheresultofmanyyearsofrepetitionandrefinement,thereisagrowingneedto modifystandardpracticesorcreatespeciallydesignedsupportstomeetthe uniqueneedsoftheincreas-ingpopulationofstudentswith ASD.

The scarcity of targeted support services has a negative impact on the outcomes for students with ASD on college campuses.

Taking Action: Mitigating Student and Environmental Challenges Asoutlinedintheprevioussections,studentswith ASDoncollegecampusestodayfaceamyriad

ofchallengesbasedondiscrepanciesbetweentheuniqueneedsof theindividualandthecustomary collegeenvironmentsupports. Thissectionoftheguideservestooutline ways in which collegescan worktomitigatethebarrierstosuccessforstudentswith ASD. NOTE: The specific recommendations and examples provided are based on the practical experience and successful outcomes from the collaborating institutions and contributors to this guide.

Whetherstemmingfromindividualorinstitutionalrealities,thechallengesfacingstudentswith ASDcanbecomplexandmostinstitutionslackadequateand/orintentionallydesignedassistance. The scarcityoftargetedsupportserviceshasanegativeimpactontheoutcomesforstudentswith ASDon collegecampuses,makingitdifficultforthemtoreachtheirpotentialasindependentemployedadults (Gerhardt&Lainer,2011). Emergingpracticesdictatethatensuringthesuccessofstudentswith ASDin higher educationrequires two typesofsupports:thosethatindirectlyimpactstudent outcomes by cre-atingawelcomingandsupportivecampusclimate;andthosethatdirectlyassistindividualswith ASD throughspecificservices. Buildingamoreinclusiveandacceptingcampuscommunitycan have asub-stantialimpactontheexperienceandsuccessofstudentswith ASD.Furthermore,studentswith ASDwill onlybenefitfromspecializeddirectsupportswhenimplementedwithinacampusculturethatembraces themasimportantmembersofthecampuscommunity.

Indirect Support Creating a Welcoming and Supportive Campus Climate

Oneofthebest ways toimprovetheexperienceandlearningoutcomesforstudentswith ASD isthroughapositiveshiftinthecampusclimate,withafocusoninfluencingthe broadercommunity’s attitudesandunderstandingofwhatstudentswith ASDbringtothecampuscommunity. Thisapproach benefitsallstudents,includingstudents who may sharesomeofthecharacteristicsofthoseontheautism spectrum,orthosediagnosedwith ASD who choosenottodiscloseoridentifythemselvesassuch.Shift-ingcampusculturecanbeanarduoustaskandrequiresa long-termandsustainedcommitment–but developingafocusononeorallofthefollowingareashasbeenshowntoestablishafoundationforthis change.

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Raising Awareness and Acceptance Indirectlysupportingstudentswith ASD by creatingasupportivecampusenvironmentcanbegin

withawareness-raisingeventsandintentionaleffortstoincreaseunderstandingand acceptance. Thereis an overall movementinhighereducationtobemoreproactiveinintegratingpopulations who aretradi-tionallyunderrepresentedoncampuses. A move towardsincludingpeoplewithdisabilitiesasaformof humandiversitycanbeaplatformforincorporatingunderrepresentedgroupsintomulticulturalcelebra-tionsanddiversityappreciationevents. Autism AwarenessMonth(April)canbeavenueforeducatingthe campuscommunitythroughspecialevents,presentationsandthoughtfuldiscussionsled by guestspeak-ers,students,orsiblingsofthoseontheautismspectrum. Campuscommunitymembersinterestedinpro-vidingsupporttostudentswith ASD may alsobenefitfromtheimplementationofallyorsupportgroups, creatingaplacewherememberscanshareexperiences,gaingreaterunderstanding andhelppromote positivecultural change.Mediaexposurehighlightingtheachievementsofindividualswith ASD canalsoenhancecommunityawarenessatlittleornocost.Campuslifeleadersandothers who plan communityeventsshouldbeencouragedtoimproveinclusivityintheireventplanning by considering theneedsofthosewithsensoryandenvironmentalsensitivities,allowingstudentswith ASD tobemore fullyincludedinbroadeducationalandsocialexperiences.

Training the Campus Community Anothereffectivemechanismthatservesasabasisforaninclusivecollegeenvironmentis

campus-widetraining, which hasbeenusedinsupportofmanydiverseinitiativesacrossacademia.Such trainingcanbutneednotbemandatoryinnature. To ensurehigherleveladministrativesupportfortrain-ing,theseinitiativescanbeginwithdirectors,administrators,andmanagers;andworkdowntoinclude all who servestudents(e.g.,labinstructors,teachingassistants,tutors,academicadvisors,campuspolice officers,“front-line”officestaff,admissionsofficers,financial aidcounselors,campushealthprofession-als, etc.) Position-specific training helps staff understand the types of situations they may encounter within theirroles;writingtutors may needtochangetheirapproachforstudents who struggletograspdiverse viewpoints;andcafeteriastaffcanbemore aware ofdietarysensitivitiesandfoodaversions.

Ideally,campus-widetrainingwilloccurannuallyforsomegroups(e.g.,residence lifeandstu-dentorientationstafftraining),oronanas-neededbasisforothers(e.g., departmentalrequestsanddivi-sionlevelmeetings),orit may taketheformofatrainingpacket,sharedelectronically,thatincludesitems suchasfactsheets,trainingvideosandlinkstorelevantarticles.Providingongoingprofessionaldevelop-ment opportunitiesallowsfortheinclusionofnewemployeesandthosehiredonatemporarybasis(e.g., adjunctfaculty), who may have limitedaccesstouniversitytrainingresources.

There are many effective strategies for the delivery of such training, including helping participants considertheir own personalconnectionstoautism.Identifyingpersonal connectionsallowsparticipants tomoreeasilyrelatetothechallengesandrealitiesforcollegestudentswith ASD, which canincrease empathyandpositiveperceptions. Additionally,studentswith ASDorthosewithsiblingsontheautism spectrumcanbebroughtintothetrainingprocesstosharefirst-handexperiences. Anopendialogue format,managedwithappropriatesensitivity,encouragestraineeparticipationandisabeneficialmethod ofemphasizingthestrengthsofthe ASDpopulationinadditiontoaddressing any stigmasassociatedwith autism.

Facultytraining,specifically,canalsoincorporatethebenefitsofstrongpedagogicalmethodolo-gyandeffective,inclusiveclassroommanagementthatwillpositivelyimpactallstudents. Trainingshould focusonassistingfacultyinunderstandingtheimportanceof directcommunication,includingtheuseof

Some of the unique supports needed by students with ASD are not addressed within a traditional accomodations or support services framework.

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detailedsyllabi,concretelanguageandclearfeedbackwhenworkingwithstudentswith ASD. Facultyshouldbetrainedtoconsiderthepotentialforsomeflexibilityinthedeliveryofassignedcourse work(e.g.,alternativestopublicspeaking),aswellasideasrelatedtothe facilitationofgroupwork(e.g., designatingclearrolesandmonitoringprogress). Additionalrelevantpracticesmightincludeincorporat-ingastatementintothesyllabusthatreflectsarespectfordiversityandinclusiveness,utilizingavariety ofcontentpresentationmethodstoaddressavarietyoflearningstyles. Trainingmightincludeproviding facultywithtipsforstructuringclassroomdiscussions.

