Editorial Board Member Susan Woods and Dr. Eric Endlich on what colleges and institutions of higher education can do to foster inclusion and acceptance for autistic students and other marginalized groups on campus.
# Episode Notes
# Resources
- for more STS resources on Universal Design for Learning (UDL), look here: Universal Design for Learning (UDL): Supporting All STEM College Learners, Autism, STEM, and UDL: What is Universal Design for Learning? and Rules About Technology in the Classroom: A Barrier for Students With Disabilities?
- CAST is an excellent resource on UDL
- Landmark College (VT) and Beacon College (FL), particularly neurodiverse college communities
- College Autism Network
# References
- Jackson, S. L. J., Hart, L., Brown, J. T., & Volkmar, F. R. (2018). Brief report: Self-reported Academic, Social, and Mental Health Experiences of Post-secondary Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 48: 643. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-017-3315-x
- McLeod, J.D., Meanwell, E. & Hawbaker, A. (2019). The Experiences of College Students on the Autism Spectrum: A Comparison to Their Neurotypical Peers. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-019-03910-8
- Robertson, S. M., Ne'eman, A. D. (2008) Autistic Acceptance, the College Campus, and Technology: Growth of Neurodiversity in Society and Academia. Disability Studies Quarterly, 28(4). http://dsq-sds.org/article/view/146/146
# Hosts
# Susan Woods
Susan Woods, M. Ed, recently retired as Associate Dean of Student Support Services at Middlesex Community College after 27 years. Susan managed the college’s Disability Support Services, supporting 1000 students with documented disabilities, as well as alternative and grant funded support programs. Susan has regularly provided training and workshops to faculty and staff on creating welcoming and inclusive environments and universal design for instruction. Her work now focuses on professional development and training to high school personnel and families to help support the successful transition to college for students with disabilities. Her professional development website is www.susanbwoods.com.
# Eric Endlich
Dr. Endlich has taught at Tufts University, Suffolk University, Boston College and UMass/Boston, and has supervised doctoral students at William James College. He is a senior writer and wellness advisory board member for Personal Best publishing. As a psychologist, he has worked with many high school students to manage stress, anxiety, depression, ADHD, and autism. He serves on the clinical advisory board at the Asperger/Autism Network (AANE), and has presented regularly at AANE conferences, as well as the Harvard Medical School Continuing Education autism conference, Southern Maine Autism Conference, and Massachusetts Psychological Association annual conference. Learn more about Dr. Endlich at: Top College Consultants.