By Dena Kniess and Tony W. Cawthon
The students of today’s colleges and universities have become increasingly diverse in terms of race, gender identity, sexual identity, and age, and now there are more and more who identify as neurodivergent. According to a study by Barri Levitt, “It is conservatively estimated that approximately 11% of undergraduate students are neurodivergent, with some estimates ranging up to 30%.” Neurodivergent students include those who identify as autistic, and now a book, College Success for Students on the Autism Spectrum: A Neurodiversity Perspective (2021) by S. Jay Kuder, Amy Accardo, and John Woodruff, is available to provide much-needed practical guidance to increase understanding and support for this population.
Using neurodiversity as a framework, the authors take a holistic and asset-based approach to recognizing differences in cognitive processing, which they see as something natural rather than as a deficit. In addition to presenting strategies and insights that will inspire and enable practitioners to develop comprehensive and inclusive practices, the book includes helpful call-out boxes that highlight scenarios and resources for campus administrators and introduces each chapter with personal narratives written by college students with autism.
Chapter 1 defines neurodiversity and autism along with different levels and types of support for students with autism and provides an overview of the legal requirements for students with disabilities. Chapter 2 highlights the need to approach each student with autism as an individual while recognizing that there are some common areas related to their success, as well as unique challenges associated with change, communication, disclosure, organization, processing information, reading (particularly identifying important information in a text), sensory overload, social communication, and time management.
Chapter 3 covers information on academic support services related to advising, academic coaching, and tutoring as well as social support services offered by mental health professionals, housing and dining, and career development offices. Campus housing professionals will find helpful details in this chapter: sample accommodations forms, FERPA information, and release forms. Staffing that involves residence life staff, resident assistants, and peer mentors trained to help students with autism is a crucial part of the process.
Chapters 4 and 5 provide information on enhancing academic success and navigating social demands. Students with autism have specific routines, so changes in sleep patterns or in their classes and meetings may be difficult for them to manage; Table 4.1 is especially helpful in revealing the many “unwritten rules” of college classrooms that these students must confront. Chapter 6 covers mental health issues for students on the autism spectrum along with campus and community support resources, which can include mentoring programs, specific support groups, computer-assisted instruction, emotional support animals, and online counseling.
Chapter 7 identifies roles that faculty and staff can play in supporting these students by becoming informed about topics ranging from appropriate terminology, legal mandates, and classroom accommodations to universal design and effective communication. Chapter 8 discusses how the transition to college can be especially difficult for students with autism and highlights the importance of early outreach communications and intentional planning for their first meeting on campus. Chapters 9 and 10 include tips for working with families of these students and preparing students for careers. Chapter 10 provides an excellent checklist for employers to use in creating an inclusive environment, and Chapter 11 offers examples of comprehensive programs for students with autism that have been successful at several different institutions.
This book is a thorough guide that offers sound scholarship coupled with practical tips and strategies for ensuring that these students transition to college and then thrive during their time on campus. Any campus professional will benefit from reading it in its entirety or reading select chapters that speak to their specific role on campus, and there are a few chapters to highlight for housing and residence life staff and faculty. Chapter 4, which includes advice and suggestions for navigating the social demands of college, will be particularly informative for housing and residence life staff as it discusses roommate conflicts, room changes, and interacting with peers. In addition, Chapter 7 provides in-depth suggestions for what faculty and other campus staff can do to create inclusive and supportive environments for students with autism.
A good companion resource for campus housing professionals is the article “Student Life on the Autism Spectrum: Exploring the Role of Student Housing in Experiences of Three Students” in the Journal of Interior Design (Vol. 47, No. 4, 2022), which explores how students with autism handle social situations in campus housing and how their experience can inform the work of designing more flexible housing options. Both the book and the article are must-reads for campus housing staff challenged with creating inclusive environments and designing future residence hall space where all students feel a sense of community and home.
Dena Kniess is an associate professor and program director at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. Tony W. Cawthon is an alumni distinguished professor at Clemson University in South Carolina.