Success in Choosing Higher 

Education… and Staying there
For People on the Autism Spectrum

Massachusetts Institute of Technology 

Cambridge, MA
May 16­20, 2009

Stephen M. Shore, Ed. D.
www.autismasperger.net
1
 INTRODUCTION AND
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME

2
A   L I T T L E   B I T   A B O U T   M E
Introduction

The Autism Bomb

Loss of
speech
&
tantrums

Self­stims Environmental
withdrawal

3
 W  H  A  T        I  S        A  U  T  I  S  M  ?

ASA A complex developmental disability that typically 
(2005) appears during the first three years of life.  Autism 
Spectrum Disorder results from a neurological 
condition that affects the functioning of the brain.
Reframe
DSM Social interaction • Communication
IV­TR  Communication (but no significant clinical delay
(2000) for AS) • Socialization
Repetitive motions and restricted interests
• Restricted
Miller Interests
(2000) Anything that interferes with the central nervous  
system getting the needed information from the  
environment.
OOPS!!!!!
WHAT ABOUT SENSORY INTEGRATION ISSUES?
4
 I N N E R   A N D   O U T E R   S E N S E S
S  E  N  S  O  R  Y     V  I  O  L  A  T  I  O  N  S

i ght s
t l
rescen
uo
• Fl

g b irds
n
irpi clocks
• C h
T i cking Sight
•
Hearing Vestibular Tactile
ircu ts
(Inner ear) • Ha

Proprioceptive
(Muscles & 
joints)

g Dad Smell Taste

n oods
• Kissi ee and
ff d f
- Coeard • B lan
b

Vestibular: Hypo —> Spinning/Hyper —> Gravitational Insecurity

Proprioceptive: Deep pressure, Under mattresses, Weighted blankets
Love airplanes but they mess w/Vest & Prop senses
Brave little kids 5
 A CLOSER LOOK AT MY 
PLACEMENT ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM — Adult

AGE 0 1.5 2.5 4 6 8 10 13 19

E
Typical
develop-
Autism
bomb hits
Putnam
evaluation
Enter
Putnam
Kinder-
garten
Cracking
rocks
Concern
about
Middle and
high school
College
ment of atypical dropping More
Withdrawal developmen Condition Social & Special the letter Finally
V Turn over at
8 days
from
environment
t, strong improves to
“neurotic”
academic
difficulties
interests in
astronomy
“e.” getting it
together but
friends
autistic
Rapid tendencies and weather My friend still often in Dating
Tantrums The Discovered
E
Paradigm shift from
physical and & psychotic says “he left field
wonderful making a Teacher feels like a
motor
develop- Early world of mess of concerns for pizza” and I Discovering Others
watch myself reading and the band really
N being advocated for
ment intervention argue with
from motors while eating math him that he room
parents who Echolalia
BBQ difficulties does not Time to
do
to advocating for one’s self think
chicken
T
refute and return look like a focus more
wings
recommend
ations for
of speech
Loved cats
pizza and
probably
on people
and not their
differen
Eating tly
S
removal but dogs… does not bicycles
from home baby food feel like one
Yikes bikes! either Utopia!

Professor of Special Education at Adelphi University

6
 CHARACTERISTICS OF CHILDREN
WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM CONDITIONS
Overly sensitive Difficulty with hair
to loud noises… washing and brushing…

e
o pl Proble
pe ms wi
th han
nto e… dwr iting…
i lin
s
p in
m
Bu

ea t er… Alw
Picky Clumsy
…
s“
ay
on
the
go”
Difficult …
y paying Only likes certain types
attentio
n… of clothing…
Adapted from Myles, Cook, Miller, Rinner & Robbins. (2000). Asperger Syndrome and sensory issues :
Practical solutions for making sense of the world. Shawnee Mission, KS: Autism Asperger Publishing. P. 5.
7
THE AUTISM SPECTRUM

8
T H E   A U T I S M   S P E C T R U M
Severe Moderate Light

Increasing Variability of Presentation

Kanner’s PDD-NOS HFA/AS

Rosenn, D. (1997). “Rosenn wedge”. From Aspergers: What we have learned in the ‘90s conference in Westboro, MA.  Used with permission

T w i c e E x c e p t i o n a l i t y
9
 SELF-ADVOCACY FOR
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM

10
S  E  L  F ­ A  D  V  O  C   A  C  Y     D  E  F  I  N  E  D

Self­advocacy involves knowing 
when and how to approach others in order to 
negotiate desired goals, and in order to 
build better mutual understanding, fulfillment, 
and productivity. 

