Student Support: Disability Services
Guidelines for academic staff
Students with Asperger syndrome/autism
These notes provide basic guidelines for academic staff who are teaching and
assessing students who have Asperger Syndrome (AS) / autism*. They describe the
difficulties which AS students are likely to experience and possible ways that lecturers
can help to reduce the impact of such difficulties on a student’s studies and
achievement.
The learning and support needs of specific students are communicated by Disability
Services to academic staff on the Recommendations for Reasonable Adjustments
(RAR) form, through the Course Director. The recommendations are made after the
student has presented evidence of a diagnosis of autism and following an extensive
discussion with the Disability Adviser. These identified needs and recommendations will
be monitored and revised by Disability Services in consultation with the student as the
student progresses through the course.
Autism is a lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder that influences the way that a person
communicates and interacts with others. There will also be rigid and repetitive
behaviours and there may be significantly heightened or reduced sensory responses to
the environment. Most people who are autistic experience a very high level of anxiety
and stress all the time. Asperger’s Syndrome is the part of the autistic spectrum where
the individual does not have learning difficulties and may have a high intellectual ability.
A high IQ, coupled with communication and social interaction difficulties, creates a
complex response to the University environment in such a student. Autism affects
people in different ways but everyone with this diagnosis will have some difficulties
which will be evident in the busy and complex University environment.
These notes refer to difficulties and solutions for pragmatic reasons. However, the
characteristics of AS can be considered in terms of “neurodiversity”. The term
“neurotypical” is used in the literature and in the AS community to describe people who
do not have an autistic spectrum disorder whose neurological development is such that
society in general would perceive as normal their ability to process linguistic information
and social cues. By contrast, those who are “neurodiverse” simply have a different, but
equal way of understanding and approaching the world.
*Asperger Syndrome will no longer exist as a diagnostic subset of autism from May 2013.
Those with this diagnosis will retain it but all future diagnoses will be Autistic Spectrum Disorder.
The student may exhibit the following characteristics:
Rigid and inflexible thinking:
Has a very logical approach to thinking and can become distressed by perceived
inconsistencies and errors. May organise themselves according to their own rules which
are not made explicit to others.
Preoccupation with rules:
Will want to know the exact rules and regulations that describe a task and will be
intolerant of a perceived lax approach by others. May require a detailed description and
explanation of these rules before being able to make a decision.
Difficulty coping with change:
A small change in the expected routine can be very disorientating. A strong routine can
provide a sense of security and order which helps to reduce anxiety.
Difficulty understanding another person’s perspective:
Unable to infer what another person is thinking or feeling from both verbal and non
verbal cues and intonation. Perceived by neurotypicals as lack of empathy. This
constant uncertainty about social situations creates tension and anxiety.
Lack of ability to integrate ideas:
 Will take language very literally. May be confused by idioms or metaphors eg”
pull yourself together, throw caution to the wind, if looks could kill” and respond in
a way that may seem insolent or rude.
 May take a long time to assimilate or process new verbal information.
 May find it difficult to transfer knowledge or ideas from one context to another.
Excessive focus on details
 May have considerable skill at seeing detail but at the expense of the whole.
 May not know where to start, for example with a reading list, or where to finish.
 May have a tendency to procrastinate and then become very anxious about
deadlines.
Sensory discomfort:
The person with AS may react in a highly sensitive way to noises, smells, touch and
lighting which others do not perceive as uncomfortable. This can so severe that the
person experiences pain.
Interaction with others eg in compulsory groupwork:
Social interaction and communication difficulties are diagnostic behaviours for AS.
A requirement to take part in groupwork will be stressful to some extent. Some AS
students are highly critical or intolerant of others who they think do not meet up with
their high standards, and they may dominate a group. Alternatively the person might not
be able to engage in group wok at all and will need time to learn some groupwork skills.
Suggestions for teaching
When you have been advised that there is a student with AS in your class please keep
the following suggestions in mind. It is very unlikely that a student will experience all the
difficulties or characteristics described above. This is highly diverse group and a leading
writer on autism has stated that: ”When you have met one person with autism, you
have met one person with autism”.(Lorna Wing). Please refer to the RAR form for
specific notes about a particular student.
Giving instructions:
 Use clear, unambiguous language
 Be very explicit about the purpose of a task
 For coursework, clearly define what is required, when and in what format.
 Pause periodically to ensure that instructions have been comprehended.
 Avoid metaphors sarcasm or irony (which may be taken literally)
 Give concrete examples
 Write down key points (bullet points are helpful).
Lectures and seminars
 Provide advance notice (by email) of any change in room or class time. Always
make sure there is a note in the door redirecting the students to the new venue.
 Present materials in a structured way, broken down into small steps and explain
how these come together as a whole.
 If the student is disruptive by asking questions too often or interrupts
inappropriately, please tell the student that they may speak when you say so eg
in the last 5 minutes or when invited. Be consistent and always remember to
leave time for the student to speak.
Organisation
 Where substantial projects or dissertations are set, show how the work can be
broken down into chunks, suggest an order in which to do the work and provide a
timetable. Check on the student’s progress. Provide examples of completed
work.
 For reading lists, prioritise reading on the recommended list (the student may
read all or none of this list without specific guidance).
Examinations and tests
 Ensure that examination and test questions are written in clear, logical and literal
language.
 Before exams explain how to prepare for the question paper, providing concrete
examples. Some AS students write very little in an exam because they know the
lecturer knows the answers and they do not see the point of writing it all down.
Explain that the student must show their own knowledge to an imagined marker
who does not know the answers.

Multiple choice questions giving similar options for answers may be confusing.
Consider alternatives.
Groupwork
 Please be aware that groupwork may be very stressful, either initially or in the
long term. Do not ask students to form their own groups. For new students and
first years, please place students in a group.
 Suggest that the group makes clear rules eg regarding punctuality, identifying
roles and allowing each group member to express an opinion.
 Check that the student understands what he or she has to do in the group work
task.
 When the student is unable to manage groupwork please consult the Disability
Adviser to discuss an alternative form or learning or assessment.
Oral communication by the student:
 If giving an oral presentation is not a course requirement and is causing difficulty,
please consider an alternative activity.
 Avoid asking a direct question in front of others.
From to time things go wrong for all students, an individual with AS may be less resilient
than others and may find it difficult to get back on track. If you notice that an AS student
is not attending consistently, whose marks are falling or who appears to be especially
anxious and is not responding to your support, please let the Disability Adviser know.
Further reading
Atwood, T. 2007. The Complete Guide to Asperger Syndrome, Jessica Kingsley,
London
Pollack, D (Ed), 2009. Neurodiversity in Higher Education, Positive Approaches to
Specific Learning Differences. Wiley-Blackwell
University of Ulster, Assessment handbook, August 2010. Please see references to
“Disabled Students” for guidance on best practice for teaching and assessment
Website: The National Autistic Society (NAS) www.autism.org.uk
NAS Information sheet: “University: how to support students with Asperger Syndrome”
Disability Service contacts:
Belfast:
Supportinfo-b@ulster.ac.uk 028 953 67000
Coleraine:
Supportinfo-c@ulster.ac.uk 028 701 24105
Jordanstown:
Supportinfo-j@ulster.ac.uk 028 903 66336
Magee:
Supportinfo-m@ulster.ac.uk 028 716 75218