Educators
Autism in the Classroom: Making Education Accessible
Autistic STEM grad student Patrick Dwyer recommends families and autistic students take a self-guided campus tour. Video tour of UC Davis, packed with tips.
3 min read
Families
83 articles in Families
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Families
Notes from the field: Inclusive college models & tools for autistic students who have intellectual disabilities
STS is proud of our work to support autistic students in the college transition, particularly in STEM fields. Much of our content is geared for students whose main challenges may be less about academics and more about…
13 min read
Families
Interview with Autistic Self-Advocate Haley Moss
I reached out to Haley Moss a few months ago about conducting an interview around autistic self-advocacy, and I was so pleased when she agreed to…
12 min read
Families
Autism & College Friendships: A Conversation
Alex Shankland is a close friend of mine from Tufts University. We met in freshman year. I told him I was autistic a few weeks later. We’ve been friends ever since. Justin Robbins: Can you…
5 min read
Families
Autism & Employment: the Technology Consulting Industry
We know there are many different paths to a STEM career, and other STS contributors have written about [approaches to your time at…
8 min read
Educators
Neurodiversity Hub: Global Work on Autism, College & Jobs
Earlier this summer, a tweet from Andrew Eddy of Untapped in Australia caught my eye. I reached out to learn more about his organization and their…
8 min read
Educators
Intersectionality, Autism & STEM College Outcomes
Editorial Board Member Arianne Garcia considers the way various forms of discrimination can compound negative STEM college outcomes for autistic students in relation to race, gender, and sexuality. She begins by…
11 min read
Educators
On Inclusive Hiring: Diversity Consultant Sam Ellison, Part II
In Part Two of my interview with Boston-based diversity consultant Sam Ellison, we discuss how both upper management and general employees have responsibilities when creating institutional change. ([Read Part One…
6 min read
Families
Autism & College: Build Your Social Confidence Levels
Building social confidence levels means being prepared and knowledgeable in a variety of common situations. Learn more here.
10 min read
Families
Q & A With Autism College Transition Consultant: On Privacy Laws
Understanding privacy laws in relation to autism and college student rights can help students and families prepare for the college transition.
1 min read
Educators
On Creating a STEM Familia: Dr. Lisette Torres
Dr. Lisette Torres on creating a STEM familia or family. Why a sense of connection can be important for STEM populations underrepresented in college.
5 min read
Families
An Introduction for Autistic Students: the Social Dynamics of College and University Classrooms
Social dynamics of college classrooms for autistic students. STEM grad student Patrick Dwyer gives an overview of how college differs from high school.
9 min read
Families
Campus Tour for Autistic Students
Autistic STEM grad student Patrick Dwyer recommends families and autistic students take a self-guided campus tour. Video tour of UC Davis, packed with tips.
1 min read
Families
Transition Programs: an Overview for Autistic Students Going to College
Contributor Chelsea Harris explores college transition programs for autistic students as well as the transition process, including different support models.
5 min read
Families
Disability Services Offices (DSO) & Autism in College
Video interview. Patrick Dwyer and UC Davis Disability Specialist Dr. Joseph Spector discuss the role of Disability Services Offices on campuses.
1 min read
Educators
Exploring Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment: An Interview with College Student Jake Keene
Hear about one student's experience in an inclusive concurrent enrollment program, and what he's up to in college now.
9 min read
Families
Spectrum Q & A With College Transition Consultant Susan Woods: Declaring a Disability
Brief video. Declaring a disability in college? College transition expert Susan Woods introduces families to the basics in order to access accommodations.
1 min read
Families
College Student Housing: Answers for Autistic Students
Video overview of college student housing with STEM grad student Patrick Dwyer. Noise, room accommodations, issues with roommates, and more.
1 min read
Families
Autism and STEM: Career Considerations for Students
Sometimes we hear a lot about autism and STEM, and it can feel unthoughtful. Here, contributor Katie Matthews helps students clarify whether a STEM field might be a match for them, and which particular fields could be a good fit.
6 min read
Families
Community College Focus: Chuck Sekafetz, Electronics Department Chair at Chemeketa Community College
Autistic students do come through the CWE program in our department...We find that the student who has gone through CWE with an employer has an easier time transitioning to full time employment due to the created familiarity with the employer and/or coworkers.
7 min read
Families
Autistic Professional Profiles: Quality Assurance Specialist, Aerospace Engineering and Manufacturing Company
Hear from an autistic STEM employee about the college transition and how he's succeeding in the workforce.
8 min read
Educators
Guest Post Two: Autistic Science Person Ira Kraemer on Challenges to STEM Education for Students Lacking a Diagnosis
I can't overstate this enough: the most important part of graduate school is finding nice people, having a kind, supportive mentor, and having peers who support each other.
