Innovative programming to support college students with autism spectrum disorders

Abstract

The percentage of students who have autism spectrum diagnoses who are attending college has dramatically increased in recent years. The Centers for Disease Control estimate that 1:88 people are on the autistic spectrum, and that this number will likely continue to increase (CDC, MMWR Surveill Summ 58 (ss-10), 2012). When the authors first began presenting to providers of disability services in 2001, Asperger's syndrome and other autism spectrum disorders (ASD) were not well-known diagnoses. Over the years, it has become clear that all colleges and universities now have seen a rise in the numbers of these students. One recent article estimated the prevalence of ASD in college students to be between 0.7 and 1.9 % (Autism, 15, 683-701, 2011), which roughly parallels the incidence referenced above. Because of the increasing numbers of students diagnosed with ASD attending college, campuses are often unsure how to best serve this population (Students with Asperger syndrome: A guide for college personnel. Shawnee Mission, KS: Autism Asperger).