Sending a son or daughter off to college is daunting and fear-provoking experience for most parents, but if your child has an autism spectrum disorder, the challenge is magnified many times over. Even high-functioning students with excellent academic preparation face difficulties in higher education, primarily related to communication, social skills, and sensory-based issues.For many, the accommodations and special interventions that supported them in high school will no longer be available on a college campus. This parent-friendly book, made especially so because it is written by parents, who also are autism professionals, takes the fear and mystery out of the college experience. Learn how to select the right campus, how to work with Disability Services staff, what legal protections apply, how to prepare your son or daughter to be an effective self-advocate on campus, what assistance can be reasonably be expected from residence hall managers, faculty, and much, much more. The second edition takes a detailed look at: Changes and challenges for parents in post-Covid college applications New and expanding college programs for autistic students The role of parents in the transition from advocating to supporting their student in self-advocating
Jane Thierfeld Brown is Assistant Clinical Professor at Yale Child Study, Yale Medical School, Director of College Autism Spectrum and former Director of Student Services at the University of Connecticut School of Law. She has worked in Disability Services for 39 years. She holds an EdD from Columbia University, Teachers College. Dr. Brown consults with many families, students, school districts and institutions of higher education. Dr. Brown has appeared on Good Morning America, CBS News and NPR. She has co- authored Student with Asperger's: A Guide for College Professionals, (2009), along with many textbook chapters and articles. Dr. Brown is married and has three children, the youngest being a 26 year old son with autism. Dr. Lorraine Wolf serves as the Director of Disability Services and as Boston University's 504 Coordinator. She received her undergraduate degree from Hampshire College, with concentrations in Genetics and Bioethics. She received a master's degree in General Psychology from New York University and a doctorate in Basic and Applied Neurocognition from the City University of New York. Dr. Wolf was a postdoctoral fellow in Clinical Neuropsychology at the Cornell University Medical College. Prior to coming to Boston, she held faculty appointments in Psychiatry at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and the Columbia University School of Medicine. Dr. Wolf has taught at the undergraduate and graduate levels and is a national and international presenter on disability topics in higher education. She co-edited the text Adult Attention Deficit Disorder: Brain Mechanisms and Life Outcomes (2001, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences) and was senior co-editor of Adult Learning Disorders: Contemporary Issues (2008, Psychology Press, Taylor and Francis). She co-authored Students with Asperger's Syndrome: A Guide for College Personnel (2009; 2017, Japanese translation; second US edition in preparation). Dr. Wolf holds faculty appointments as Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the Boston University School of Medicine and as Adjunct Associate Professor of Rehabilitation Sciences at the Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at Boston University. She co-developed "Strategic Education for the Autism Spectrum," a widely adopted support model for students on the autism spectrum in higher education. Her research interests include attention and self-regulation in neurodevelopmental disorders and service delivery for college students with autism, attention deficit disorders and psychiatric disabilities. She enjoys scuba diving, adventure travel and her dogs.
Introduction 1 Chapter 1 Where Have You Been and Where Are You Going? 7 Chapter 2 Finding The Right College 27 Chapter 3 Applying for Admission 51 Chapter 4 Getting Your Student to Campus 63 Chapter 5 Laws Families Need to Know 79 Chapter 6 Who's Who on Campus 99 Chapter 7 The Incoming Freshman 109 Chapter 8 Working With Disability Services 121 Chapter 9 Academic Issues Your Student May Encounter 129 Chapter 10 Housing and Residential Life 141 Chapter 11 Student Health - Physical and Mental 163 Chapter 12 Social and Extracurricular Life 179 Chapter 13 Life after College 187 Conclusion 199 References 203 Recommended Readings 205
Parents need to teach their kids basic skills like shopping, ordering food in restaurants, doing laundry, being on time, personal hygiene, and waking themselves up. These skills should be taught long before the child goes to college. They are part of growing up and necessary for succeeding in college. Still, the biggest obstacle for most autistic students is learning to do well in social situations. For example, I had to learn that it was O.K. to cry if I was frustrated on the job rather than lashing out physically. A high-tech company will not fire you for crying, but they will if you throw things or hit others. The authors of this book present clear strategies for families and students with autism to use starting as early as in middle school and going up to college graduation and on to employment. Hard work, the ability to work with others, and clear expectations will get young people where they want to be - Temple Grandin, PhD, author of Thinking in Pictures and The Way I See It"For parents whose adolescent with autism spectrum disorders is considering college, this practical book is an invaluable guide to evaluating college readiness, strengthening key skills, identifying the right match, ensuring the smoothest possible transition, and creating a safety net to maximize the chances of a successful college experience. The authors sage advice and strategies come from years of personal and professional experience. This is THE book our staff recommend to families and educators!"- Dania Jekel, MSW, executive director, Asperger s Association of New England "This book is a true gift to the ASD community. The authors have combined their extensive knowledge and personal experiences to offer a road map to anyone supporting a college-bound student with ASD. The information is clear, ordered, and honest. Charts, tables, and scenarios illustrate possible challenges a student might encounter on campus and serve as checklists along the way. I recommend this book to parents, special education teachers, high school guidance counselors, psychologists, social workers, and the students themselves." - Kari Dunn Buron, MS, autism education specialist, educator and author of The Incredible 5-Point Scale (co-author), A 5 Is Against the Law, and Learners on the Autism Spectrum: Preparing Highly Qualified Educators (co-editor)
