Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a life-long neurological disorder that affects the way a person communicates and relates to the people and world around them. ASD can affect behaviour, social interactions, and communication. ASD is a spectrum disorder, which means that while all people with ASD will experience certain difficulties, the degree to which each person on the spectrum experiences their challenges differs, as do their strengths.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a life-long neurological disorder that affects the way a person communicates and relates to the people and world around them. ASD can affect behaviour, social interactions, and communication. ASD is a spectrum disorder, which means that while all people with ASD will experience certain difficulties, the degree to which each person on the spectrum experiences their challenges differs, as do their strengths. ASD crosses all cultural, ethnic, geographic, and socioeconomic boundaries.
Regardless of the severity of the disorder, people on the Autism spectrum might at times have difficulty verbalizing their thoughts, managing their anxiety, dealing with change, or participating in group activities.
According to the National Epidemiological Database for the Study of Autism in Canada (NEDSAC), ASD is one of the most common developmental disabilities. In Canada, 1 in 94 children is diagnosed with ASD. According to the Canadian Medical Association Journal, approximately 1% of the Canadian population is affected by ASD, which means there are approximately 100,000 Ontarians on the Autism spectrum.
Students with ASD can face a range of challenges in the post-secondary setting. These challenges are often more pronounced in college and university, because of the differences between secondary school and post-secondary academically, administratively, and socially. In addition, students with ASD have often found ways of coping in secondary school and have difficulty generalizing and changing those coping skills to fit the post-secondary environment. An overview of common concerns is given below, for a more detailed description of these potential challenges, please see Common Concerns and Struggles - Detailed Information.
Students with ASD often struggle to understand ‘unwritten rules’ in academic and social environments and may not know what constitutes appropriate or expected behaviour in different settings. Sometimes, what is interesting or important to individuals with ASD is different from what is interesting or important to others. This can pose a challenge in post-secondary environments such as classrooms, seminars, labs, and when interacting with instructors or classmates. In particular, struggles can arise in dealing with:
Executive functioning refers to a set of cognitive processes that includes skills such as: working memory, impulse control, initiation, self-monitoring, and cognitive flexibility. Students with ASD can have challenges with some of the following skills:
All students with disabilities should register with Accessibility Services in order to arrange academic accommodations for their courses. Accommodations are meant to be matched to specific functional limitations of a student’s disability (as outlined in their documentation), in order to provide students with an equal opportunity to participate in the coursework.
Accommodations that may be available for students with ASD may include:
The following information outlines common documentation requirements. Visit our Colleges or Universities section and contact your post-secondary school’s Accessibility Office to learn what documentation is required at your school. Requirements can vary widely from school to school, and it is important to learn what specific documentation is required, especially before arranging or paying for an assessment or expecting reimbursement.
There are a variety of student support services to meet the many needs of post-secondary students, in addition to those provided by Accessibility Services (see above). Some of the services that may be particularly appropriate for students with ASD are listed below.
Orientation programs provide opportunities for students with ASD to familiarize themselves with campus and student services, and meet staff and other students before classes begin. Transition programs help students prepare for the differences between high school and post-secondary school, anticipate and address potential problems, and provide an avenue for students to connect with school support.
ASD specific support groups provides a space for students with similar interests, concerns, and communication styles to connect. These are not available at all colleges and universities.
Mentorship programs help introduce students to the school community and navigate the services offered within the school. Mentors can help familiarize students with new environments and potentially answer questions.
Peer tutoring and academic support services can provide support for students in completing assignments or essays, reviewing and studying for tests and exams, as well as general support with coursework.
Academic advisors can assist students in choosing courses and planning their academic paths.
There are a variety of national, provincial, and local organizations in the community to support individuals with ASD. The services provided by these organization varies, but generally they are able to help support and advocate for individuals with ASD, and to help connect people with additional services and resources to support them with education, employment, government services or other support they may need.
Autism Ontario has 25 local chapters in communities across Ontario. Chapters are arranged by geographical region:
These resources have been developed by various different college and university accessibility offices, in partnership with their local school boards. They are specifically for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
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