Preparing Students with
Autism Spectrum
Disorders for PostSecondary Education:
The Social, Emotional, and
Behavioral Impact
Sandy Kerrigan & Bri Bonday
Harford County Public Schools
Objectives

To review the updated diagnostic criteria for Autism
Spectrum Disorders (ASD)

To examine the social, emotional, and behavioral impact
of ASD on students as they transition from the school
system

Discuss struggles related to transitioning to postsecondary education from parent, professor, and student
perspectives

Provide strategies for successful transitioning
DSM-5 Diagnostic Criteria
A. Persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across
multiple contexts, as manifested by the following, currently or by history
(examples are illustrative, not exhaustive, see text):
1. Deficits in social-emotional reciprocity, ranging, for example, from
abnormal social approach and failure of normal back-and-forth
conversation; to reduced sharing of interests, emotions, or affect; to
failure to initiate or respond to social interactions.
2. Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors used for social
interaction, ranging, for example, from poorly integrated verbal and
nonverbal communication; to abnormalities in eye contact and body
language or deficits in understanding and use of gestures; to a total
lack of facial expressions and nonverbal communication.
3. Deficits in developing, maintaining, and understanding relationships,
ranging, for example, from difficulties adjusting behavior to suit
various social contexts; to difficulties in sharing imaginative play or in
making friends; to absence of interest in peers.
DSM-5 Diagnostic Criteria
B. Restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities, as
manifested by at least two of the following, currently or by history (examples
are illustrative, not exhaustive; see text):
1. Stereotyped or repetitive motor movements, use of objects, or speech
(e.g., simple motor stereotypies, lining up toys or flipping objects,
echolalia, idiosyncratic phrases).
2. Insistence on sameness, inflexible adherence to routines, or ritualized
patterns or verbal nonverbal behavior (e.g., extreme distress at small
changes, difficulties with transitions, rigid thinking patterns, greeting
rituals, need to take same route or eat food every day).
3. Highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus
(e.g, strong attachment to or preoccupation with unusual objects,
excessively circumscribed or perseverative interest).
4. Hyper- or hyporeactivity to sensory input or unusual interests in sensory
aspects of the environment (e.g., apparent indifference to pain/
temperature, adverse response to specific sounds or textures, excessive
smelling or touching of objects, visual fascination with lights or movement).
DSM-5 Diagnostic Criteria
C. Symptoms must be present in the early developmental period (but may not
become fully manifest until social demands exceed limited capacities, or may
be masked by learned strategies in later life).
D. Symptoms cause clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or
other important areas of current functioning.
E. These disturbances are not better explained by intellectual disability
(intellectual developmental disorder) or global developmental delay.
Intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder frequently co-occur; to
make comorbid diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder and intellectual
disability, social communication should be below that expected for general
developmental level.
Components of Autism
Social
Interaction
Social
Communica
tion
ASD
Restricted,
Repetitive
Behaviors
Diagnostic Changes
Statistics
Why the rise?
Social Challenges

Difficulty using social skills to interact with others in
expected ways

Struggle with nonverbal social learning of social routines
and norms

Lack theory of mind

Difficulty building appropriate relationships
 Friendships
 Romantic
relationships
 Teacher-student

relationships
76% of recent graduates with ASD have had socialization in
the past year
Communication Challenges

Ranges from lack of speech to full vocabulary

Verbal speech may lack expression and appropriate flow

Often unable to understand sarcasm or jokes

Difficulty with nonverbal communication- understanding and
using gestures, eye contact, body language, etc.

Difficulty summarizing or seeing the “big picture”

May lose words or skills they have used before

Often use behavior to communicate
Emotional Challenges

60% of students with ASD have co-morbid health or mental
health conditions, such as anxiety or depression

Anxiety is most common comorbid condition; often impacts
many aspects of daily living

Extreme difficulty regulating emotions

Trouble expressing emotions appropriately

Difficulty understanding and interpreting emotions

Often lack empathy and shared emotion

Trouble coping with stressors
Behavioral Challenges

Urge to carry out specific routines & rituals

Sensory challenges & sensitivity to environmental stressors

Often a reaction to anxiety

Do not consider the consequence of their behavior

Inappropriate behavior may be the only way they can
communicate emotions

Behaviors may increase in settings or activities that lack
structure
ASD in college

A 2015 study revealed 36% of youth with ASD have attended
some type of postsecondary education (30% have attended
2- or 4- year college)

It is estimated that students with ASD comprise anywhere
from 0.7 percent to 1.9 percent of the college population
(2008)

Some colleges have started to recruit ASD students

However, studies show students with ASD have an 80%
incompletion rate, compared with <40% incompletion rate
for neurotypical peers
Brainstorm- What’s the impact?

