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Considerations for Choosing a College for Students on the Autism Spectrum
Choosing a college requires careful planning. This planning often starts in a student’s freshman year of high school, but usually not later than their sophomore year. When a student is on the autism spectrum, transition planning is a high priority, indeed it is required by law. The Individuals...
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Are Autistic Students Traumatized in Schools?
According to a 2017 study, “77% of autistic high school students play a very limited role or no role at all in post-secondary planning compared to 47 % of students with intellectual disabilities and 27% of students with all other disabilities” (Gillespie-Lynch, K. et al., 2017). Why do so...
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Special Education Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Implications for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder
The COVID-19 pandemic has created significant challenges and obstacles for many individuals and families, including those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and related developmental disabilities (Eshraghi et al., 2020; Eshraghi et al., 2022). Children with ASD often depend on a combination of...
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Starting with AHRC NYC Program, Student with Autism Earns Bachelor’s from Hunter College: A First for Melissa Riggio Higher Education Program
Sam Wilkinson always knew he would go to college. However, he recalled having some doubts after enrolling in AHRC New York City’s Melissa Riggio Higher Education Program (MHREP) at the Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC). The program provides a fully inclusive higher education...
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Using IvySCIP to Guide Data-Driven Social and Emotional Learning Instruction for K-5 Autistic Students
For the past two decades, educators have placed increasing emphasis on social and emotional learning (SEL) as part of a well-rounded K-12 curriculum. Research shows that SEL plays a significant role in students’ academic success (Corcoran et al., 2018; Schonfeld et al., 2015), and contributes to...
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Supporting the College-Bound Autistic Student: A Need for Better Transition Planning
For autistic individuals, success in college lies in an effective transition plan that acknowledges and addresses the increased challenges they will face as college students. According to a national study, 34% of autistic students who qualified for a post-secondary education program attended such a...
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Autism and Education: One Size Does Not Fit All
Having attended many talks, workshops, and education-related autism community events, I often hear the expression “one size does not fit all” used by teachers and other professionals who work with students on the spectrum. It is always gratifying for me to hear people having the most experience...
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The Do’s and Don’ts of Supporting Autistic Students in Schools
As an autistic high school senior, I’ve spent my time in high school juggling 12 AP and IB classes while being a campus leader, whether it be as Vice President of the 60-member club I co-founded or as a cabinet member in an award-winning Science Olympiad team. I’ve also deeply invested myself...
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The School Consultation Project: An Avenue to Support Autistic Students and Empower Educators
Autistic individuals who exhibit challenging behaviors are increasingly likely to hold communication deficits, require supports in daily routines, and are less likely to be placed in inclusive school settings (Lory et al., 2020; Iadarola et al., 2017). As such, challenging behaviors pose a...
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Effective Collaboration Models for Individuals with Complex Needs
Many students with autism require a multitude of services to aid in their success and independence within the school, home, and community environments. These services may include, but are not limited to, general and/or special education instruction, speech and language services, occupational...
