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Anecdotal evidence suggests that each year, more and more students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDS) apply to and are accepted into universities. Given the increased prevalence of ASDS, it is inevitable that your institution will soon be providing support to students with this diagnosis. Identifying students who need support may be challenging; a student may not exhibit behaviors readily recognizable as symptomatic of an ASD; or may chose not to disclose their diagnoses. How can your institution prepare itself to meet the needs of students with ASDS? This article describes three primary areas of student support services that can aide students with ASDS and ensure that they are afforded the same opportunities to succeed in higher education as their peers without ASDS. Specifically, we describe the level of support one university provides for students on the autism spectrum. Even as it continues to evolve, the College Program for Students with Asperger's Syndrome (College Program) at Marshall University is meeting the needs of students with ASDS in the areas of academics, independent living, and social skills.
THE COLLEGE PROGRAM
Nestled within the community of Huntington, West Virginia, Marshall University is home to a program many families find to be a lifesaver for their children on the autism spectrum. The College Program is housed within the West Virginia Autism Training Center, a legislatively funded, statewide agency that serves families with children diagnosed with ASDS. The College Program operates within the College of Education and Human Services - a natural fit. As very few postsecondary programs cater to the specific needs of students with Asperger 's Syndrome, or other conditions on the autism spectrum, the College Program is a pioneer in the field: It has provided support in the areas of academics, independent living, and social skills since 1002.. Many institutions send representatives to our campus to meet with administrative staff and so benefit from our expertise.
Although the College Program does not advertise its student support services, it receives hundreds of applications each year. This seems to be a byproduct of the program's ongoing advocacy at the national level for individualized student support within higher education; of its reputation being spread at conferences and workshops; and, of course, of families learning about it via the Internet. The...