Successful self­advocacy often involves an amount of 
disclosure about oneself that carries some degree of risk, 
in order to reach a subsequent goal of better mutual 
understanding. 

11
 DEVELOPING A
SELF-ADVOCACY PLAN

12
MY ADVOCACY PLAN Name ____________________
SCAN: Where is the challenge?
1. Perception of the environment
Sensory
2. How we think
Cognitive
3. Social cues and how we feel
Socio-emotional
ADVOCACY: Explaining your needs
DISCLOSURE: Giving the reason why

SCAN ADVOCACY DISCLOSURE

Challenge Explaining your needs The reason

What is causing the  …promoting greater  Partial – Note specific

difficulty? understanding and in a  characteristic
way the other can  affecting a
provide assistance situation only

Full  –
13
MY ADVOCACY PLAN Name ____________________
SCAN ADVOCACY DISCLOSURE
Challenge Explaining your needs The reason

Sensory Partial – I have 
Fluorescent lights Ask instructor to  sensitive eyes
change lighting

Cognitive Partial – I remember 
Remembering verbal  Request instructor for  things better when I 
instruction written instructions write them down

Socio­emotional Partial – I take things 
Decoding jokes Ask for fellow students  very literally
to tell you when they 
make a joke

14
INCIDENTAL HIDDEN CURRICULUM RESOURCES

15
S  U  C  C  E  S  S     W  I  T  H     A  S  P  E  R  G  E  R’  S

16
SUCCESS IN HIGHER EDUCATION
FOR PEOPLE ON THE
AUTISM SPECTRUM

17
 DON’T   LET   THIS   HAPPEN…
Special Education is ALL DONE!!
I want to be just like EVERYONE ELSE
OOPS!!!!!!
Well…
Maybe I DO need to find the Office of Student 
Support

Paradigm Shift From 
Being Advocated for to Self­Advocacy
18
 INSTITUTIONAL  RESPONSIBILITIES
High School College

• Provide equal access to educational 
• Provide those deemed in  programs, services, facilities & activities
need of special education a 
customized education  A.S.
• Provide reasonable accommodations, 
academic adjustments and/or auxiliary 
aids & services
according to their needs in 
Univ
• Maintain student confidentiality
order to level the playing 
field. • Written policies & procedures (including 
grievance) in alternative format

• Individuals with • Americans with 
Disabilities  Disabilities 
Education  Act/504
Act
19
 T    R    A    N    S    I    T    I    O    N
High School College

• 5­6 hours/day of classes
• 1­2 hrs/day HW
• Frequent quizzes, non­
cumulative tests
• Teaching content from 
textbooks
• 25­20 students/classroom
• One building 
• 4­5 classes each 3­4 hours/wk
• 2 hrs/day/class hour HW 
A.S.
• 2­3 cumulative 
Univ
exams/semester
• Research, primary sources
• 10­300 students
• Entire campus

20
 T    R    A    N    S    I    T    I    O    N
Commuter?
PROs CONs

• Supervision & monitoring • Dependency issues
• Existing support services A.S.
• Stigma, self­esteem
• Smoother transition Univ
• Commuting details (drive, 
mass transit)
• Reduce stress • Limit testing 
• Less worry? • Socially isolated
• Less financial risk  • Less challenging?