Throughoutalltraining,facultyandstaffshouldbereassuredthatsupporting studentswith ASD doesnotequatetoprovidingspecialprivileges.Nomodificationstotheeducationalstandardsorcourse requirementsarerequired;however,directandsupportivefeedbacksurroundingexpectations,including thoseforappropriateclassroombehavior,cansignificantlyassiststudentswith ASDtobecomecontribut-ingmembersoftheclassroom.

Developing Campus Expertise Anothermethodofindirectsupportinvolvesprovidingconsultativeresourcestocampuscom-

munitymembers who interactwithstudentswith ASD. The availabilityofdesignatedcampusexperts familiarwiththe ASDpopulationcanaidthecampuscommunity(faculty,staffandstudents)tobetter understandtheinteractionsorbehaviorsofstudentswith ASD thataresometimesdifficulttointerpret. A specially-trainedgroupwouldideallyconsistofindividualsfromvariouskeydepartments(e.g.,disability services,residencelife,campuspolice,etc.) who couldserveasresourcestocolleaguesintheirrespec-tive offices.Campusesmightconsidertheestablishmentofa disabilityliaisonineachacademicdepart-ment who couldadvisefacultyoneffectivemethodsofinstructionaldesignandstrategiestoapproach variousscenarios,promotingincreasedflexibilityinteaching. Aliaison may alsoassistfacultymembers ininterpretingunusualbehaviorintheclassroom. For example,thebehaviorofastudent who continu-allyapproachestheboardduringalecture may bemisunderstoodasdisruptivebut may simplybethe student’sresponsetoearlierdirectionto“writedowneverythingIputonthewhiteboard”.

Enhancing Existing Programs and Services Mostcolleges have existingprograms,servicesandsupportnetworksinplaceforallstudents.

Inmanycases,slightmodificationstotheseexistingefforts may makethemmoreaccessibletostudents with ASD,whetherornotthey have disclosedtheirdiagnosis. The appropriatedevelopmentofthese resourcescanbeavitalcomponentinthesuccessofallstudents, includingthosewith ASD. Anexample ofsuccessthroughthisstrategyinastandardtutoringcentermightbea shift fromadrop-inappointment modeltoamodelthatincludesindividualizedrecurringappointments. Thisshiftmightbettermeetthe needsofallstudentsbutisparticularlybeneficialtostudents with ASD who thriveonpredictabilityand routine.Settingupsimilarregularlyscheduledappointmentswithuniversitysupportstaff(e.g.,advisors oracademiccoaches)canprovideanincreasedlevelofoversightandsupportandprovidetherepetition thatassiststhesestudents’inmasteringcompetenciesthat mightbemetinasinglemeetingfortypically developingstudents.

Thisapproachalsocanbeexpandedasadirectsupportforthosestudents who chosetodisclose a ASDdiagnosis. For example,atutoringcentermightbeabletoidentifyspecific tutoringstaffwithaddi-tionalexperienceinworkingspecificallywithstudents who have needsbeyondthosetypicallyaddressed by generaltutors.Otherexamplesoftargetedservicesforstudents who areformallyidentifiedasbeing ontheautismspectrumareoutlinedinthefollowingsection.

Direct Support Developing Targeted Services for Students with ASD Inadditiontoindirectapproachesthatbroadlyaddressthedevelopmentofamoreinclusiveand

supportivecampusclimate,somecampuses may considerthecreationoftargetedsupportservicesto more directlyimpactthesuccessofindividualstudentswith ASD.Basedonthesizeofthepopulationof studentswith ASDand/orthecomplexitiesoftheirneeds,someinstitutions may choosetoexplorethe developmentofacomprehensivesupportprogramwhileothers may relyuponamoreadhocapproach,

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respondingasneedsarise. Asisthecaseformanyunderrepresentedbutgrowingpopulationsoncollege campusestoday(race/ethnicgroups,firstgeneration, low income,veterans,returningadultlearners,and studentswithdisabilities)targetedsupportservicescanbeverysuccessfulinincreasingpersistenceand graduationrates.

The following section provides examples of direct supports drawn from the established, compre-hensive support programs of the collaborating institutions which contributed to this guide.

Coaching and Mentoring Ingeneral,coachingandmentoringallowforthedevelopmentofsupportive,nonjudgmentalre-

lationshipsthatfacilitatetheidentificationandattainmentof goals,aswellasthegrowthofcompetencies throughmodelingandguiding. Throughnon-directivecoachingrelationships,studentslearntocapitalize ontheirpositiveattributesandareassistedintheidentificationand progressionofchosengoals.During theinteractiveanditerativecoachingprocess,frequentfeedbackandsupporteddecision-makingleadsto a senseofmastery. Althoughoftencarriedoutinaone-on-oneformat,coachingandmentoringcanalso beofferedintheformofsupportgroupsorsmallgroup seminars.Professionalsorpeerscanserveinthe roleoflifecoach,socialmentor,etc.,andmeetings may bestructured,unstructuredorstudent-led.Peer mentors,inparticular,canhelpwithself-acceptanceandthebolsteringof self-esteemthroughvicarious learningopportunities.Observingandexperimentingwithnew behaviorsamongstacceptingpeermen-torscanbuildconfidenceandpositivefeelingsforstudentswith ASD. Withmasteryexperiencesinthese “safe”environments,studentswith ASDaremorelikelytotrynewbehaviorsinothersettings,facilitating socialconnectednessandfurtheringacademicsuccess.

Targeted Instruction Studentswith ASDoftenbenefitfromtargetedinstructioninthoseareaswhereappropriateskills

orknowledgearedeterminedtobelacking.Suchinstructioncanbedeliveredindividually(e.g.,tutoring) orinsmallgroups(e.g.,seminars,mandatorystudyperiods,orsemester-longcourses)eitherthroughan establishedscheduleoronanas-neededbasis.Insomecasesit may bepossibletomodifyexistingin-structionalmaterials.Inthesecasescareshouldbetakento ensurethematerialismodifiedtoaddressthe skilldeficitsofstudentswith ASD. The focusofinstructionislimitlessbutcanincludeexecutivefunction-ingtraining,studyskillsinstruction,socialthinkingskillbuilding, leadershipdevelopmentthroughcom-munityoutreach(e.g.,speakingatanautismawarenessevent),careerpreparationworkshops,sensory integrationcounseling,mindfulnessmeditation,socialanxietygroups orrelationshipskillsgroups.

Transition Programming For firstyearstudentswith ASD,theinitialintroductiontocollegeandthenewstudent orienta-

tionexperiencecanbeanoverwhelmingandover-stimulatingexperience. Thosewith ASD have the addedburdenofattemptingtomitigatefunctionallimitations, suchasadaptingtounstructuredand socially-embedded environments.Pre-college,specializedorientationorsummer preparationprograms canequipstudentswith ASDwithtoolstohelpthemacclimatetonewsurroundingsand begintoestab-lishpeerrelationships,aswellasprovidethemwithtimetoproactivelyarrangeforappropriateaccom-modationsand/orsupportservicespriortothestartofthe academicyear,whilecampusislesscrowded. Structuredtransitionprogrammingcanincludeguidanceinnavigatingthecollegecampus,introductions tokeypersonnel(e.g.,academicadvisingstaff),self-advocacytraining,independent-livinginstruction (e.g.,navigatingdininghallsorotherfacilities),appropriate professionalcommunicationpractices(e.g., respondingtoemails)aswellastimemanagementandacademic skill-buildingsessions. Theseprograms canrangeinlengthfromone day toseveralweeks,andthelatter may incorporatethecompletionofa credit-bearingclasstoestablisheffectiveacademichabitsandpracticestructuringschedules.Manyspe-cializedorientationprogramsalsoallowforearlymove-indates,affordingstudentsanopportunitytoget settledintoroutinesandfamiliarizethemselveswiththecampusbeforethearrivalofpeers.