5 min read
Educators
Autistic Science Person Ira Kraemer: Transitioning to Grad School & Adjusting to the New Environment
Transitioning to any sort of new school is like taking notes in class - messy. It also feels like everyone else is walking around with a navigation system while you're just fumbling about. Sometimes though, other people let you know that they don't have a GPS either!
5 min read
Families
Marshall University, College Program for Students Who Have Autism
Prospective students and families should visit the colleges and universities. Talk to the people who provide support, assess the culture and “feel” of the community, and find the best fit for the individual.
7 min read
Families
Scholarships, Grants & Loans for Students on the Spectrum
Additional scholarships include the Anne Ford and Allegra Ford Thomas Scholarships (two scholarships) and the Lisa Higgins Hussman Scholarship, 15 of which were awarded last year.
5 min read
Educators
On Mentorship, Lab Environments, and Job Applicant Disclosure: An Interview with Chemistry Professor Jen Heemstra
On one hand, disclosing too early could create bias that eliminates you from the competition. On the other hand, disclosing provides context that can help you have a more successful interaction with a future employer.
6 min read
Families
"Get Ready, Do, Done" Model: Support Executive Functioning for Autistic Students
Speech and language pathologist Katie Matthews introduces students to “Get Ready, Do, Done” a useful model that supports executive functioning challenges. She then takes a deeper dive into the model, sharing how it can…
9 min read
Families
Autism Support Services: What's Available in College
Video. Brief overview of the kinds of supports students and families can expect in the college environment. Can vary a lot by institution.
1 min read
Families
Letter to a Younger Me: Share Laughs and Memories with the People Who are Present
Your academic journey may take some time, maybe even lots more time. Do your best and enjoy the ride, and don’t judge your self-worth by the length of time it takes to complete a degree, the grades you earn, or the salary you make.
4 min read
Families
Spectrum Q & A With College Transition Consultant Susan Woods: Time Management
The importance of structuring student time and why considering a reduced course load can support positive transition outcomes.
1 min read
Families
Insight for Autistic Students and Their Families About Developing Self-Advocacy Skills: Two Studies on Emerging Adulthood
What can you do as a parent to act in “autonomy-supportive” ways? We’re glad you asked! You can support developmental processes in an independence-focused and communication-driven environment at home.
9 min read
Families
Spectrum Q & A With College Transition Consultant Susan Woods: Preparing for Independence
Video interview. How should families navigate the transition from HS to college with their autistic student? Steps to take now for increased self-advocacy and for encouraging internal motivation.
1 min read
Families
Finding the Right Fit: Good Tech Internships and Jobs Empower Autistic Students
If you are trying to break into software engineering, I can’t recommend sites like HackerRank enough--they’ll get you used to approaching problems in a systematic way that will come in handy in interviews.
9 min read
Educators
Assistive Tech to Support Autistic Students in the Classroom
Video. STEM grad student Patrick Dwyer sits down with UC Davis’s Accessible Tech Analyst Joshua Hori for an overview of Livescribe Smartpen, Sonocent Audio Notetaker, and ClaroPDF.
1 min read
Families
Problem-Focused Coping: Autism and Preparing for Graduate School in Research Fields
I am putting this next sentence in bold because it is very important: The only way to get good information about the unwritten expectations of preparing for graduate school is to talk to the experts – to your professors and your TAs.
14 min read
Educators
The Autism Accommodations Process: Faculty Primer
The goal is not to provide a golden ticket to whatever a student wants. The goal is to provide them with an equitable classroom experience that gives them an equal opportunity to succeed.
7 min read
Families
Autistic and Transitioning to College? What Students and Families Need to Know
Video with subtitles. A brief but wide-ranging exploration of what a successful transition takes and how to achieve it.
1 min read
Educators
Bullying and Autism: How to Recognize Harmful Behavior and Create a Safer School Environment
When you see bullying, act. One of the most important things people can do is not to become a "passive bystander" when others are being bullied.
10 min read
Educators
Socializing in STEM Classes and Careers, Part Two: Practical Tips for Autistic Students
Don’t be discouraged if a first or second attempt at reaching out fails—just look for the next opportunity.
5 min read
Families
Socializing in STEM Classes and Careers, Part One: Insight for Autistic Students
Many STEM careers and college courses are thought to focus on “computer work” without much emphasis on the human interaction necessary for success. Oftentimes, however, collaboration with peers can be daunting but necessary to advance one’s studies and career.
7 min read
Families
What Autistic Students Can Learn Through Self-Guided Campus Tours
Video. The transition to university is major, major change, right? And, autistic people, we often thrive on predictability. It's really valuable to spend some time exploring the physical environment of a university campus before you start.
