Responding Effectively to Students on the Autism Spectrum Sandy Rutter, Dean of Students, Chattanooga State Community College Kathy Ebel, Asst. Vice President.

Responding Effectively to Students on the Autism Spectrum

Sandy Rutter, Dean of Students, Chattanooga State Community CollegeKathy Ebel, Ass’t. Vice President for Student Support,

Chattanooga State Community College

Learning Outcomes• Increased familiarity with ASD and common characteristics• Commitment to use this knowledge to more effectively work with not only ASD

students but with all students• Understand challenges of ASD for the student and for the institution• Increased confidence to interact one on one with ASD diagnosed student • Increased knowledge to effectively work within conduct processes and procedures• Increased effectiveness and understanding of ASD with BIT teams• Campuses working together to design effective strategies for prevention and

response

Autism Spectrum Disorders By the Numbers

• About 1 in 68 children has been identified with ASD• ASD occurs across all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups• Among identical twins, if one is diagnosed with ASD odds are high that the

other one is also affected. Among fraternal twins, the odds are significantly less.

• ASD is almost 5 times more common among boys (1 in 42) than in girls (1 in 189)

• Children born to older parents are at a higher risk for having ASD• ASD diagnoses as early as 2 years of age are reliable, although most are not

diagnosed until after age 4. Parents notice differences before first birthday.

More numbers…

• Economic costs per year for children with ASD is between $11.5 billion - $60.9 billion

• Average medical expenditures of children with ASD is $4,000-$6,000 greater than of those without ASD

• Behavior interventions for children with ASD cost $40,000 to $60,000 per child per year

(Source: Centers for Disease Control Data and Statistics, 2010)

What Does ASD Look Like?

• If you’ve met one person with autism,•you’ve met one person with autism.

(More or Less) Typical Characteristics

• Normal to above-normal cognitive functioning• Poor social skills, such as limited interpersonal skills, communication

difficulties, emotional/behavioral deficits https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aT8UhqNyhB4

• Difficulty with executive functioning and critical thinking• Difficulty with independent living skills• Poor organizational/time management skills OR hyper-organized and

schedule-driven• Theory of Mind

Students with ASD Transition to College

• 725% increase in the number of students with ASD in colleges since 2000

• Parents are typically more involved with these students than parents of neurotypical students

• Lack of knowledge at the high school level (teachers, school counselors, parents, students)

• College transition bombards students with information overload• Differences in the laws are confusing and often misunderstood

How to Create a Smooth Transition (High School Planning)

• Interventions to reduce deficits in social behaviors (ex: social stories, direct instruction, role playing)

• Career development and planning• Involve the student in the planning process, but the

parents need training, too• May need to teach appropriate classroom behaviors

Transition Considerations (at the College)

• What colleges are doing:• Traditional accommodations through disability services• Regular individual meetings with disability services counselor• Support Groups with weekly focused topics for discussion • Special programs (usually fee-based) with curriculum/credit-bearing classes,

more in-depth counseling and support

• Pre-first semester transition programs/camps/activities to acclimate students to campus and college life

• Peer Mentoring

THEORY OF MINDWhat challenges might this mean for student

conduct?

• Thinking and imagination challenges• Rigid thinking; difficulty in finding and accepting different

alternatives• Responding when things are not as expected • Difficulty in thinking ahead and knowing what is going to

happen next• Lack of understanding of actions on the part of faculty or

other students

Communication challenges

• It may take longer for students with ASD to process what is being said

• People with ASD may take things very literally• Sometimes it takes people longer to describe what they

want or what they did or didn’t mean

GENERAL CAMPUS CHALLENGES

• Roommate difficulties• Conduct issues• Classroom behavior concerns• Group projects• Rejection and alienation by other students, faculty and staff

due to lack of understanding• Misunderstanding unwritten rules and ambiguous directions

HELPFUL STRATEGIES

• Focus on the behavior• Try to understand the rationale behind the behavior as it may lead to

solving problems and presenting strategies• Lying is sometimes difficult for ASD students but not impossible• Be genuine and forthright in your engagement• Recognize defense modes; “Fight or flight” response changes the student’s

physical status and sometimes shuts down the ability of sound reasoning• Give very clear directions; ask the student to write them down or repeat

back information

It’s the right thing

to do!

Increased

visibility of ASD

Commitmentto diversity and

inclusion in

higher ed

Expectations of federal

law

Resources• http://

www.iidc.indiana.edu/pages/Academic-Supports-for-College-Students-with-an-Autism-Spectrum-Disorder

• http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/pages/School-Cultures-that-Support-Students-Across-the-Autism-Spectrum

• http://www.autism-society.org/• leeburdettewilliams.net.• http://www.civilrightsproject.ucla.edu/• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcS2VUoe12M• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mb7Y7ueMBmg (Temple Grandin)• http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/departmehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

mb7Y7ueMBmgnt-education-issues-ada-amendments-act-dear-colleague-letter-provide-guidance-under-amended-legal-standards

Resources, cont’d.• Palmer, A. (2006). Realizing the college dream with autism or Asperger Syndrome:

A parent’s guide to student success. Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley.• Wolf, L. E., Brown, J. T. , & Bork, G.R.K. (2009). Students with Asperger Syndrome:

A guide for college personnel. Lenexa, KS: AAPC Publishing.• Sayman, D.M. (2015). I still need my security teddy bear: Experiences of an

individual with Autism Spectrum Disorder in higher education. Learning Assistance Review, 77-98.

• Adreon, D., & Durocher, J.S. (2007). Evaluating the college transition needs of individuals with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders. Intervention in School and Clinic, 271-279.

• Hu, H. (2013). Breaking bounds. Diverse Issues in Higher Education, 11-12.