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Supported Living Designatedhousingcommunitiesforstudentswith ASDcanprovidethesenseofbelongingoften

lackinginthelivesofthosewith ASD, who may have struggledtobeaccepted by peersthroughoutchild-hood.Livingincommunity(eg.specializedorthemedfloor)withpeers with ASDcanprovideopportuni-tiestobuildsocialconnectionswithinasafeandsupportiveenvironment;aswellasallowforincreased oversightandearlyidentificationofproblems(e.g.,social withdrawalorpoorhygiene)forquickinterven-tion. Thesesupportedlivingcommunitiescanbesupervised by speciallytrainedresidencelifestaff, who canmorereadilyrecognizethesignsofastudentindistress andworkproactivelytomitigatechallenges.

Assigningstudentswith ASDtosingleorlimitedroommateplacementsprovidesanother way tocreatesupportivelivingenvironmentswithinastandardcampushousingsystem.Singledorm rooms oftenprovidearefugefromthesensoryoverloadthatcanresultfrominteractingwithabusycollege environmentonadailybasis. Additionally,somesensoryintegrationissues may makeitimpossibleto cohabitatewitharoommate,makingaprivateroomaccommodationnecessary. For example,astudent withsensoryissues may requireaprivateroominordertomaintainsleeporhygienehabits.Somestu-dents with ASD may considertransitioningfromasingleaccommodationtoasharedlivingspaceonce theyfeelmorecomfortablewiththeadditionalsocialaspects ofcollegelife.Itisimportanttoremember thateachstudent’ssituationisunique,andprovidingchoicesrelatedtolivingarrangementsrespectsa student’sautonomyanddevelopsindependentdecision-makingskills. To helpstudentsinthisdecision-makingprocess,it may beusefultoprovideachecklistofindependentlivingcompetenciesandpossible scenariosthatmightbeencounteredinaresidentiallivingsituation. For those who preferasharedspace option,residencelifestaffcanassiststudentsinstating theirneeds(e.g.,needforquiettimeandspace) topeersandhelpstudentsnavigatethecreationofroommatecontracts which setexpectationsforshared livingarrangementsandcanminimizeroommateconcerns.

Residentadvisorsarechargedtodevelopcommunityandcanidentifysignsofdistresswithin theirassignedlivingenvironment.Inthecaseofstudentswith ASD who arecomfortablewithdisclosing, it may bebeneficialtoencouragestudentstomeetwiththeresidentadvisortodiscuss any sensitivities orconcernsaboutcommunityliving. Whenresidentadvisorsare aware oftheindividualneedsoftheir residents with ASDtheyarebetterpreparedtofacilitateday-to-daysupportforthesestudents.

Social Programming Plannedsocialeventsthatincludementorsandotherknowledgeablestaffprovidestudentswith

ASDopportunitiesforconnection,modeling,andachancetotrynewbehaviorsandcommunication skillsthatcanbuildsocialconfidence. Thesegatherings may taketheformofcommunityoutings,meal gatheringsorgroupvolunteerexperiences.Campuses may considerthepossibilityofcreatingadedicated loungeorstudyspaceforstudentswith ASDtogather. To enhanceintegrationwiththelargeruniversity community,socialeventscanbepostedandopentotheentirecampuscommunity,orstudentswith ASDcanbeencouragedtoinvitefamiliarpeers. Additionally,integratedspringbreakprogrammingcan promotesocialinteractionsamongstudentsbothonandoffthespectrumtofurther enhancesocialcon-nectedness,acceptanceandunderstanding.Studentswith ASDshouldbeencouragedandsupportedin participatingincampus-wideprogramming,clubsandevents.Mentorscanassiststudentswith ASDin identifyinggroupsandspacesoncampuswheretheycanmeetotherswithsharedinterests.

Student Empowerment Methodsofsupportthatemphasizeempowermentandself-determination,suchasperson-cen-

teredplanningandstrengths-basedapproaches,areidealforfosteringahealthyself-conceptforstudents with ASD.Developinghigherlevelsofcomfortwithmakingdecisions,andtakingresponsibility fordeci-sionsmadearecentraltothegrowthanddevelopmentofallstudents.Suchdevelopmentwillnotonly increasetheabilityofstudentswith ASDto have successinhighereducationbutwillalsoleadtogreater successandconfidenceinallaspectsoftheirlives.

The self-esteemofstudentswith ASDcanbenurturedthroughthesenseofbelongingthatspe-cializedsupportprogrammingaffords. The establishmentofcaringreciprocalrelationships, which have

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Identifying a Campus Response to Support Students with ASD

oftenbeenlackinginthesestudents’lives,iscriticaltobuildingtheself-worthandresiliencythatallows forcopingwiththestressorsofcollegelifeandbeyond.However,itisalsoimportanttobe aware of potentiallytransferringdependenciesfromparentstocollegefaculty,staff,orpeersasthiscanhinderthe independencestudentswith ASDneedinordertosucceedinthelongrun.

Empoweringstudentswith ASDoftenrequiresempoweringparents,avastmajorityofwhom have hadalife-longroleastheirchild’sprimarysupportersand who may lackconnectionswithothers who arelaunchingachildwithuniquechallengesintoindependence. Thus,empatheticallyeducat-ingparentson how besttosupporttheirchild’stransitiontoadulthoodiscrucialandrequiressetting clearboundaries.Parentsshouldbediscouragedfromcorrespondingwithfacultyorsupportpeopleon thestudent’sbehalfandshouldberemindedtoincludetheirstudentinall emailcorrespondencewhen outreachisnecessary. Awell-meaningparentmightbetemptedtocompleteanonline testfortheirchild duringaparticularlystressfultimeinthesemester,notrealizingtheseriousnessofacademicdishonesty. Beingclearwithparentsabout how theycanempowertheirstudentwillhelpavoidover-involvement and ensurethatstudents move towardbecomingself-sufficientadults.

Campusesseekingtomeettheneedsofstudentswith ASD, may utilizebothindirectanddirect supports.Regardlessofthespecificservicesandprogramsoffered,thereareanumberofotherfactors (legal,logistical,ethical) which mustbeconsideredinthedesignofasuccessfulmodel. Theseconsider-ationsareaddressedinthefollowingsection.

A support model can range from making existing services more accessible to developing a specialized program of support.

Identifying a Campus Response to Support Students with ASD A supportmodelforstudentswith ASDcanrangeinscopefrommakingexistingservicesmore accessible by enhancingcurrentstructuresandpolicies,todevelopingafullystaffedprogramwithspe-cializeddirectsupports. Whatevertheapproach,it’simportanttorememberthatan ASDsupportmodel shoulduniquelyreflecttheuniversity’sstrengths,mission,andculture,andnotsimplyreplicatean exist-ingprogram.It may behelpfultoconsideraprogressivedevelopmentofservices,startingwithafocus oninfluencingthecampuscultureandmodifyingexisting servicestomeettheuniqueneedsofstudents with ASDasfirststeps. Thisprocesscanbefollowed by thefurtherdevelopmentoftargetedorenhanced servicesorpossiblythedevelopmentofamorecomprehensiveprogrammodel,asdesiredandpractical.

The following section and accompanying worksheet are designed to assist higher education pro-fessionals in considering the needs of their campus and the students they serve to determine the scope of services that can or should be offered.

