Finding your way: A college guide for students on the spectrum (2018). Arlington, VA: Organization for Autism Research.
Reviewed by Kate McKenna, MEd, MSEd, BCBA, LBA
Association for Science in Autism Treatment
Finding Your Way
The Organization for Autism Research (OAR) was founded in December 2001 by parents and grandparents of children and adults on the autism spectrum. OAR’s mission is to “use science to address the social, educational, and treatment concerns of self-advocates, parents, autism professionals, and caregivers.” This goal, of offering practical guidance that enhances quality of life, supports self-determination and self-advocacy, and encourages independence and growth to those on the autism spectrum, is a cornerstone of OAR’s programs.
OAR’s new publication Finding Your Way: A College Guide for Students on the Spectrum is a compilation of short chapters, quizzes, and interviews with relevant stakeholders, that seeks to provide guidance to incoming freshmen in navigating the many new experiences they will encounter as they begin their freshman year. The Guide would also be useful for students who are currently attending college as it provides much information about college life that is relevant for the entirety of the college experience. Students who are close to graduation will find helpful advice related to job hunting.
It is important to note that the Guide is intended to be used by individuals already accepted into, or currently matriculating at, a college. It does not include information about applying to college, choosing a major or selecting a course sequence, and has limited information related to financial aid. In a disclaimer the authors note that the material in the publication is written for “individuals on the autism spectrum with level 1 support needs.” (p.vi)[1]
The stated goal of the Finding Your Way is to support students in gaining “a better understanding of the academic, social and financial supports, services, and resources needed to successfully navigate college.” The Guide is divided and color coded into four main sections, also referred to as “hubs”: Self-Advocacy, Academics, Campus Life, and Career & Money.
- Self-Advocacy: This section outlines important differences between high school and college, in terms of a student’s legal rights, support and accommodations provided by the college/university which are typically administered by an Office of Disability Services, and the organization skills needed to successfully manage academic study with significantly less support and reminders from adults. Several interviews with college professors, current college students, and autism advocates provide information that readers can use in deciding if and when they want to disclose that they are on the spectrum and how to respond to people’s reactions. For more information: bit.ly/OARSelfAdvocacy
- Academics: With a focus on how academic responsibilities differ in high school and college, this section provides useful suggestions and recommendations for establishing daily routines and creating an individualized academic schedule that helps track due dates for assignments and exams. Examples of visual schedules are provided. For more information: bit.ly/OARAcademics
- Campus Life: This is the longest section of Finding Your Way and it deals head on with several issues vitally important to all college students, but especially those on the spectrum who may struggle in social situations. Factors involved in major decisions such whether to live on campus or whether to have a roommate are covered in a way that provides guidance in the many variables that go into those decisions, such as needs for cleanliness and sleep habits. Suggestions are offered for managing the conflicts that can arise in group living. It is suggested that finding peers with similar interests is often possible by joining one of the many clubs at the college. The section on the Hidden Curriculum contains important information and suggestions, specifically related to life on a college campus. Issues related to friendships, dating and sex focus on understanding the nuances of social situations, arriving at consent, staying safe on campus (e.g., how to recognize if a situation is potentially dangerous), the students’ legal rights and where to go for help. For more information: bit.ly/OARCampusLife
- Career & Money: Information in this section briefly covers the topic of financial aid and provides a link to learn more about OAR’s Research Scholarship Program. Articles on job hunting, how to handle interviews and workplace protocol provide helpful information and tips. The section could well be expanded into a guide for life after college such as “You’ve Graduated! Now What?” For more information: bit.ly/AORCareerMoney
OAR has a companion microsite to Finding Your Way, OAR College Central, which can be accessed at http://bit.ly/OARCollege. College Central consists of 4 hubs, one for each of the sections in Finding Your Way. Each hub is a substantial resource providing additional information from interviews, articles, checklists, and quizzes. Many of the topics covered in Finding Your Way are addressed more substantially in College Central. For example, the Career & Money Hub covers important topics not treated in the Guide, including writing professional emails and resumes, how to be an effective self-advocate in the workplace, and successfully staying employed once hired. The Hire Autism Resource Center functions as an information hub where potential employers can post openings and Resource Center users can apply.
In highlighting important differences between the level of support that students may have relied on in high school with the level of independent problem-solving required for success in college, Finding Your Way provides invaluable advice and resources for college students. Interviews with individuals on the autism spectrum who are college students or graduates, college personnel who provide support services, and professionals in the field of college level special education, provide a variety of perspectives on the college experience.
Although Finding Your Way is written for the college bound student, it is likely to be more helpful if students and parents read the guidebook together. Sending a child off to college is a major event in the life of a family. Collaborative reading will provide students and parents opportunities to discuss potential problems or roadblocks that they may be hesitant to bring up themselves. Given the breadth of topics covered in the guidebook, a student for whom Finding Your Way is written will need support to take advantage of all the book has to offer.
Finding Your Way presents going to college as an exciting adventure and one that can be successfully navigated with forethought and preparation. Finding Your Way: A Guide for Students on the Spectrum and the accompanying website, used together, can be an invaluable tool for students as they head off to college. The information provided pertains to important topics and situations faced by college students, written with the assumption that students can be competent self-advocates, able to respond effectively to new situations and manage the academic demands of college.
[1]In the DSM-V, an autism diagnosis is described by three levels of severity, with Level 3 being the most severe. Potential impairment and needed supports are noted for each level. Level 1: Without supports in place, deficits in social communication cause noticeable impairments. Difficulty initiating social interactions, and clear examples of atypical or unsuccessful response to social overtures of others. Individuals may appear to have decreased interest in social interactions. For example, a person who is able to speak in full sentences and engages in communication but whose to-and-fro conversation with others fails, and whose attempts to make friends are odd and typically unsuccessful. Inflexibility of behavior causes significant interference with functioning in one or more contexts. Difficulty switching between activities may be observed and problems of organization and planning can hamper independence.
Citation for this article:
McKenna, K. (2019). [Review of the book Finding your way: A college guide for students on the spectrum, by Organization for Autism Research]. Science in Autism Treatment, 16(9).
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