21
 T    R    A    N    S    I    T    I    O    N
Residential?
Pointers

• Size matters and smaller is not automatically better
A.S.
• Investigate housing options carefully
• Disclosure issues Univ
• To meddle or not to meddle
• Know thy roommate

22
 T    R    A    N    S    I    T    I    O    N
Tools

• Start now
• Work on self­advocacy & life skills
A.S.
• Listen, support & assist 
• Remember who’s the boss now Univ
• Call/visit/question everywhere
• Documentation & policies
• Transition/orientation programs
• Build a team
• Start now!!!
23
 Self­Initiated Individual Education Plan (Cont.)
Student Who must we get on board?
StudentÕs
(as appropriate)
IEP Team
Special
Regular • Student
Education
Education
Teacher(s)
or Provider
Teacher(s) ­ Student’s Guide to the IEP
­ Helping Students Develop Their IEP
Student www.nichcy.org
A Person Who StudentÕs
as
Can Interpret School System
IEP
appropriate
Evaluation
Results TEAM
to their
Representative
• Parents
ability
Others with
Knowledge or Transition • Special Education Teacher
Special Services Agency
Represen­
• Regular Education Teacher(s)
Expertise
about the tative(s)
   Child
Parents
• Administrators
A Guide to the Individualized Education Program. 
Office of Special Education Programs. 16 June 2002.  • Others
<http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/OSEP/Products/IE
P_Guide/>

24
 M a k i n g   C o l l e g e   R i g h t

A.S.
Univ

M A J O R   K E Y——>S U P P O R T
Family Interconnection is Vital
Friends
School
Other
25
SOME STEPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL COLLEGE EXPERIENCE

A.S
Univ

So
O c ia
rg l
an • Friends
iz ­ Parties
at ­ Appropriateness
Li io • Aides
vi n
ng ­ Carbon­based
Co ­ Silicon­based
ur • Dorm? • Home?
se
w ­ Single?
or
k • Part time?  • Full time?
• Accommodations?
26
 Looking For The Right College (Cont.)
Preparation
• Documentation…
­ Appropriate
­ Recent
­ Suggestions for reasonable 
accommodation
Issues to consider
• Is assistance needed with…
­ Academic Accommodations
­ Independent Living Skills
Questions that need answering
• Where is the office of student 
support?
A.S.
­ What is needed to obtain 
Univ
accommodations?
­ Are they friendly?
­ Do they know what AS is?
­ Knowledgeable?
­ Willing to learn?
27
M a k i n g  C o l l e g e  R i g h t (Cont.)
A C C O M M O D A T I O N S     W O R K S H E E T
Name: Any Student School: Any State College
Counselor: Unnamed Somebody Date: August 15, 2009

Challenge Cause Suggested Accommodation

Taking tests with Visually over 1. Only one question per page.
multiple questions stimulating, gets 2. Two sheets of paper to cover
per page. lost in all the words. distracting verbiage.

Unable to Perception of 60Hz Explore alternate lighting, sit

concentrate under cycling due to visual next to window, wear baseball cap
fluorescent lights. sensitivity in class.

Scheduling long Poor executive Regularly meet with professor

term assignments. function. (perhaps once a week) to keep on
target with lengthy assignments.

28
M a k i n g  C o l l e g e  R i g h t (Cont.)

REALITY CHECK
(Lorraine Wolf)

A.S.
Colleges are in the business of education
Univ
College are not rehabilitative institutions

29
W H A T    M I G H T    B E   
L I K E    T O    H A V E   
A   D I S A B I L I T Y    
I N   A   C O L L E G E   
C L A S S R O O M ? 

Let us find out...
30
D I S A B I L I T Y    I N    T H E    C L A S S R O O M

Now… Let’s tell a story in a round­robin fashion

Instructions:
All you need to do is relate your sentence to the 
previous person’s sentence.

Adapted from: Lavoie, R. (1989). Understanding Learning Disabilities: How 
difficult can this be? (Videotape) Greenwich, CT: Peter Rosen Productions.

31
D I S A B I L I T Y    I N    T H E    C L A S S R O O M

Now… Let’s tell a story in a round­robin fashion again 
EXCEPT
• This time… no words can contain the letter “n”
­ No “n” at the beginning, middle, or end

Adapted from: Lavoie, R. (1989). Understanding Learning Disabilities: How 
difficult can this be? (Videotape) Greenwich, CT: Peter Rosen Productions.

32
IN CLOSING…

33
S  U  C  C  E  S  S     W  I  T  H     A  S  P  E  R  G  E  R’  S
Definition

If you are productive and fulfilled with 
your life you are probably successful
e You
i n t h wh e
are e
xact
s a ll re yo
u nee ly
It ’ n e y right d to
jo u r n o w
be

34
www.autismasperger.net

35