Getting Started: Assembling a Task Force Whetherconsideringthedevelopmentofindirectordirectresources,itishelpfultoassemblean

implementation teamortaskforce. Thisallowsforcomprehensiveideas,awidereachofcampussupport, andtheformationofcollaborativerelationshipsthatwillbecriticaltosuccess. Thisteamcanalsobeben-

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eficialwhenmodifyinginitialplanstoaccommodatechangesincampusstructure,cultureoravailable resources. Taskforceteammembersmightincluderepresentativesfromstudentaffairs,academicdepart-ments,anddirectserviceandsupportstafffromacrosscampus. Ifappropriate,those who areknowledge-ableandexperiencedwithsupportingthispopulation(e.g., thosewithfamily/friendswith ASD)canserve aspowerfulalliesandcanbeimportantadditionstothisteam. Taskforcescanalsoseektheexpertise ofprofessionalconsultantsfamiliarwithdevelopingcollegesupportprogramsforstudentswith ASDor thosewithabackgroundin AppliedBehavior Analysis(ABA),anapproachusedtoimpactcommunica-tionandlearningchallengesforchildrenontheautismspectrum(Rosenwasser& Axelrod,2001). A taskforce may worktogetherforanextendedperiodoftimeduring which keyplanningdeci-sionsaremade.Onekeydecisionistheintentionalplacement oftheprogramwithinthecampusstruc-ture, which oftenhassignificantimplications. For example,aprogramoperatingwithinthedisability officewill have ampleresourceswhenitcomestoaccommodations,but may have adifferentperspective onsupportservicesthanaprogramhousedunderacounselingcenteroranacademiclearning center. Whatevertheapproach,strategiesshouldmatchtheknownoranticipatedneed,theavailablecampusre-sourcesandexpertise,andshouldcomplementthe overall campusenvironment. The taskforce may also helpshapethecampusprioritiesandensurethatsupports (eitherdedicatedorgeneral)alignwithstated goals,suchasenhancingthestudents’accesstoorincreaseduseofavailablecampusresources.

Taskforcesarealsobeneficialforongoingoversightonceinitiativesaredetermined;ensuringsol-id,transparentdecisionswiththeinputofstudents,parents,and communitypartners.Regularmeetings ensureaccountabilityandallowforconsultationandoversightfrominitialplanningthroughevaluation, fosteringcontinuousimprovement. Additionally,anactivetaskforce may bechargedwithestablishing policiesandprocedurestohelpaddresslegalandethical concernsandensurethatprogramobjectives andstudentsuccessremainsapriority. For example,aprogramservingstudentswith ASD may belooked atasanavailablesubjectpoolforresearchdepartments.Inthiscaseanestablishedpolicyfromthetask forceregardingresearch may bebeneficial. Anothersignificantpolicyarearelatestodisclosure, which is exploredinthenextsection.

Issues of Disclosure The issueofdisclosureimpacts how weservestudentswith ASDin two differentways.Inthefirst

case, thedeterminationofwhenand how highereducationprofessionals may shareinformationabouta student’sconfidentialorprivateinformationisgoverned by legalandethicalstandardsandmustbeman-aged.Inthesecondcase,itisimportanttomakeappropriate guidanceavailabletostudentsaboutthe decisionofwhenandtowhomastudentmightdiscloseinformationaboutadiagnosisof ASD.Inboth cases,thedevelopmentofpolicyandprocedurestoguideday-to-daypracticewillbebeneficial.

Professional Disclosure Extensivelyusingthecampusinfrastructuretosupportstudentswith ASDrequirescontinual

interactionandcollaborationacrossthecampuscommunity.Sharingofstudentinformationthrough thesecollaborationsmustbedoneincompliancewithprivacyprotectionlawsaswellasinternalpolicies andproceduresregardingthetreatmentofstudentrecords (Gilley, A.&Gilley,J.W.(2006). The Family EducationalRightsandPrivacy Act(FERPA)protectseducationalrecords, which includesdocumentation submittedtoapostsecondarydisabilityoffice. Thisinformationcannotbesharedwithoutwrittenconsent fromthestudent. The HealthInsurancePortabilityand Accountability Actof1996(HIPAA)protectshealth information,suchasphysicalandmentalhealthconditions,andappliestoentities thatincludeuniversity healthcareprovidersorclinics. Thus,thecollegecounselingcenterorstudenthealthservices cannot shareinformationwithanyonewithoutthestudent’swrittenpermission.

Cross-campuscollaborationiseffectiveinsupportingthesuccessofstudentswith ASD. When professionaljudgmentnecessitatesdisclosureofstudent information,signedconsentformsshouldbeon fileandspecifywho,what,andunderwhatcircumstancesstudentinformationwillbeshared.Separate releaseformscanbeusedforinternalandexternalcollaborations.Decisionstodiscloseshouldalsocon-siderwhetherspecificidentifyinginformationisrequired. For example,there may beaneedto

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collaboratewithappropriateresidencelifestaff. The disclosure may begeneral(“you may have astudent onyourfloorwith ASD.”)orspecific(“Theresidentinroom24isastudentwith ASD”). Beyondthecampuscommunity,parentscanbeintegralmembersofacollaborativeteamandareoftenin agoodpositiontoprovidefeedbackabout how besttoassistthestudent,particularlyintimesofchal-lenge.However,theremustbecarefulattentionpaidtoastudent’srighttoprivacy.Furthermore,there shouldbeafocusonsupportingthestudent’s move towardindependentfunctioningwhilereducingthe student’srelianceonparents. Thus,studentsandparentsmustbeprovidedwithclearguidelinesregarding whenandwhatinformationwillbesharedandthefrequencyofinteractionparentscanexpectto have withcollegestaff.Ofcourse,thepolicyforparentalinvolvementandconsenttoshareinformationneeds toalignwithcampuscultureandpolicy.

Student Disclosure The decisiontodiscloseanon-apparentdisabilityisa complicatedone.Itisimportanttore-

memberthatsomestudentswith ASD may notseethebenefitofdisclosureand may have astrongdesire toavoidbeinglabeled.Studentscanbeempoweredtomakedisclosuredecisions by understandingthe disclosureprocessandthepotentialbenefitsofdisclosure. Role-playingvariousscenariosandinitialas-sistanceincraftingdisclosureemailstoprofessorsisbeneficialandwill providementoringandguidance tothestudenton how toeffectivelyself-advocate.It may alsobehelpfultoprovidestudentswithatem-platedisclosureletterandfactsheetsthatmightbehelpful inworkingwiththeirfaculty.Itisimportnatto considerthatsomestudents may lackanofficialdiagnosisof ASDbutnonethelessexperiencechallenges similartothoseontheautismspectrumthatdisrupteverydayactivities.

Considerations for the Development of a Comprehensive Program Model Providingdirectserviceandtargetedsupportstostudentswith ASDbecomesproblematicwhen

studentsdon’tidentifytotheuniversityasastudentwithadisability.However,wherethereisanin-creasedpopulationofstudentswith ASD who choosetodisclosetheirdiagnosisandconsequentlyan increaseddemandforservices,there may beaneedtoconsiderthedevelopmentofacomprehensive programdedicatedtoservingstudentswith ASD.Inadditiontothefactorsalreadydiscussed, the follow-ing sections address areas that should be reviewed by campuses considering a comprehensive program model.