Group Discussion: Knowing what you know about ASD,
what potential impacts could these challenges have on a
student transitioning to postsecondary education?
Social/Emotional/Behavioral Impacts



Problems adjusting to new social situations and making social connections

Making introductions

Adhering to social norms

Knowing how to become a participant of social groups and activities
Difficulty transitioning to independent/dorm living

Making connection with roommate

Keep up with cleaning, cooking, doing laundry
Trouble with daily routines and skills



May have difficulty with daily schedule changes
Lack of time and money management skills

May not know how to structure free time

Trouble managing finances
Trouble setting priorities

Difficulty with long term planning
Academic/Executive Function
Challenges

Difficulty planning for long term assignments

Difficulty focusing during lectures and seminars

May require extended processing time to respond to questions
in class or take exams

Dislike of small group assignments and discussions

Lack of class participation (planning for and articulating a
response in an appropriate amount of time)

Trouble with bstract verbal reasoning, flexible problem
solving, social reasoning
Parent Perspective

Click here for video

Often feel loss of control or report feeling “stuck”

Students do not often communicate struggles or seek
assistance
Participant Experience

Divide into 2 groups

Role play activity
Discussion

How did it feel to try to accomplish the task with so much
disruption?

How did it feel to be pressured to do the work in the
middle of experiencing so much disruption?
Student Perspective

Click here for video

Can be easy to forget basics of bathing and grooming
without someone around to remind them

Utilize visuals, checklists, and other types of reminders

Easy to fall into anti-social tendencies when work builds
up and social connections are delayed

Must self-impose structure, but also practice flexibility
Professor Perspective

Fidget behaviors

Lack of eye contact

Difficulty following along

Difficulty articulating questions or explaining knowledge
orally

Off-topic questions or other disruptive actions

Students may be resistant to accommodations

“What can I do to make your life easier in my class?”Written list instead of oral explanation

Written expression > verbal expression

Timely, good attendance, eager to learn. intelligent
We do a great job of getting students
ready to graduate from high school, but
do we do a great job at getting students
ready for college?
So What Do We Do?

First Steps:

Start preparing early!

Find out what the student wants and what their goals are

Use IEP Team to problem solve and create in-depth transition plan


Make sure student is involved in all IEP meetings
Use counseling services to role play, brainstorm, and create a toolkit of strategies
for the student

Person-Centered planning

Fade out support or guidance by senior year

Scaffold participation in post-secondary education

Explore the options


“Post-graduate” program

Dual enrollment
Find out what documentation and assessment information is required
Strategies: CBT

Appropriate for older children, teens, and young adults

Takes into account the thoughts, or cognitions, we have
about things, the feelings that result, and the behavior
that follows

Helps students with ASD regulate their emotions, develop
impulse control, and improve their behavior

Structured, goal-directed approach that focuses on
present situations

Adapt using visuals, role playing, etc.

Use consistency when possible
Strategies: Promoting Self-Advocacy

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act


Once a student turns 18, they become overseers of their own records,
including grades, special learning tools, and accommodations
Need to learn to advocate for themselves, including:

When and to whom to disclose their ASD diagnosis

Understanding of their rights

Determining when they need assistance

How to ask for assistance

Must first have self-awareness and self-monitoring

Essential for student to know they have autism and what that
entails before they can effectively advocate for themselves
Teaching Self-Advocacy

Activities to teach Self-Advocacy:

role playing

coaching/verbal rehearsal

creating a disclosure letter for professor


learning when and how to ask for accommodations

talking about what is not working

giving/receiving feedback

identifying options for resolving problems

negotiating effectively

how to use resources available
Build self-advocacy into every day life
Strategies: Social Narratives

Interventions that describe social situations in detail by
highlighting relevant cues and offering examples of
appropriate responding

Can help with transitions, new activities, and activities of
daily living

Assists with learning unwritten rules of social interaction

See example
Strategies: Community-Based Training

Safety training

Crossing the street at crosswalks, walking on sidewalk

How to ask for help

Independently navigating public transportation

How to order at a restaurant and buy appropriate foods
while grocery shopping

“Safety Plan” for what student should do if they are
overwhelmed in a large crowd

Trial run to college campus to practice applying skills
Strategies: Transition Plan

Each student should have a transition plan as part of the
IEP process
 Transition
planning is not a single conversation, but a
process that should evolve over several years

Learning the skills necessary for college should be a part
of this plan, starting before junior year

Use person-centered planning approach
 PATH
 MAPs
Before the Transition

Develop clear, systematic organizational strategies for
academic work (calendars, checklists, other visuals)

Provide guidance in finding the right social groups, clubs,
activities, and friends and help with the initial steps of
becoming a participant

Brainstorm aspects of daily life on campus and provide
written guidelines, checklists, or advanced
training/preparation
What Can Colleges Do?

