Educational experiences and needs of higher education students with autism spectrum disorder

RY Cai, AL Richdale - Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2016 - Springer
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2016Springer
Little research directly examines the needs of post-secondary students with ASD. The
experiences and support needs of 23 students with ASD enrolled in two universities and four
colleges, and 15 family members were explored in 15 semi-structured focus groups.
Thematic analysis identified five themes: core ASD features, co-morbid conditions, transition,
disclosure, and services and support. Most students felt educationally but not socially
supported; most families felt support was poor in both areas. Transition from secondary …
Abstract
Little research directly examines the needs of post-secondary students with ASD. The experiences and support needs of 23 students with ASD enrolled in two universities and four colleges, and 15 family members were explored in 15 semi-structured focus groups. Thematic analysis identified five themes: core ASD features, co-morbid conditions, transition, disclosure, and services and support. Most students felt educationally but not socially supported; most families felt support was poor in both areas. Transition from secondary school was often unplanned, and disclosure of diagnosis usually occurred after enrolment, often following a significant problem. Many parents provided substantial student support. Thus disclosure of ASD diagnosis and meeting the individual needs of these students are important considerations as higher education enrolments increase.
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