Preparing Students with Asperger Syndrome/HFA for College

1. Preparing Students with Asperger Syndrome/HFA for College Lisa R. Audet, Ph.D., CCC-SLP laudet@kent.edu 330-672-0257

2. Importance of this Issue • Increase in incidence of ASD in school age population • Increase incidence of individuals with Higher Functioning Autism/Asperger Syndrome (HFA/AS) • Research on HFA/AS: Most are over educated and under or unemployed.

3. Key Principles of Transitioning • Employment prior to graduation • Career Exploration and Skill Strengths prior to graduation • Social Skill Development • Self Advocacy • Parent Education

4. Employment Prior to Graduation  • Start Young with Small Paid Jobs: Chores at home, Chores in Neighborhood or Civic Organizations, to paid jobs in teen years. • Include volunteering and social service projects if possible: select social service agency that has interests similar to child’s. • Provide coaching and discuss/implement strategies to manage self in the public context: plan ahead of time, implement reminder system, use employability and independence scales • Teach money management young: bank account, % saved/% to spend

5. Career Exploration and Skill Strengths Prior to Graduation  • Integrate as part of the transition plan, beginning at age 14 • Career interest and skill inventories • Independent work skill assessments • Target independent work skills as IEP goals • Opportunities to shadow in the workplace • Shadowing must include specific targets for the child to engage in during the process.

6. Shadowing Strategies • Prior to going: All steps must tie into IEP goals and skill development • Internet review of the organization (where, what, why, who) • Internet review of the job (job title, work hours, work responsibilities, skills) • Contract regarding own behavior while there (child developed) • Child contact with professional via phone/e-mail: draft or role play ahead of time • Create list of questions the child will ask while shadowing • During the shadowing experience: • Create template the child must complete where the child collects data on amount of time spent on certain duties, professional dress, professional interaction style, answers to questions. • After the shadowing experience: • Child develops and sends a thank you note • Child reviews research collected prior to and during shadowing experience • Child lists what he/she liked/disliked about the job • Child identifies skills he/she would need to work on to get and keep the job. • All information is kept in a portfolio for the child.

7. Social Skills, Independence, and Self-Advocacy • All are interrelated • Must start early and persist • Problem is the child may not see the value in the skill development • Want to create intrinsic interest in developing skill: I need to develop this skill so that I can….(get what I want in life!) • Pull upon those things the child states as difficult to build upon.

8. Sample Skills • Time management: How much time will this take; What happens when I do this; How will this help me get what I want (time/money)? • Relationship management: What makes me angry and why; What makes others angry and why? What can I do to avoid getting angry or making others angry? • Self Management & Care: What about the world is hard for me? How can I take better care of myself?” • Personal Hygiene and Social Relationships: What are must do’s and don’ts? • Time and Place for Everything: Teach this early on!

9. Collaboration • Parent vision: if it includes college for their child, we must discuss or provide direction regarding college options (2 year, 4 year, types of support, differences in the laws) • Parent and professional interaction with representatives from local colleges regarding student accessibility services and differences in the laws • Parent awareness of child as an adult: Guardianship and release of information

10. Summary • Begin to teach independence, self-management, self advocacy as young as possible. • Fully engage in the transition process as part of the IEP process • Incorporate skill into career exploration and job experience.

11. Thank You Questions