1 min read
Families
Tips for Autistic Students: Navigating College Breaks
One thing to keep in mind no matter where you end up—be it a friend’s house, your family home, or a relative’s place—is that if you begin to feel overwhelmed by the new environment or sudden transition, you should look for a quiet place to gather your thoughts. Don’t worry about exiting a stressful situation and seeking a solitary spot to calm yourself.
4 min read
Families
Student Reflection: Transitioning from High School to College as an Autistic STEM Student
Video Interview. Founding the Coalition for Autism Support at Tufts (CAST) created a sense of community that...I thought I would never have.
1 min read
Community
STEM, Autism, and Building Professional Relationships: Interview with a Mentor, Part One
Audio interview. Dr. Schalomon: "If you don't quite know what the student needs, go to the student and ask."
2 min read
Educators
Parent Perspective: Autism and Auditing Community College Classes
Video interview. Brief discussion of one student's success auditing classes on a community college campus in preparation for the transition to higher ed.
1 min read
Educators
Notes from a 2019 Talk on Autism and Employment
Be aware of unconscious bias in interviews, plan for it, and be prepared to disarm it if necessary. For example: if you find eye contact challenging, acknowledge it and then communicate that you are glad to be there and are engaged in the discussion.
3 min read
Families
Important Safety Tools for Your Autistic High School or College Student
it’s important to have some emergency numbers available at all times. Preferably, these numbers should be programmed on the phone and also available on a wallet-sized card in case the phone is dead and the student needs to borrow someone else’s. Parents, therapists, and a friend or roommate in the college town are all important numbers to have available.
6 min read
Families
Parent Perspective: Autism and Community College Dual Enrollment
Video Interview. Attending dual enrollment classes allows students to get used to college work and what the demands are going to be. Plus, they accrue college credit in HS.
1 min read
Families
Students on the Spectrum and Choosing a College Therapist
Interview. Availability for college students is important as well. Do therapists have office hours that coincide with their class schedule? What is their availability in between appointments if a need arises?
8 min read
Families
Parent Perspective: Autism and Community Colleges
Video Interview. Students can find the community-based ethos of a community college conducive to taking smaller steps and breaking processes into manageable parts.
1 min read
Families
Parent Perspective: Autism and the College Transition
Video interview. If transitioning to college becomes part of your everyday conversation, it becomes much easier for students to adapt.
1 min read
Educators
Autism & College: Autistic Culture, UDL, and Student Voices
When we talk about folding autistic and differently-abled students into community colleges and STEM careers, what we’re really talking about is best practices for everyone. It follows that when our most disadvantaged students’ needs are met, we are leveling the playing field for all, with or without a “documented need.” Thank you for believing in students like me.
2 min read
Families
Three Assistive Technologies Autistic College Students Should Know
In high school, many 504 plans are written to include use of assistive technologies in the public school setting. However, once at a higher education level, these supports still can be extremely helpful for a variety of reasons.
5 min read
Educators
Alternative Grading Can Support HS Students on the Spectrum Who Want to Pursue STEM in College
What advantages are there to adjusting the traditional grading system and working on something more specific to an individual student?
1 min read
Families
Let's Talk Autism, Special Interests & College Social Life
Not only were there more people who shared a special interest with me, but the ones who didn’t thought no less of me for having them. In fact, they thought it was interesting, because they had interests of their own, and we had a shared experience that way, autism or not.
4 min read
Educators
A Guide for Autistic Students: World Mental Health Day 2018, Young People and Mental Health in a Changing World
Young people on the spectrum often feel increased judgement and pressure to fit in with their [neurotypical] peers...We need more awareness of the mental health issues many young people on the spectrum may face.
5 min read
Educators
Five Tips for Autistic Students: How and When to Meet With a Professor
Always be respectful and professional when corresponding with a professor or course instructor. Using “Dear” to begin emails, using the professor’s last name (i.e. Professor Brown), and signing off with a “Thank you,” or “Sincerely” goes a long way!
6 min read
Families
An Autistic Student's Positive College Transition in STEM
Align your strengths with your interests. Find a supportive mentor. Be willing to accept some trial-and-error. Autistic students can succeed in STEM.
1 min read
Families
The Ultimate College Guide: Lists, Schedules, and Calendars for Autistic Students
Scheduling your time well is one of the simplest and most effective strategies to achieving success at college! But how can we schedule our time well? Read on to find out.
13 min read
Families
Autistic Self-Advocacy and STEM: A College Journey
Laura Gilmour shares her journey from new student learning about college expectations to confident graduate student conducting her own STEM research.