Whenacampusbeginstoconsideracomprehensive program,it’simportanttobe aware that somefaculty,stafforadministrators may expressapprehensionaboutthepossibilitythatspecialized supports couldattractstudentswith ASDtothecampuscommunity.Itisimportanttorememberthatthe populationofstudentswith ASD who arequalifiedtoattendinstitutionsofhigherlearningwill continue togrowandstudentswith ASD,liketheirpeers,willcontinuetochoosecampusesbasedon overall fit; weighingfactorssuchassize,fieldofstudy,academicreputation,cost,andlocation.Developingservices inanintentionalandmeasuredmannerandtakingintoaccounta growingneed may helptoalleviate commonconcerns.Providingproactivesupportforstudentswith ASDallowstheuniversitytousecam-pusresourcesinamoreintentional way by anticipatingproblemsanddevelopingpreemptivemeasures. Carefullyconsideredsupportsforstudentswith ASDcanalsohelpreducecrisissituationsthatcanarise forcollegeresidentialcommunities,counselingcentersand campuspolice who may beotherwiseunpre-paredtosupportthisuniquepopulationofstudents.

Establishing Program Admission Criteria and Intake Process Standardpracticedictatesthatstudentsmustfirstbefoundeligiblefor admissiontothecollege

beforeapplyingforsupplementalsupports. Aftersuccessfuladmission,carefullyselectedprogramadmis-sioncriteriaallowfortheinclusionofstudentswith ASD who mightmostbenefitfromtheprogram’smis-sionandavailableresources.Programadmissioncriteria may takeintoaccountbothformalandinformal assessments. For example,programs may assessastudent’sreadinessbasedonsocial,emotional,behav-ioral,andindependentlivingfunctioning,allof which serveasimportantpredictorsofsuccessincollege. The programapplicationprocessmightalsoincludeawritingsampleto revealthestudent’sabilityto

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synthesizeandorganizeinformation,orit may requireinterestedstudentsand/orparentstoparticipatein aninterviewprocess.Suchinterviews, which canbeconductedineitherindividualorgroupformats,can providevaluableinformationaboutthestudent’sleveloffunctioning,aswellasthefamily’sexpectation, and interactive style. Some program applications may require supplemental or third-party documentation, suchasaprimarydiagnosisof ASD,whileotherssimplyrequireself-reportedidentificationas someone who canbenefitfromspecializedservicesforstudentswith ASD.HighschoolIEP’s may alsobereviewed tounderstandthescopeofaccommodationsandsupportsthat may berequiredforthestudenttobe successfulinthecollegeenvironment.Insomecases,thelevelofsupportthatisindicated may have re-sourceimplicationsandbebeyondtheabilityoftheprogramtoaddress.Inthiscase,areferraltoalterna-tive supports may benecessary. For example,previoushistory,includingtheprovisionofaone-on-one aideinhigh-school,out-of-districtoralternatehighschoolplacements,modifiedgradesorcourses,past criminalactivityorseriousmentalillness, may warrantseriousconsiderationaboutprogramadmission status.Reviewingsuchinformationhelpsensurethatstudentsareultimately directedtothemostappro-priate programstobestmatchtheirneeds.

Aspartoftheadmissionandintakeprocess, two challengingscenarios may developandit isimportantforinstitutionstoconsider,inadvance, how torespond.Inonecase,studentswith ASD may have needsthatcannotbemet,evenwithsupportwithinthecurrenttraditionalcollegestructure. Thesestudents may considerparticipationinanintellectualdisabilityprogramor may needtoseekout programswithmoreintensiveorspecializedmentalhealthsupportspriortoenrollingin college. Thus, itisrecommendedthatthesestudentsandtheirfamiliesbe informedofpotentialalternatives. Alterna-tives may includereferraltomoresupport-intensiveprogramsinthecommunityandtheopportunityto reapplyforprogramadmissionafteraddressingunderdevelopedskills.Insomecases,theuniversity may allowstudentstodefercollegeenrollmentforuptooneyear,makingdeferralandreapplicationaviable option.

Anotherimportantconsiderationisforthosestudentswith ASD who attendtheuniversitybut electnottoparticipateinthesupportprogramoffered by thecollegeorthose who arenotacceptedto thespecializedprogrambasedonmatchorspacebutstillelecttoattendtheuniversity.Inthesecases, itisimportanttoensurethatthestudentandfamily have anunderstandingofthesupportsthatwillbe available,includingaccommodationsandgeneralizedsupportservicesthatwouldotherwisebeavailable toallstudentsatthecollege.

Regardlessofadmissiontoandparticipationinacomprehensiveprogram,animportantmessage tofamilies,andonethatisoftendifficulttounderstand,is thatastrongacademicrecord,evencombined withcomprehensivesupports,doesnotguaranteecollegesuccess.Justasisthecasewithtypicallydevel-opingstudents,outcomesarenotpredictableandnotall studentswillfindsuccess

Program Staffing StaffingmodelsforprogramsdedicatedtostudentswithASDv aryaccordingtomanyfactors thatincludethelevelofresourcesandexistingsupportsaswellasthenumberofstudents served,and thelevelofindividualsupportprovided.Programs may bestaffed by disability servicepersonnel who commitacertainpercentageoftheirtimetoproviding specializedASDsupports,throughbothdirect-serviceandcollabor ationswith otherdepartments.SomeprogramsutilizeaprimaryASDprogr amcoordinator alongwithastaffofgraduateassistantsorundergraduatestudentvolunteers, whileothersutilizespecially-trainedpermanentstaff.Inallcasesfundingor

One of the best ways to improve the experience for students with ASD is through a shift in campus climate.


theallocationofresourcesnecessarytoprovidesupportforstudentswith ASDneedstobeconsidered withan eye onefficiency.Itisimportanttokeepinmindthat,insomecases,existing campusresources andstaff may alreadyprovidefullyadequatesupportservicesandtheutilizationof theseexistingservices isnotonlyprudentbutalsoservestoempowerstudentswith ASDtoutilizesupportconsistentwiththe generalcampuspopulation.

Staffingmodelsshouldalsoallowforvariance,asstudents’needs may bemoreintensiveatdif-ferentstagesoftheircollegecareer(e.g.,theinitialtransitionintothecollegeenvironmentandprepara-tionforemploymentdesiredpost-graduation).Itisimportanttorememberthatprogramstaffwillneed tobeavailabletosupportfaculty/staffseekinginputandadvicethroughouttheacademicyear.Finally, itisimportanttoensurethatstaff have appropriateeducationalbackgroundsandexperience.Strong candidates may have previousworkinsocialwork,counseling,specialeducationorotherrelatedfields. Additionaltrainingspecifictocampusrequirements,services,andcampusand programphilosophieswill furtherenhancestaffingsuccess.

Program Funding Asisthecaseformostsupportservices,allocatingsufficient resourcesistheresponsibilityof

thecollege. The fundingsourcesofexistingcollegeprogramsvaryand may consistof any combina-tionoffederalorfoundationgrants,endowments,studentfees,andinstitutionalsupport.Programs may beinitiallysupported by agrantandlaterbecomeself-sufficientviaimplementationofprogramfeesor fundraisingefforts.Scholarshipscanbecreated by sponsors,andotherfinancialresources which can help cover programfees,suchasvocationalrehabilitationagencies,canberesearched.Studentscanbe directedon how toapplyforadditionalfinancialsupport. Aslidingscalefee may alsobeanimportant meansofallowingaccesstoallsocioeconomicgroups.

