Understanding College Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Strategies to Support Students in the Classroom The University of Rhode Island Office for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning Sue Constable Adam Moore

The “Culture of Autism” Different, not less (Eustacia Cutler) Individuals with ASD have unique strengths and interests that should guide our practices While there is the spectrum in Autism, the notion of an autism culture suggests that individuals share predictable patterns of thinking and behavior that guide our understanding and interactions. Mesibov, Shea, and Schopler (2005)

Psychological Theories of Autism Impaired Theory of Mind Weak Central Coherence Impaired Executive Function

Theory of Mind (ToM): Being in Someone Else’s Shoes Is the ability to recognize and understand the thoughts, feelings, beliefs and intentions of other people. It is the ability to know that other people have thoughts that are different from our own and they should be taken into consideration during any and all social interactions.

Some individuals Struggle to understand how their behavior affects you May not realize how their behavior impacts how you feel about them Find it difficult to modify their behavior according to where they are or who they are with May not have self evaluation skills Are not always skilled at social faking

Have you seen this Theory of Mind deficit in your students? Those students who may say something clearly not understanding how that may be interpreted by other students or you? This may include students who monopolize the time, want to talk about their interests….

The Hidden Curriculum Is about how well we follow the hidden social rules of the environment We are always adjusting our behavior to help people around us to have “normal” or “good” thoughts about us, regardless of whether or not we’re interacting with them

The Hidden Curriculum in College When you walk into class on the first day and there is just one other student in the room who you do not know, do not sit right next to that person. Instead, sit one or two rows away from them. Do not shout out the answer to every question your professor asks even though you know it. Give others a turn to answer. If you are not interested in what your professor is talking about, try to disguise your disinterest by smiling, nodding and asking a question. Even if you are very interested in the topic, do not talk for more than a minute or two during class discussions so others can have a turn. Do not tell your professor he is wrong in his teaching, even though you know he is. Contact him privately after class to discuss your thoughts.

It is sometimes assumed that students can… ask for help when they need it work in a small or large group work independently

To work effectively in a group, one needs to: Sit calmly in the group Attend to the group Communicate ideas clearly Stay on topic Listen while others are speaking Take other perspectives into consideration Follow through on responsibilities assigned Take constructive feedback calmly Appreciate diversity

It helps to clarify Classroom expectations (arrive on time, be ready with materials out, cell phones away Participation expectations (asking and answering questions, taking part in discussions by actively listening and responding, reflecting on the readings as well as individual and group classwork). Group work expectations. Group members should develop clear roles and responsibilities for each of them.

Have you seen this in your university students?

Central Coherence is the ability to see the big picture from a collective set of details. Individuals with ASD can be remarkably good at attending to detail but appear to have difficulty perceiving and understanding the overall picture or gist of something (Frith & Happe, 1994).

Weak Central Coherence Many individuals are good at spotting details, but struggle with seeing the “big picture” Classroom problems may occur because student doesn't know what to focus on or may focus on a detail of interest

Let’s test your Central Coherence….

Bottom of the Sixth

Use your central coherence and your ability to draw inferences

Have you seen this Central Coherence Deficit? Those students who go off on a tangent on a small, unimportant detail…. Those student who totally miss the main “gist” of the story…..

Strategies Point out the salient parts of the text and lecture Highlight the relevant sections If possible, encourage your student to research projects based on their interests

Impaired Executive Function Impairment in Organizational and planning abilities Working memory Inhibition and impulse control Time management and prioritizing Using new strategies

Executive Function Students with ASD often have difficulty initiating their work, staying on task and being able to organize themselves.

List what you had to do this morning before you left your home.

Breaking Down Tasks We need to respect the tremendous amount of steps we are truly asking our students to accomplish Many students have difficulty with organization and we need to be able to separate out the tasks into the smaller steps for them.

Organization and Academic Supports Visual Supports Chunk Assignments for the Students Put in the dates assignments are due into the calendar section of your syllabus Some students have accommodations of extra time for tests and extensions for completing and handing in work Clarify the best way to ask for help from you should they need it.

From College Students with ASD On having a “disability”... Well actually I don’t have a choice to incorporate the disability. It’s always there. It’s in everything. On getting accommodations... I wish it wasn't necessary. I wish I didn't need to flaunt my autism to get help. I wish I didn't need help. On how professors best support me... When we run into something that we actually just don't have the ability to do, increasing the consequences for not doing it isn't going to magically make us able to do it. It doesn't work. Find a different goal. No, I do not have a sufficient sense of my own volume. Do we have probably volume control? Because I perceptually do not have this, volume control is probably not the best goal.

On why autism is a benefit: It's the entire way my brain is wired and people seem to think I'm smart. That's one thing. I definitely tend to have offbeat ideas for solutions, just because the way my brain works is not typical. Therefore, some of the solutions that I will come to and that will make immediate sense to me are not typical. This apparently winds up looking like creativity, which I might even agree that it is.

Consider 1 or 2 changes you could make to increase student engagement and success. What specifically would you need to do to make this happen?

What questions do you have?

For more information or questions, feel free to contact us! Susan Constable: Adam Moore: