Are students with autism receiving the support they need to thrive?
More autistic students are going to university than ever before – but are they getting the education they deserve? Helen Rowland, who specialises in student matters at Cardiff-based law firm Capital Law, looks at what universities should be doing to suppo
The number of autistic students going to university is rocketing – rising by more than 200% in five years. But the HE sector still has some way to go in addressing the requirements of students with autism, to give them both the education and the experience that they deserve.
Research shows that 3.5% of students with a social communication disorder or autism spectrum disorder will not complete their course, compared to 2.6% of their course mates.
Of those who do graduate, more than a quarter later find themselves unemployed.
The autistic community is far more profoundly affected by change and new environments than others. Pressure factors include difficulties in handling social isolation, not knowing who to ask for support, being stressed by certain sensory aspects, communicating and working in groups, ambiguous questions in assignments or exams, and responsibilities for time management and establishing routine.
Naturally, all new students tackle these same issues – but for autistic students, such factors can rapidly lead to anxiety, depression and feelings of isolation, leading to higher drop-out rates.
Studies have shown that only 39% of autistic students received support during their studies at UK universities. Of this already low proportion, 48% did not receive support before the end of their first semester, when it’s likely that the factors exacerbating feelings of anxiety, depression and isolation would have been at their peak. Worryingly, 14% of autistic students received no support at all.
Identifying students with autism isn’t always easy. Some students freely declare it, but others choose not to say anything at all, either because they don’t want anyone to know, may not understand that they’re entitled to any support or may not have been diagnosed.
However, under the Equality Act 2010, it’s important that universities keep an eye out for potential clues or issues that could give any indication of autism and act accordingly.
The sooner universities act to support autistic students in higher education, the higher the retention rate and likelihood of graduation and success beyond.
The Equality Act 2010 requires universities to have a duty of care to put “reasonable adjustments” in place to support these students – even before they ask for help.
It’s important to remember that autistic students can bring discrimination claims, even if the university wasn’t aware of their diagnosis but should have been.
To ensure they’re supporting students as best as they can – and protect themselves from any potential claims – universities should:
Make it easy for students to disclose a disability at any time during their studies, including during the application and welcome process.
Engage in open discussions with students if they suspect any likelihood of them requiring reasonable adjustments or think they might have a disability.
Ensure they’re aware of individual circumstances.
Determining what is “reasonable” is quite complex. What is reasonable
for one student at one organisation may not be for another. So when thinking about adjustments, universities should consider several factors.
For example, are the adjustments reasonable or simply desirable? What would the adjustments involve for the university? And would it significantly disadvantage the student if the adjustment wasn’t made?
Conversely, autistic students are generally expected to adapt to university life and its new environment. And so there’s an argument that by making reasonable adjustments for autistic students, universities can actually exacerbate their sense of “otherness” from their peers.
Nevertheless, universities can easily provide several forms of lowkey, non-invasive support for all students.
Tech support is hugely beneficial, including assistive software on all computers, recorded lectures and the availability of lecture slides and handouts online 24 hours in advance of a lecture or seminar.
Further adjustments that specifically help students with autistic spectrum disorders include earlyarrival schemes for those who might need time to acclimatise to campus, specialist tuition/administrative support and support workers to act as mediators for team work.
Other adjustments could be extra time and additional support to check understanding, modifying procedures for testing or assessment, providing information in accessible formats and the requirement for university staff to have awareness training.
The best way to establish a framework for an autism policy is to ask autistic students themselves for their views. After all, they are the people who really matter. It is also recommended to consult with local government and disability groups.
One of the most important things is to remain flexible and be open to discussion. There is no “one size fits all” approach. Every student with autism is unique in their needs, so every approach should be bespoke.
Universities should also be willing to review the reasonable adjustments in place at any given time throughout a student’s education.