Inadditiontoidentifying overall programfundingsources,itisalsoimportanttoconsiderpoten-tial ways tomeetstaffingexpenses.Insomecases,oversightofservices,indirectordirect, may beman-aged by staffaspartoftheirexistingrole,eliminatingtheneedfor dedicatedstaffatincrementalcosts. As thescopeofservicesincreases,theneedfordedicatedand/or speciallytrainedstaff may alsoincrease. Inthesecases,theuseofgraduatestudentsfromappropriateprogramsofstudy(e.g.,schoolpsychology, socialwork,specialeducation)oradjunctprofessionals may beeffectiveinservingsmallpopulationsof students.Largerinitiativesorcomprehensiveprogramswilllikelyrequirepermanent,dedicatedstafflines and matchedfunding.Shiftingtothislevelofinstitutionalsupportwillrequirecommitmentatthe leader-shiplevel by decision-makers who seethevalueoftheseprogramsand have theabilitytodesignatefund-ing.

Providing proactive supports to students with ASD allows the university to use resources in a more intentional way

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Evaluating Program Success Ongoingevaluationisimportantforcontinualimprovementandtoensureprogramgoalsare

beingmet. Additionally,students,parents,orotherfundersneedtoknowthattheservicesarebeneficial. Multiplesourcesoffeedbackallowfortheconsiderationofdifferentperspectives:students,parents,the universitycommunity,andotherstakeholders. Thiscanbehelpful,asstudentsaren’talwaysthebestself-reportersor may lackawarenessoftheimpactofsomesupports.

To maintainadministrativesupport over time,aswellastoprovideconcretefeedbacktostake-holders,quantitativefeedbackisessential.Changesinpersistencerates(numberofstudents who usethe programandareeitherretainedorgraduate)inrelationtothoseofthe overall studentpopulation,can provideaclearpictureofprogramsuccess,ascangraduationandemploymentrates.Othersuccessindi-cators may includeincreasingscoresinmeasuresofstudentcompetencies, adjustment,andwell being.

However,certainchallengescanarisewhenmeasuringsuccess. The value-addedfromprogram supportsisoftenrepresented by qualitativevariablesthataredifficulttoempiricallymeasure. For ex-ample,itisdifficulttoquantifyastudent’simprovementinmanagingsensoryintegrationissues. Also, graduationrates may notnecessarilyreflectasuccessfuloutcomeforthisgroupof students:some may transfertootherinstitutionsthatareabetterfit,some may findfulfillingemploymentbeforegraduating; whilestillothers may graduatewithoutbeingabletosecureemploymentduetolimitationsinsocialand emotionalfunctioning.Inotherwords,studentsuccess may notbeconsistentwiththeinstitutionstypical measures ofsuccess. Thiscanbeproblematiciffundingisperceivedascomingattheexpenseofother programming. Therefore,itisimportanttointentionallyalignprogramevaluationwithbothuniversityand stakeholderobjectives,particularlywhentaxpayerortuitiondollarsarebeingusedforfunding.

Regardless of the current situation on your campus, this guide was developed to provide a basis for information and reflection about how to best serve students with ASD in your environment. We encourage you to utilize the Support Model Planning Worksheet in the next section and refer to the Existing Program summaries provided at the back of this guide as you apply this information to your specific campus community.

Changes in persistence, graduation or employment rates for students with ASD can provide a picture

of program success.

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Support Model Planning Worksheet

CampusProfile

• Whatisthesizeofyourcampus(totalenrollment)?

• Whatistheestimatedsizeofyourpopulationofstudentswith ASD?

o Identified

o Not-Identified(bestestimate)

• Arethereagrowingnumberofstudentswith ASDonyourcampus? Whatistherateofgrowth?

ExistingServices

• Whatisthedistributionofgraduateversusundergraduatestudentswith ASD?ExistingServices

• Whatservicescurrentlyexistonyourcampustosupport ALLstudentsinthetransitiontocollege

(e.g.,orientation,firstyearprograms)?

• Whatservicescurrentlyexistonyourcampustosupport ALLstudentsinpersistencetocollege

(e.g.,academically,socially,residentially)?

• Whatservicescurrentlyexistonyourcampustosupport ALLstudentsinthetransitiontothe

workforce(e.g.,internships,careerpreparation,jobplacement)?

• Whatservicescurrentlyexistonyourcampusthatservestudentswith ASDinanindirect

manner(e.g.,professionaldevelopment/training,awarenessprogramming,campusexperts)?

• Whatservicescurrentlyexistonyourcampusthatservestudentswith ASDinadirect/targeted

manner(e.g.,coaching/mentoring,socialskillsgroupsincounselingservices, disabilityservices)?

• Whatisthecurrentlevelofexperienceamongyourprofessionalstaffinsupportingstudentswith

ASD(e.g.,academicadvisors,residentialstaff,counselingcenterstaff)?

• Howpreparedareyourfacultytosupportstudentswith ASDintheclassroom?

• Howstrongisthesupportfromthegeneralcampuscommunityregardingtheneedfortargeted

supportsforstudentswith ASD? How mightadditionalsupportbegarneredpriortoadvancing

programmaticinitiatives?

• Howstrongisthepotentialbuy-infromdecisionmakersregarding targetedsupportsforstudents

with ASD? How mightadditionalsupportbegarneredpriortoadvancingprogrammaticinitiatives?

PrevailingChallenges • Considering the prevailing challenges or issues currently being experienced with or around students

with ASD,whatskillsets(ordomains)arepresentingthegreatestchallengeforstudentswith ASD onyourcampus?

o ExecutiveFunctioning o AcademicSkills o Self-Care o SocialCompetence o Self-Advocacy o CareerPreparation o Other

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ConsideringaCampusResponse • Whatlevelofresponseare you seekingtoachieveatthistime?

o Awarenessandacceptanceprogramming o Faculty/Staffprofessionaldevelopmentspecifictostudentswith ASD o Extendexistingservicestomeetamorespecializedneed o Developtargetedservicesforstudentswith ASD o Developacomprehensiveprogramservicemodelforstudentswith ASD ActionPlanning

Regardless of institutional goals, it is strongly recommended that planning begin with the establishment of a task force. Once formed, this work group may draw upon the campus profile, existing services and prevailing challenges sections above to determine short and long term goals for your campus. Based on these goals, the sections below will help guide the work group in decision-making related to priorities and implementation plans. These sections map to the earlier resource guide materials (as indicated). It may be helpful for the task force to review this material as they consider campus responses. Additionally, the task force may find it help-ful to refer the Existing Comprehensive Program Models (pg. )section of this guide as an additional reference.

Taskforcedevelopment • Whoarethepotentialchangeagentsonyourcampus? • Whocouldbeinvolvedinaninitialandongoingtaskforce?

• Whatdepartment(s)orpersonnelmighttakealeadershiprole?

Issuesrelatedtodisclosure • Howwillyourcampushandleissuesofdisclosurerelatedtocampus professionals? • Howwillyourcampushandleissuesofdisclosurerelatedtostudents?

Opportunitiesforindirectimpact • Whatstepscouldyourcampustaketoincrease Awarenessand Acceptance? • Whatstepscouldyourcampustakein TrainingtheCampusCommunity? • WhatstepscouldyourcampustaketoDevelopCampusExpertise? • WhatstepscouldyourcampustaketoEnhanceExistingProgramsandServices?

Opportunitiesfordirectimpact • Basedonthechallengespresented by thepopulationofstudentswith ASDonyourcampus,

wouldCoachingandMentoringservicesbeapriority?Ifso,whatresourcesareavailableor wouldberequired?

• Basedonthechallengespresented by thepopulationofstudentswith ASDonyourcampus, would TargetedSkillDevelopmentservicesbeapriority?Ifso,whatresourcesareavailable orwouldberequired?

