By Sandi Rosenbaum, Special Needs/Special Education Advocate
Preparing for jobs, college and beyond is challenging for young adults with autism and their families. College readiness is fundamentally different from high school competence. Many of the demands of college are not generally imposed in high school, especially upon students with disabilities:
- Student, not parent or special education teacher, has primary responsibility for the student's success, and as such must independently:
- Select and register for courses
- Disclose disability and request accommodations of each professor, each semester
- Structure student's own time with many fewer hours of classes and much more homework
- Seek clarification from professor or teaching assistant when concepts or course demands are not clear
- Advocate for own needs with faculty and administration - parents lack access as university employees may not share confidential student information with others
