US College Programs for Autistic Students

Published February 17, 2009 @ 02:00PM PT

left foreground a man in a t-shirt is seated, right foreground a man in a t-shirt is seated, background is a chalkboard with writing on it and a man standing at a wooden desk lecturing. the perspective is as a person seated behind the two men in a college classroom We seem to have a college theme started this week: I posted about a college self-advocacy resource; Kristina posted about college programs for students with intellectual disabilities. Like the ID-specific programs, there are also autism-specific programs to enable students on the autistic spectrum to succeed at college. Here's the list I've been keeping for about year.

Achieving in Higher Education with Autism/Developmental Disabilities (AHEADD) in Pennsylvania

College-based Support for Students with Asperger's (COMPASS) at Fairleigh Dickinson University, New Jersey

Keene State College, New Hampshire (Asperger's Study Group--mentoring program)

Model College Program at Marshall University, West Virginia

Oakland University, Michigan has a support program

UA-ACTS College Transition Program at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Kelly Autism Program's college students program at Western Kentucky University, Kentucky

That list is not as long as perhaps we'd like to see. Does anyone know of programs to add to the list, perhaps new ones that have been started? Does anyone want to start an autism program at your local university? ;-P

My university does not have an autism program. In fact, disability services at my university is so bad and autie-unfriendly that the school has a reputation as one to specifically avoid if you are on the spectrum. Why, one might ask, do I attend it? Because it's one of the only schools in the nation that gives a degree in my primary Interest. Alas. At least my professors are understanding.

More colleges could perhaps do better in terms of providing programs for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. I'm not so keen on moving, for example, to Tuscaloosa (no offense to Alabama, I'm not so keen on moving anywhere!).

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Comments (11)

One wonders if any of these programs employ staff who are college grads and are on the spectrum (perhaps even Ivy Leaguers, hint, hint).

At least one other program is at New York Tech on Long Island:

http://www.nyit.edu/vip/

There might well be people here who would be interested, but it's hard to attract out-of-state students when your nearest neighbor is a 5- or 6-hour flight away! Maybe at one of the community colleges, which are part of the same system as UH-Manoa...

Posted by Mark Romoser on 02/17/2009 @ 02:58PM PT
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Another model I thought of a while back would be a national society for students on the spectrum, possibly along the lines of a Greek organization like Phi Beta Kappa. (Alpha Sigma Delta, anyone?) That way you could go to the college of your choice, as long as it had a chapter, instead of having to pick up stakes and head off to Tuscaloosa or Huntington or wherever.

Posted by Mark Romoser on 02/17/2009 @ 03:02PM PT
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And finally, there would be the option of identifying a small college that was in danger of closing due to declining enrollment, and taking it over, er, I mean "coming to its rescue".

Posted by Mark Romoser on 02/17/2009 @ 03:14PM PT
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http://www.pslstrive.org/striveu.html

A program at The University of Southern Maine

Posted by The_A_Team Kids on 02/17/2009 @ 04:49PM PT
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I have been trying to get the state university system here to understand about the *living* arrangements for three or four years....it's not like we wouldn't pay for it, ya know? We pay for everything else.... (sigh)

Truthfully, a *state* university system has that responsibility to set a good example, or they shouldn't get as much state money as they do. An apartment setting, with, say, a grad student there to monitor - if a student needs help, they can get direction from the grad student. It's not rocket freaking science.

Posted by Moi Bloggg on 02/17/2009 @ 06:16PM PT
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Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas has a program.

Posted by Millie Gore on 02/17/2009 @ 08:02PM PT
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I believe the UofA (Tucson) has a program.

Marshall College (CA) too.

Keep them coming when you hear of them please? My guy will be heading off in two years (fingers crossed).

Thanks
Kate

Posted by Kate Apgar on 02/18/2009 @ 06:37AM PT
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To Whom This May Concern: I am a graduate occupational therapy student at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT. For my graduate thesis I am doing a research project with the aim of creating an intervention for college students on the autism spectrum. Part of my research is to identify academic and social situations that are particularly difficult or stressful for this population in college. I am contacting you to see if you are in contact with students on the autism spectrum who would be willing to complete a short online survey about difficult "typical college" situations. The survey is also targeted to parents of these students, professionals working with students as well as the student themselves. If you would be able to participate in a short (10-15 minutes to complete) online survey occurring over the next few weeks or would be able to contact students who would be willing please access the survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=oMXWEmkIB93wnEvD4z15Gg_3d_3d To maintain confidentiality I will not be emailing directly to any of the students. The online link to the survey is provided to you (or another contact you provide me) and then from there dispersed to the appropriate students, parents, professors or therapists. I have IRB approval and can provide more information if you so wish. Please contact me with any additional questions, comments or concerns. If you are unable to participate thank you for taking the time to read this e-mail and please forward it along to anyone else you are in contact with who may be interested. Again the survey can be accessed at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=oMXWEmkIB93wnEvD4z15Gg_3d_3d until April 20, 2009. Thank you very much.
Allison L. Marks, BSHS, MOTS allison.marks@quinnipiac.edu (914)557-8842

Posted by Allison Marks on 03/19/2009 @ 08:21PM PT
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My son is a junior in high school. I need any and all information cconcerning colleges with support programs. Marshall was highly recommended, Towson, U of Maryland and Marist.

When we visit schools what should we look at that would make life easier for him.

Many thanks

Maria

Posted by Maria Wanzor on 12/01/2009 @ 08:41PM PT
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check out the new program for students with learning and cognitive disabilities at the University of Iowa. Several students with autism spectrum disorder attend and love it.

reach@uiowa.edu.

Sally

Posted by sally pedersonn on 01/19/2010 @ 03:09PM PT
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i hv asperger's - musician, artist, writer. i was an educator for almost 2 decades, hv written music text books for children, produced my own music and currently pursuing a research masters in music composition and inter-disciplinary multi-sensory live art performance. i m very interested in finding any kind of further study programme in perhaps a field of psychology that specialises in autism and in addition if there are any courses in interdisciplinary art therapy or educational approaches to help ppl with ASD. as someone who is in the spectrum myself, i feel i hv a lot to offer to help others in this area but it is frustrating to find no programmes for my specific areas of interest / needs.

hoping to find a programme somewhere?

Posted by spunky kitty on 01/23/2010 @ 08:13PM PT
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Dora is committed to improving quality of life for individuals on the autistic spectrum--including herself! She is Co-director of the Academic Autistic Spectrum Partnership in Research and Education and a member of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network's Board of Directors.