504 Plans v IEP
 IDEA requirements
no longer apply once child leaves
high school
 Section

In order to receive 504 accommodations, student or
advocate must request them
 Provide

504 will still protect the student
documentation
Section 504 does NOT required an institution to compose a
written plan
What might a 504 Plan look like?

Common accommodations include:
 Extended
 Testing
 Use
time
in separate/quiet location
of computer or other assistive technology device
 Note-taking
 Recording
 Books
assistance
lectures
on tape
 Preferred
 Reduced
registration for courses
course load
 Preferential
seating
Other Auxiliary Services

Academic tutoring

Advising

College mentoring program

Personal counseling sessions

Career counseling services

Self-determination and self-advocacy opportunities

Social skills groups
Post-Secondary Educational
Opportunities

Three main types of post-secondary education models:
1.
2.
3.
Mixed/hybrid model

Participate in classes and/or social activities with typically developing peers

Also participate in classes or experiences with other students with disabilities (transition
classes, employment experiences)
Substantially separate model

Participate in classes only with other students with disabilities

Some opportunity to participate in social activities on campus

May be offered pre-established employment slot to provide work experiences
Inclusive individual support model

Receive individualized services (tutor, accommodations) in college courses, certificate
programs, or degree courses, for audit or credit

No program based on campus

Focus on student-identified career goals and collaborative approach between adult service
agencies, disability support office, and student/family
Characteristics to Look for in a PostSecondary Program

Size- Smaller schools may be easier for students who learn
better in small classes and quiet settings and who may become
overwhelmed by crowded, over-stimulating environments

Location- For students who exhibit adaptive skill deficits, it
may be helpful to live at home for the first 1-2 years of college
and gradually make the transition to independent or dorm
living

Cooperative education programs- Students alternate between
taking academic courses and working in related jobs in order
to explore potential careers and develop work skills

Good disabilities services program and access to counseling
center
College Programs

Rutgers University College Support Program- Douglass Developmental
Disabilities Center

MoSAIC Program at University of Tennessee Chattanooga

Marshall University College Program for Students with Asperger’s Disorder

Kelly Autism Program (KAP) at Western Kentucky University

University of Connecticut Strategic Education for Students with Autism
Spectrum Disorder (SEAD)

Bridges to Adelphi at Adelphi University

College Program for Students with Asperger Syndrome at Marshall University

REACH Program at University of Iowa

Autism Support Program at Drexel University

Rochester Institute of Technology Spectrum Support Program
Resources

The Autistic Self-Advocacy Network (ASAN)

Autism Speaks


Transition Toolkit
Autism NOW

Transition planning resources
Resources

Review of handouts in folder
References
CBS News staff, (2015). Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/media/autism-awarenesscollege-programs-for-students-on-the-spectrum
Herman, (2015). Autistic Spectrum Disorders: Social Behavior Problems. Retrieved from
http://www.autisticspectrums.com
Hurewitz, F. & Berger, P. (2008). Preparing Students with Autism for College, and Preparing
Colleges for Students with Autism. Speaker’s Journal, 8(11), 109-117.
Kelley, L. M.& Joseph, B.C. (2014). Rethinking Higher Education for Students with Autism
Spectrum Disorders: The Importance of Adult Transitions.
Murray, N. (2015, May 14). High School Sets up Autistic Kids to Fail in College; Here’s how to
Fix the Problem. Vox. Retrieved from http://www.vox.com/2015/5/14/8594375/highschool-sets-up-autistic-kids-to-fail-in-college-heres-how-to-fix
Preparing for Postsecondary Education. (2013). Autism Speaks Inc. Retrieved from
https://www.autismspeaks.org/family-services/resource-library/post-secondaryeducation-resources
Zaks, Z. (2013). Interventions for Children with Autism-Related Disorders. John Archer School
Presentation.