College accommodations/decisions for our son with Aspergers

Post Reply New Topic

Hi everyone,

This is my first post on the board but probably the first of many of this topic. My 16-year-old son Jeremy (the username is in his honor) has Aspergers. He's been homeschooled or done online programs all the way through. He can do just about anything on a computer. We're thinking about college in a year and a half, and are trying to decide whether he should do an online program or be a commuter student at the state university campus in our hometown. The state school offers a lot of things online, but there are a couple of classes he would have to take on campus every semester.

Jeremy is essentially nonverbal. He has severe auditory processing disorder, and since it's very difficult for him to understand what other people are saying, he's never really developed speech capacity himself. He's very proficient with sign language, and he has a communication device, but he's much more comfortable communicating with sign. He also has very poor social skills, since like many people with Aspergers, he doesn't pick up on social cues or really understand how to interact with others.

The university has a general education on-campus class which is a graduation requirement - there's apparently no way to place out, exempt out, or do it online even with a disability accommodation. According to the description in the course catalogue, the class is normally taken freshman year and requires active discussion and participation in group projects. These two things would probably terrify him. We've figured out the other accommodations he'd need, like an interpreter and note taker in the classroom, and being able to take his exams alone in a quiet place with extra time. But we can't figure out how to work this one out in a way that meets his needs.

We really want him to be able to experience a university education with other people. We think he'd get a better education than he would from an online program, and being around other people would be good for his skills and emotional development. We want him to be as independent as possible. So, our first question is whether it's realistic for us to think he can succeed in a conventional university environment instead of staying at home and getting his diploma online, and our second question (assuming the answer to the first one is "yes") is how can we help him deal with this specific class if he ends up going to the state U?

We appreciate any advice you have, including any accommodations that we might not have thought of.

Many thanks,

Vanessa K.

I guess you wouldn't want to name your state--but Marshall University in West Virginia has a program where graduate students help people on the Spectrum with adjustments to a college environment.

If you would name your state, perhaps I and others might be able to do research to determine which colleges are best for people with autism.

I would say that a "Freshman orientation" course might be difficult for your son, because he is nonverbal. However, if he goes to a larger university, some of those "orientation" courses might contain many students--so, maybe, he won't stand out from the crowd. All he'd have to do is his homework; he might not have to participate in class.

You have a year and a half. You could research colleges in your area and assess how they accommodate people with disabilities.

In most colleges, there is a program for people with "disabilities" where there is a fee in addition to tuition. You could also request accommodations without your son "being a member" of the program for people with "disabilities," thereby saving you money.

Has your son been in "inclusion" classes all his school life? If not, he might have difficulty adjusting to so many people in such a small space as a classroom.

Thanks for the response. I guess it won't give away our state to say we're not in West Virginia. We're not looking at any options other than an online college or the school in our hometown, because Jeremy is definitely not ready to live away from home and there's nowhere else that's less than an hour away, so the commute would be extremely inconvenient. We don't think he could handle living in a dorm even with personal care assistance.

He's never gone to school with other kids, so he's never been in an "inclusion" setting. We've just felt it was best for him to be homeschooled or do an online program so far. If he does go to the university, he would probably be better off in a smaller classroom rather than a large lecture hall where he'd be overwhelmed by other people's activity. But that's exactly where we think he'd have difficulty communicating, understanding and interacting with others, and being able to participate in a way that meets the school's expectations and would contribute to his education. We've already found out that there's a disability services office there which would be responsible for his accommodations, but we don't know yet if they've ever dealt with a situation like ours.

What would he be majoring in?

If he graduates with a "normal" diploma from high school, he should do fine academically in college.

I hope the disabilities office will be able to adjust to your son's unique needs. It would be good if he could start to relate to other kids as soon as possible. This will help him, ultimately. He should also join this Site.

As far as I know, they are legally obligated to accommodate his needs under the ADA (American Disability Act). Even a private university would be required to, as it would be discrimination if they didn't.

The first step would be to apply and get accepted *before* you tell the administration your son's needs. You don't want them deciding that it is too much to accommodate and tell you it's some other reason he's not accepted. (I would do this, anyway). Then, call the school and tell them your child's needs.

The ADA has a hotline number and can help you determine what is reasonable to request and what the college is legally required to accommodate. If you are having trouble with the administration trying not to accommodate his needs, an ADA representative will also contact the school to let them know that they are in violation of the law. They did this for me when a day camp refused to train their staff to administer my son's life saving medication in the event of an emergency and told me my son couldn't attend if he wasn't able to self administer (he was 6). The next day the camp called me to tell me they "discovered" they needed to update their policies and were having their whole staff trained ASAP.