• Basedonthechallengespresented by thepopulationofstudentswith ASDonyourcampus, wouldSummer TransitionProgrammingservicesbeapriority?Ifso,whatresourcesareavailable orwouldberequired?

• Basedonthechallengespresented by thepopulationofstudentswith ASDonyourcampus, wouldSupportiveLivingservicesbeapriority?Ifso,whatresourcesareavailableorwould berequired?

• Basedonthechallengespresented by thepopulationofstudentswith ASDonyourcampus, wouldStudentEmpowermenteffortsbeapriority?Ifso,whatresourcesareavailableorwould berequired?

• Basedonthechallengespresented by thepopulationofstudentswith ASDonyourcampus, wouldSocialProgrammingservicesbeapriority?Ifso,whatresourcesareavailableorwouldbe required?

20


Furtherconsiderationsforthedevelopmentofacomprehensiveprogram

If the needs and resources identified merit consideration of a comprehensive support program, the following areas will require serious discussion and development.

• Basedonthesizeandscopeoftheprogram you areconsideringandtheresourceavailability,what policiesandproceduresmight you considerforan Admission Criteria and Intake Process?

• Basedonthesizeandscopeoftheprogram you areconsidering,whatresourcescan you utilizefor Program Staffing andwhattrainingandsupervisionwillberequiredtosupportthis model?

• Basedonthesizeandscopeoftheprogram you areconsidering,what Program Funding source can you pursuetosupporttheinitiative?

• Whatexternalresources(e.g.fundingagencies)mightbeavailabletosupportaprogramor it’sparticipants?

• Basedonthemodel you developandthestakeholdersinyourprogram, how will you Evaluate Program Success?

NOTES

21

NOTES

22

References

Boyd, B. A.,&Shaw,E.(2010). AutismintheClassroom: AGroupofStudentsChanginginPopulationand Presentation. Preventing School Failure, 54(4), 211-219.

Brinckerhoff,L.C.(1994).Developingeffectiveself-advocacyskillsincollege-boundstudentswithlearning disabilities. Intervention In School & Clinic, 29(4), 229.

CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention.(CDC;2014).10 ThingstoKnow AboutNew AutismData. Retrievedfrom:http://www.cdc.gov/features/dsautismdata/.

Gerhardt, P. F., &Lainer,I.(2011). Addressingtheneedsofadolescentsandadultswithautism: Acrisison thehorizon. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 41(1), 37-45.

Gilley, A.&Gilley,J.W.(2009).“FERPA: WhatdoFacultyKnow? WhatcanUniversitiesdo? College and University 82 (1), 17-26.

Parker, D. R.,&Boutelle,K.(2009).ExecutiveFunctionCoachingforCollegeStudentswithLearning Disabilitiesand ADHD: ANew ApproachforFosteringSelf-Determination. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 24(4), 204-215.

Rosenwasser, B., & Axelrod,S.(2001). The contributionofappliedbehavioranalysistotheeducationof peoplewithautism. Behavior Modification, 25(5), 671-677.

Stichter,J.P.,Herzog,M.J., Visovsky,K.,Schmidt,C.,Randolph,J.,Schultz, T., &Gage.N.(2010).Social CompetenceInterventionfor Youthwith AspergerSyndromeandHigh-functioning Autism: AnInitial Investigation.Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 40 (9), 1067-1079

Tager-Flusberg,H.(1999). APsychological ApproachtoUnderstandingtheSocialandLanguage Impairmentsin Autism. International Review of Psychiatry, 11(4), 325-34.

Thomas,S. B. (2000).Collegestudentsanddisability law. Journal of Special Education, 33, 248–257.

Wehman, P., Schall,C.,Carr,S., Targett, P., West,M.,&Cifu,G.(2014). Transitionfromschooltoadulthood foryouthwithautismspectrumdisorder: Whatweknowandwhatweneedtoknow. Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 25(1), 30-40.

23

Existing Comprehensive Program Models

Pleasenote:Institutionaldatareflectsdatafrom2013-14 academicyear.

Eastern University Private/Public:PrivateUndergraduatePopulation: 2541

GraduatePopulation: 1463

Average SAT scoresfornewlyadmittedfreshmen: 1044

Average ACT scoresfornewlyadmittedfreshmen: 22

Highestenrolledundergraduatemajors: Psychology,EarlyChildhoodEducation,Social Work,

YouthMinistry,andManagement

PercentofenrolledUGstudentslivingoncampus: 92%enteringstudents,73%returningstudents

PercentofenrolledUGstudentseligibleforPellGrants: 47%

NumberofenrolledUGstudentsregisteredwithdisability supportoffice: 100

NumberofenrolledUGstudentsregisteredwithdisability supportofficewithadocumented ASD: 9

ProgramName: CollegeSuccessProgram(CSP)

ProgramHousedUnder:CushingCenterforCounselingand AcademicSupport

ProgramMission: The CollegeSuccessProgramforStudentsLivingwith AutismSpectrumDisorder

providestargetedsupport,practicalknowledge,andculturalawarenesstostudentslivingwith Autism

SpectrumDisorderandtothecommunityofEasternUniversity. The missionisconfirmedandcelebrated

whenstudentslivingwith AutismSpectrumDisorder have equalaccesstoanundergraduateeducation

intheCollegeof ArtsandSciences,cansuccessfullyparticipateinthe academic,residential,andsocial

realmsoftheUniversity,andcanfulfillthegreatermissionofEasternUniversity.

YearInitiated: 2012

ProgramEnrollment: 6

LimitedNew Admitsper Year: 12

SourcesofFunding: ParticipantFees

Staffing: Onefulltimecoordinatorandoneparttimeadministrativeassistant. Two graduatementors

who receiveagrantto cover tuition,room,andboard.Fourundergraduatementors who receivea

stipend.

Program Website: http://www.eastern.edu/student-life/academic-support-counseling-and-disability-

services/college-success-program

24

http://www.eastern.edu/student-life/academic-support-counseling-and-disability


Mercyhurst University

Private/Public: Private

UndergraduatePopulation: 2680

GraduatePopulation: 331



Highestenrolledundergraduatemajors: Business,IntelligenceStudies,SportsMedicine,CriminalJustice,

andEducation

PercentofenrolledUGstudentslivingoncampus: 93%freshmen,68%ofallundergraduates




ProgramName: AspergerInitiativeatMercyhurst(AIM)ProgramHousedUnder:LearningDifferences

ProgramProgramMission: The missionof AIMistoeducatecollegestudentslivingwithan Autism

SpectrumDisorderinaprogramthatequallyemphasizesacademicandsocialcompetencytobuild

skillsforacademicandvocationalsuccess.

YearProgramInitiated: 2008

ProgramEnrollment2013: 22(21 live oncampus)

LimitedNew Admitsper Year: 6-9students

SourcesofFunding: Participantfees,institutionalfundingandotherfunding.

Staffing:1 fulltimedirector,2parttimeuniversityemployees,and2studentworkers(paidand/orreceive

collegecredit).

