NASPA Presenation on Working with College
Success on the Spectrum: Strategies for Helping Students Navigate the Campus Lee Burdette Williams Director of Collegiate Partnerships Jasmine Lamb Director, Burlington Campus NASPA Annual Meeting, March 24, 2015 Agenda Introductions Some background on ASD/Asperger’s Challenges on campus Strategies Next steps Mansfield Hall Residential and academic support program for college students at local campuses ASD/Asperger’s are common diagnoses Two locations: Burlington, VT and Madison, WI Why serve these students? Economic motivations (institutions and beyond) Political motivations (activism and legislation are pushing us forward) Moral (we have always led our institutions in making our campuses more inclusive, and we must do it now as well) Understanding ASD/AS Increase in reported cases (“1 in 68”CDC) No two students are the same Common IQ profile: high language, low processing Students with other disorders may present in some similar ways The Autism Spectrum The Autism Spectrum High-Functioning Autism The Autism Spectrum High-Functioning Autism “Asperger’s Syndrome” High-Functioning Autism Mansfield Hall On campus High-Functioning Autism Mansfield Hall On campus Common Traits Social/Physical ◦ Lacking “theory of mind” ◦ Difficulty reading social cues and facial expressions ◦ Sensory sensitivity ◦ Hygiene issues ◦ Repetitive motions ◦ Motor deficits Language/Academic ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ Rigid thinking Slow processing Talking too fast Odd prosody Difficulty with metaphor, abstractions ◦ Low tolerance for ambiguity, “gray areas” Common Traits Social/Physical ◦ Lacking “theory of mind” ◦ Difficulty reading social cues and facial expressions ◦ Sensory sensitivity ◦ Hygiene issues ◦ Repetitive motions ◦ Motor deficits Language/Academic ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ Rigid thinking Slow processing Talking too fast Odd prosody Difficulty with metaphor, abstractions ◦ Low tolerance for ambiguity, “gray areas” Common Traits Social/Physical ◦ Lacking “theory of mind” ◦ Difficulty reading social cues and facial expressions ◦ Sensory sensitivity ◦ Hygiene issues ◦ Repetitive motions ◦ Motor deficits Language/Academic ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ Rigid thinking Slow processing Talking too fast Odd prosody Difficulty with metaphor, abstractions ◦ Low tolerance for ambiguity, “gray areas” Executive Function Deficits: (sometimes co-occurring, sometimes not) Organizational and planning abilities Working (short-term) memory Inhibition and impulse control Self-reflection and self-monitoring Time management and prioritizing Using new strategies Executive Function Deficits: (sometimes co-occurring, sometimes not) Organizational and planning abilities Working (short-term) memory Inhibition and impulse control Self-reflection and self-monitoring Time management and prioritizing Using new strategies How do these challenges show up on campus? Roommate difficulties Student organization interactions Classroom behavior concerns Marginalizing due to lack of understanding Extensive use of campus services (advising, counseling, disability services) Lack of use of campus services Very important when working with ASD/AS students: It is not a disorder of motivation. It is a brain-based, hard-wired way of interpreting the world. Stress exacerbates traits and related difficulties. Transitions take longer. Person? Environment? Strategies Be direct! Don’t sugarcoat or soften the message. Provide “rules of engagement.” Be patient in conversation and in effort (remember: transitions take longer). Don’t dismiss environmental-based requests (to accommodate sensory issues). Strategies Training across multiple function areas Normalize, don’t problematize Suggest to both ASD students and the staff who work with them: ◦ TRY DIFFERENTLY, NOT HARDER! Why serve these students? Economic motivations (institutions and beyond) Political motivations (activism and legislation are pushing us forward) Moral (we have always led our institutions in making our campuses more inclusive, and we must do it now as well) Next steps Bring the conversation back to your campus We recommend: Students with Asperger’s: A Guide for College Personnel (2009) by Lorraine E. Wolf, Jane Thierfeld Brown & Ruth Bork Next steps Bring the conversation back to your campus Seek assistance from your colleagues in disability services Contact us! We want to work with you to change the conversation: ◦ Training and workshops ◦ Resources and consultation Jasmine Lamb Director, Burlington Campus [email protected] Lee Burdette Williams Director of Collegiate Partnerships [email protected] Mansfieldhall.org
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