1 min read
Educators
Connecting to Services: Support for Your Student With a Diagnosis of Autism
Contributor Thad Campbell and social worker Matthew Morse discuss how parents of aspiring college STEM students can secure valuable HS services for them
1 min read
Families
Supporting Your Autistic College Student Who Also Has OCD
How parents of students who have both autism and OCD can support their teenagers' and young adults' mental heath and academic success
4 min read
Educators
Autistic People Don't Need to Be Cured
Autism advocate Justin Robbins makes an impassioned case for a positive view of autistic experience and points out how autistic strengths can fit with STEM fields
6 min read
Families
Common College Accommodations for Autism
College transition expert Susan Woods explains what classroom accommodations are typically available to autistic students
1 min read
Families
Activating Common College Accommodations for Autism
You know college accommodations exist, but how do students activate them? College transition expert Susan Woods explains the process.
1 min read
Families
Evaluating a Disability Service Office: Autism & College
How can you get a clear sense of the quality of a Disabilities Office and the kinds of support their staff and programs provide? College transition expert Susan Woods shares some tips.
1 min read
Families
How Four Community Colleges Support Students on the Spectrum
At a community college near you: programs to support academic and social success for autistic students. Check out these four examples.
1 min read
Families
Autism Inclusive-Hiring Spotlight: Microsoft
You know who is hiring autistic individuals? Microsoft, for one! Learn about their innovative process and how their recruiting people on the spectrum.
8 min read
Families
Autism & the College Transition: On Self-Assessment
"I do best when": college transition expert Susan Woods shares how self-assessment can help autistic students advocate for what they need and why
1 min read
Families
Autism & the College Transition: What is a Syllabus
The syllabus is "the ins and outs of the class." College transition expert Susan Woods explains why it's so important and why autistic students should approach their professors about it
1 min read
Families
Autism Inclusive-Hiring Spotlight: German Software Company SAP
We're big fans of SAP, whose inclusive-hiring practices are geared in part toward hiring autistic job candidates. Read on to learn more about their process.
6 min read
Families
Autism and Community College: Why It's a Good Fit
Open admissions, articulation agreements with four-year colleges, flexible schedules, low cost, robust support services--autistic students can thrive at community colleges.
4 min read
Families
Purple Table Reservations: How One Company is Accommodating Autism in Restaurants
Most of us like to share a meal at a restaurant, and Purple Table Reservations is making that easier for autistic people and other people with disabilities, which can make dining out a challenge.
4 min read
Families
Five Ways to Prepare Your Autistic Student for Achievement as They Transition to College
Practice life-skills. Find a point-person on campus. Encourage your autistic student's self-advocacy. Becker discusses these and other supports for students on the spectrum preparing to transition to college.
5 min read
Families
Know Disability Laws: Reduce Your Anxiety When Your Student on the Spectrum Transitions to College
FERPA. IDEA. ADA. After reading this article, you'll have a clearer understanding of these laws and what they mean for you and your autistic college student.
4 min read
Families
Parent Perspective: Autism, Independence, Safety, and Campus Choice
Maureen Perkins and her son who has autism started planning his college transition his sophomore year of HS. It paid off. Strategies that worked for them.
6 min read
Families
Senior Year: Seven Steps Autistic Students Should Take to Prepare for College
Taking campus tours, exploring student activities, and accepting a little anxiety. Things autistic students can do to make college transition, well, if not "a breeze," a little less intimidating!
4 min read
Families
Safe Sexuality on Campus for Adults on the Spectrum: Recognizing the Unique Challenges
Emotional safety, physical safety, and practical considerations that help autistic students create and maintain a variety of healthy relationships.
1 min read
Educators
How Greater Autism Representation Positively Impacts the Workplace
Boosting productivity is just one of the benefits to having more people who have an autism diagnosis represented in the work force. Read on to learn more.
6 min read
Families
Junior Year: Five Things Students on the Spectrum Should Do to Prepare for College
What academic, professional, and social skills are you hoping to develop? Is a four-year college, a two-year program, or technical certificate the right fit? Having clear and realistic goals will prepare you for the next steps.
4 min read
Families
Strategies for Autistic Students in Overcoming Anxiety
Anxiety can be especially overwhelming and negatively impact the school experience. Luckily, there are many strategies you can use to reduce your anxiety and make you feel more confident and positive. Remember: you are not alone!
5 min read
Families
Six Things Autistic Students Should Do During the First Week of Classes
Meeting with the Disabilities Services Office during your first week of college classes is just one important step for autistic students.
5 min read
Families
Three Essential Ways to Support Your Autistic Student's Transition to College
Be prepared to step back. This might be easier said than done, but treating your autistic student like an adult is key to their academic growth.
4 min read