Program Website:

http://www.mercyhurst.edu/admissions/learning%20differences%20program/asperger%20initiative

25

http://www.mercyhurst.edu/admissions/learning%20differences%20program/asperger%20initiative


Rochester Institute of Technology

Private/Public: Private

UndergraduatePopulation:15,410GraduatePopulation: 2,882



Highestenrolledundergraduatemajors: Two largestcolleges by enrollmentareGolisanoCollegeof

ComputingandKateGleasonCollegeofEngineering, which offeravarietyofdegreesinfieldsof

ComputerandInformationSciences,aswellasEngineering

PercentofenrolledUGstudentslivingoncampus: 95%offreshman,55%ofallundergraduates

PercentofenrolledUGstudentseligibleforPellGrants: 30.6%(full-timefirst-timebachelordegree

seekingfreshmen)



ProgramName: SpectrumSupportProgram(SSP)

ProgramHousedUnder: StudentLearningSupportand Assessment

ProgramMission: ProvideservicetotheRITcommunityinordertosupportthe successofstudentson

theautismspectrum.Directsupportofstudentsontheautism spectrumacrossmajorsocialand

academicdomainsaswellasimpactcampusculturethroughtraining,advocacyandcollaboration

withcampuscommunity.

ProgramInitiated: 2008

ProgramEnrollment2013: 48

LimitedNew Admitsper Year: NoLimit-Maylimitnewadmitsafterstartoffallterm

SourcesofFunding: ParticipantFeesandInstitutionalFunding

Staffing: 1full-timedirector,graduatestudentsaspaidmentors,aswellascontractedadjunctsinthe

positionsofcasemanagers,EFcoaches,andseminarinstructors.

Program Website: http://www.rit.edu/studentaffairs/ssp/

26


Rutgers University—New Brunswick

Private/Public: Public

UndergraduatePopulation: 33,901

GraduatePopulation: 14,135

Verbal-581;Math-631; Writing-596

Average SAT scoresfornewlyadmittedfreshmen: Verbal:581;Math:631: Writing:596‘

Average ACT scoresfornewlyadmittedfreshmen: Not Available

Highestenrolledundergraduatemajors: BusinessManagement,Pharmacy,Nursing,Communications,

andBiologicalSciences.

PercentofenrolledUGstudentslivingoncampus: 47.5%

PercentofenrolledUGstudentseligibleforPellGrants: 9,810receivedPellgrantsinFall2013,30%


NumberofenrolledUGstudentsregisteredwithdisability supportofficewithadocumented ASD:

Notavailable

ProgramName: CollegeSupportProgram(CSP)ProgramHousedUnder:RutgersHealthServices-

Counseling, AlcoholandOtherDrug AssistanceProgram&PsychiatricServices(CAPS)

ProgramMission: The CollegeSupportProgramforStudentsonthe AutismSpectrum(CSP)isdedicated

tohelpingstudentsdevelopskillsandstrategiestosuccessfullyparticipateinallareasofUniversitylife.

The CSPisanintegrativeandcollaborativeprogramthathelpsstudentstoestablishandpursue

individualized,behaviorallytargetedgoalstosuccessfullynavigatechallengesfacedattheUniversity

level.UnderthedirectionofRutgersUniversity-HealthServices-Counseling, Alcohol&OtherDrug

AssistanceandPsychiatricServices(CAPS),theCollegeSupportProgramprovidescommunityeducation

to promoteaUniversityenvironmentthatisbothsupportiveandinclusive.

ProgramInitiated: 2009ProgramEnrollment2013:11

LimitedNew Admitsper Year: Variesdependingonresources

SourcesofFunding: ParticipantFeesandInstitutionalFunding

Staffing: Onefull-timeprogramcoordinatorandundergraduatevolunteermentors

Program Website: http://rhscaps.rutgers.edu/services/autism-spectrum-college-support-program

27

http://rhscaps.rutgers.edu/services/autism-spectrum-college-support-program


University of Tennessee at Chattanooga


Undergraduate Population: 10,297


Average SAT scoresfornewlyadmittedfreshmen: Not Available

Average ACT scoresfornewlyadmittedfreshmen: 23.2

Highestenrolledundergraduatemajors: Chemistry,Engineering,Psychology,Health&Human

Performance,andEarlyChildhoodEducationPercentofenrolledUGstudentslivingoncampus:32%

PercentofenrolledUGstudentseligibleforPellGrants: Not Available

NumberofenrolledUGstudentsregisteredwithdisability supportoffice:1246


ProgramName: MoSAIC

ProgramHousedUnder: DisabilityResourceCenter

ProgramMission: MosaicProgramisaholisticprogramdesignedtosupport,educateandchallengethe

personalandacademicdevelopmentofcollegestudentswith AutismSpectrumDisorders. Through

developingastrongandacceptingcommunityin which studentsareofferedstructure,studentsareen

couragedtolearntogether,supporteachother,andtakerisks,inthehopesofdevelopinghighly

qualifiedgraduates who arereadytoenterthecompetitiveworkforce.

ProgramImitated: 2009ProgramEnrollment2013:39


SourcesofFunding: Participantfees,grantfunding,foundation/giftfunding,andfundraising

Staffing: Onefull-timedirectorofDisabilityServices who devotespartialtimetotheprogram,

40 studentworkers(receivecollegecredit/volunteer)

Program Website: http://www.utc.edu/disability-resource-center/mosaic.php

28


University of West Florida






Highestenrolledundergraduatemajors: Not Available

PercentofenrolledUGstudentslivingoncampus: 20%

PercentofenrolledUGstudentseligibleforPellGrants: Not Available



ProgramName: AutismInclusionProgram(AIP)

ProgramHousedUnder: StudentDisabilityResourceCenter

ProgramMission: To providethehighestlevelofsupporttocollegestudentswith Autisminaprogram

thatequallyemphasizesacademicandsocialcompetency. The goalofthe AIPistoenhancethecollege

experienceofUWFstudentswith Autism by offeringprogramsthatsupportacademic,social,lifeskills,

andcareerpreparationwhilealsoservingasaplatformforsocialinvolvementinextracurricular

activities.

YearInitiated: 2010

ProgramEnrollment2013: 22(12residential)

LimitedNew Admitsper Year: Nolimit

SourcesofFunding: Noofficialbudget

Staffing: DirectorofStudentDisabilityResourceCenterdenotesaportionoftimetoprogram,along

withagraduateassistant.

Program Website: http://uwf.edu/offices/case-management/autism-inclusion-program/autism-inclusion-program/

29


Western Kentucky University




Average SAT scoresfornewlyadmittedfreshmen: Not Available


Highestenrolledundergraduatemajors: ElementaryEducation,Nursing,Biology,Interdisciplinary

Studies,andManagement

PercentofenrolledUGstudentslivingoncampus: 29%




ProgramName: CollegeandCircleofSupport

ProgramHousedUnder: Kelly AutismProgram

ProgramMission: The Kelly AutismProgram’smissionistoprovideaneducational,socialandsupportive

environmentsothatindividualsdiagnosedwith AutismSpectrumDisordercanachievetheirpotential

asproductive,independent,andemployablecommunitycitizens.

YearImitated: 2005ProgramEnrollment2013:41(40inresidentialhousing;1athome)


SourcesofFunding: Participantfees,grantfunding,andinstitutionalfunding.

Staffing: Threefull-timeemployees,threepart-timeemployees,and12studentworkers, who are

paidand/orreceivecollegecredit.

Program Website: http://www.wku.edu/kellyautismprogram/collegeandcircleofsupport.php

30

http://www.wku.edu/kellyautismprogram/collegeandcircleofsupport.php

December2014

RochesterInstituteof Technology•OneLombMemorialDrive•Rochester,New York14623

SpectrumSupportProgram•CampusCenter,Suite2720

Phone:(585)475-6936•E-mail:[email protected]

mailto:Phone:(585)475-6936�E-mail:[email protected]

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