Autism Spectrum Disorder is a
group of developmental disorders that affect social communication and social
interaction. Individuals with ASD tend to exhibit repetitive behaviors, sensory
issues, and limited interests. Each individual with ASD may be affected by a
varying and wide range of symptoms, strength of symptoms, and level of
impairment. Other terms used to describe ASD include autistic disorder,
Asperger’s syndrome, and pervasive developmental disorder, not otherwise
specified.
According to
Siminoff, Pickles, Charman, Chandler, Loucas and Baird (2008), 70 percent of
adults with autism have at least one additional disorder such as social anxiety
and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and oppositional disorder.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder, Tourette’s syndrome, insomnia, and depression are
commonly also found in people with autism (Attwood, 2007).
Not all persons with ASD will exhibit
the following behaviors but most will exhibit several to many:
- Repeat certain behaviors or have
unusual behaviors
- Have overly focused interests,
such as with moving objects or parts of objects
- Have a lasting, intense interest
in certain topics, such as numbers, details, or facts
- Be upset by a slight change in a
routine or being placed in a new or overstimulating setting
- Make little or inconsistent eye
contact
- Tend to look and listen less to
people in their environment
- Rarely seek to share their
enjoyment of objects or activities by pointing or showing things to others
- Respond unusually when others
show anger, distress, or affection
- Fail or be slow to respond to
their name or other verbal attempts to gain their attention
- Have difficulties with the back
and forth of conversations
- Often talk at length about a
favorite subject but won’t allow anyone else a chance to respond or notice
when others react indifferently
- Repeat words or phrases that
they hear, a behavior called echolalia
- Use words that seem odd, out of
place, or have a special meaning known only to those familiar with that
person’s way of communicating
- Have facial expressions,
movements, and gestures that do not match what they are saying
- Have an unusual tone of voice
that may sound sing-song or flat and robot-like
- Have trouble understanding
another person’s point of view, leaving him or her unable to predict or
understand other people’s actions
In the college classroom setting, an
instructor might see:
- Above-average intelligence
- Ability to learn things in
detail and remember information for long periods of time
- Strength in visual and auditory
learning
- Excellence in math, science,
music, and art and excellent knowledge in specific areas
- Friendliness
- Punctuality
- Easy following of rules and
structure
- Intense attention to detail
As well as:
- Odd language structures
- Excessive talking
- Abnormal focus
- Talking too little
- Awkwardness – both social and physiologically
(body in relation to space)
- Brutal honesty
- Seeming belligerence about making a point, or
when differing in opinion
- Poor organization and poor time management
- Tendency to lose things
- Inability to see the “big picture”
(Extracted, modified,
and condensed from Autism Spectrum Disorder and Students with Autism in the College Classroom, 18 August 2016)
Some
examples of possible accommodations that a student with ASD may require include
(but are not limited to):
- “Dear
Professor Memos” verifying the need for accommodations
- Priority/early
course registration
- Accommodated
testing for in-class and online exams and quizzes
- Note-taking
services and/or the use of an audio recorder for class lectures
- Allowance
of laptops, tablets, or assistive technology in the classroom
- Regular
advising meetings with an assigned Department for Disability Access and Advising advisor
Each student with ASD is unique, but many tend to think literally and require very specific instructions. The
student is not helped by the common phrase: “Turn your papers in by the due
date.” They may not respond to a directive that they perceive to be somewhat
vague and will not turn their work in. More effective would be, “When you are
dismissed from class, place your research papers on this desk on your way out
of the room. Be sure to upload your papers to Desire2Learn (D2L) by Wed, July
3”.
Below is a list of tips, as suggested
by Atwood (2007):
- Make directions clear and
provide step by step instructions in written format
- Ask student to repeat
instructions to verify comprehension
- Allow student to have
short breaks if necessary – people with ASD are calmed, sometimes, by pacing
- Allow delivery of
assignments in different formats such as electronically
- Extend deadlines to allow
for challenges in organization, time management, and processing
- Provide students with the
option to work in a group or independently if they feel uncomfortable in a
group work setting
- Provide visual supports
to promote understanding
In addition:
- Try to clearly and specifically warn students of
changes in routine
- Be willing to re-explain information concretely
- Help students to see concrete connections between topics
- Establish rules as needed
- Work with the D2A2 adviser if behavior modification is needed
- Set clear guidelines for participation (e.g. 3
times per class) if the student is over contributing or under contributing
- Be aware of sensory overload
(Extracted, modified,
and condensed from Students with Autism in the College Classroom, 18 August 2016; with reference to: Attwood, T. (2007).
The complete guide to asperger syndrome. Philadelphia, Pa: Jessica Kingsley
Publishers.)
Contact
D2A2 as questions arise,
and the D2A2 adviser
will work to assist the faculty member and student in acquiring accommodations
and describing behaviors that are classroom appropriate.
Some
students may reference the special admission support program that is offered through the Labyrinth Center for Autism Spectrum Support, in
addition to D2A2.
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Additional Resources
Teaching College Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders
(Faculty Focus)
Understanding Asperger Syndrome: A Professor’s Guide
(Organization for Autism Research)
Academic Supports for College Students with an Autism
Spectrum Disorder: An Overview (Indiana University Bloomington)
Academic Supports for College Students with an Autism Spectrum
Disorder: An Overview (Indiana Resource Center for Autism)
Instructional Strategies for Students with Asperger’s
and Autism Spectrum Disorders (Ferris State University)
Disability in Higher Education Topics: Autism Spectrum
Disorder (Marymount University)
Classroom Tips for Working with Students on the Autism
Spectrum (Southwestern College)