There are also probably some free legal resources in your area to call.

I agree with kraftiekortie that getting him relating to other kids more now would be beneficial. If you could find some sort of class or group before you go through this process, you will have a way better idea of what he will specifically need in that setting.

You really need to research the disability services at the university you plan to send your son to. You should be able to find lots of info on the university website about what they offer...

Many universities do have programs specifically for autistic students. If you don't see anything on the website, you could just call the office and explain your situation. I'm sure they be happy to help you.

I deal with my school's department of educational access all the time (due to a physical disability) and they are always nice and helpful, and they NEVER ask if I'm actually a student (unless that info is actually needed for the specific issue). I can tell you that you will need to provide medical records to justify every accommodation you need, but otherwise, I bet the process will be surprisingly painless!

Best of luck...

I think the online school would probably be a better choice at least to start based on what you describe....being around people wont nessisarily help him, people can be harmful to especially if you are uncomfortable around them and he might just end up getting picked on by people which would probably just ruin the whole experience. Or maybe starting with online college and gradually help him transition into a more independent college experience but you certainly don't want to set a standard he cannot live up to. What goal are you/he hoping to maybe get out of college....and aside from being non-verbal how does he function as far as basic hygiene, eating when he's hungry and general self care? If he needs a lot of support in those areas just not sure a normal university is set up to provide the sort of accommodations he might need.

I have aspergers and am rather high functioning I guess within the spectrum with some other conditions and I couldn't handle a regular college...or even community college. Though I was living in dorms right when I started and was very isolated without the option to go 'home' after class I mean it really something to think a lot about before deciding on. Some people aren't cut out for it and some people do much better with like technical programs in a specific field....and some people end up needing SSI.

Thanks again. He's really good with computers and probably will major in computer science. Our goal is for him to develop a skill that would allow him to become financially self-sufficient even if he's always going to need help with basic personal tasks.

He would probably only take one or two classes a semester on campus and do the rest online. The personal hygiene, eating at the right times, etc., are exactly why he needs to live at home. But we're still trying to figure out if even one or two classes a semester in an actual university environment would be too much for him to deal with.

I wish there was a way where you could "sit in" with him for the first few classes.

My idea would be to apply to be an "auditor" of a class.

One drawback: obviously, your son would know that you are there.

LOL....I wish there were a way you could observe within him knowing it--but that's unrealistic!

Yep...the personal hygiene thing, especially, has to be attended to--if he doesn't bathe, he will probably be ostracized by the other students.

I would really encourage contact with other kids for the next year and a half.

You"ll need to be sure and check on how many online hours your son can have.

For instance, at my university, undergrads cannot take more than 35% of their hours online unless the program is specified as an online degree.

It is great that you are thinking ahead about his issue. I agree with other posters that it will be important to get him to 'practice' being in social groups now. Start small, maybe a local class through community education where the numbers are small and it is only a 1 time committment.

As for the rest - if he is only 16 you may want to consider the option of starting with an online school that will transfer to a larger college. Our kids don't mature on anyone's schedule but their own so he may not be ready at 18, but at 20 he might.

Good Luck

Are you sure college is right for Jeremy. If is too low functioning to manage without outside help, then perhaps college isn't for him.

As far as I know, they are legally obligated to accommodate his needs under the ADA (American Disability Act). Even a private university would be required to, as it would be discrimination if they didn't.

Yes, but it depends on the financial structure of the private university. Most have to accommodate, but not all. Any university that accepts government money most follow the ADA, that includes FAFSA and some student loans.
If the university doesn't accept such payments, then they don't have to follow the ADA, although they might follow the ADA anyways. It's a little bit more complex, but that's the gist.

I'll just speak on the issue of cost....

College education is expensive, and if you or your child will graduate with debt, the key factor will be the ability to repay it.

Autistic people (even those with AS) have a well-below average chance of securing and maintaining employment.

Schools care about cranking out degrees, not if their graduates are successful. They DO NOT care about your kid...no matter what they say.

If the experience will end debt-free, it's an option. If you're looking at tens of thousands of dollars in debt to have a worthless piece of paper with no real ability to get and keep a good job, it's a waste of resources.

Exactly. If you just want to learn... nearly everything you want is actually free online.
MIT has most of their courses free online, you won't get any official credit but you can learn a skill.

Also, www.coursera.org can be used as a way to learn and even get a few minor credentials

College may be hard, but your son will need all the help he needs. From tutors and flash cards (math and vocabulary words) to a recorder for your classes. An community college is good for him, so he can experience college life with other people. I know this because I too have experienced the same thing.