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7 Things Students with Disabilities Should Do When Starting College
Students with disabilities may have tremendous potential as well as exceptional needs. But to fulfill that potential in college, they need to be sufficiently prepared, because the transition from high school involves a huge increase in independence. Here are seven key strategies and mindsets that...
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Finding the Right College for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in 44 children in the United States is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) by age 8 (Maenner, Shaw, Bakian, et. al.), but as these students progress through their academic career, it is known that they are less likely to go...
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Assessing Readiness for Transition to College and College Support Services
High school students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), without intellectual or language impairment (ASD-WoILI), are attending college at rates higher than previously reported, but research indicates they may not be receiving the services they need (Kuder & Accardo, 2017). While federal and...
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Accessing Accommodations and Resources to Achieve Academic Success
As students with learning differences transition into college, one of the most important things they can do to set themselves up for success is to understand how to access support, services, and accommodations in college. Whether they are at the community college or university level, students must...
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A Bridge to Employment
As a student’s remaining time in high school dwindles down to a year or two, school district personnel are challenged to meet the expectations of both students and parents regarding life after high school. Post-secondary education transition brings its own set of challenges while employment...
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Supporting the Transition to Employment for Adolescents with Autism
Graduating from high school and transitioning to the world of work is an extremely important and exciting milestone. However, for many young adults with autism obtaining and maintaining employment can present some unique challenges. Unfortunately, despite the vastly increasing numbers of...
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Six Steps for Greater Autism Inclusion In The Workplace
Imagine you have an employee who excels at pattern recognition, thinks “outside of the box” and has extreme attention to detail. Yet, they might not enjoy making eye contact or be the best at reading social cues. This was the case for one company’s new hire that I learned about during...
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Self-Advocacy and Successful Onboarding and Maintenance of Employment
The topic of employment struggles for those on the Autism Spectrum tends to focus on gaining meaningful work opportunities, while the conversation needs to continue by looking at sustaining employment. In a 2018 study, only 14.3% of the sample sustained employment for a period longer than 18 months...
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Ensuring Safety in an Inclusive Workplace
According to the Office of Disability Employment Policy, “Americans on the autism spectrum experience substantial challenges to attaining competitive integrated employment opportunities that match their interests, gifts, and talents. They experience substantial unemployment and underemployment,...
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Community Living in the Era of COVID-19
As we cope with the disruption of this pandemic, many of us are wondering what our new normal will look like on the other side. Before COVID-19, many people with disabilities went to day programs or had individualized 1:1 staff supporting them at work or in activities in the community. Now, because...
