Aspergers and Reach Schools

[MD Mom]

At my college, we (faculty) get a paper that lists accommodations for students. The sheet does not say why the student needs the accommodations because of privacy. As an instructor, it would be helpful for me to know more than just a student gets extra time for a test. This past semester, the young man in my class told me that he had Asberger's and that helped me out when he said things that made the other students laugh and he did not know why. It would be really helpful to have more direction on how to be helpful.

For example, on this thread, parents have said students might stop coming to class. Although I do not normally call students when they miss, it might be something I would do if I knew it was a likely reaction for an Asberger's student.

I am all for disclosing although some of us are more accommodating than others.

[missypie]

For example, on this thread, parents have said students might stop coming to class. Although I do not normally call students when they miss, it might be something I would do if I knew it was a likely reaction for an Asberger's student.

OMG, MD Mom, if you ever do such a thing, you will have earned your spot in heaven at the right hand of God and I'm only exagerating a tiny bit.

Son wanted to go to a small school and we really supported the small LAC route. We bought all the "students get individual attention" "the faculty really gets to know the student" lies that the College That Changes Life school fed us. I later realized that a student can be utterly ignored in a class of a dozen students just as much as he can be ignored in a large lecture hall. Son disclosed to some profs - he was a Psych major, so he was disclosing Aspergers to clinical psychologists. There were such tiny small things they could have done that would have been so helpful.

There is nothing that requires faculty to care about their students. But if you become the one person on campus who does care about some Aspie, it will make all the difference.

Edited to add: Wow, more than two years later, the wounds are still so fresh!

[MD Mom]

It is difficult to help those who need it and give the boot in the behind to those who need it. I do think that the privacy laws are not helpful in every situation. I also have vey few kids who are on the spectrum who land in my class. I try.

[arabrab]

At a bare minimum, I'd probably insist that I have access to the kid's on-line school account.

[higgins2013]

As we've been touring Midwest LACs for our son, I've been disclosing privately to one or two professors when DS is not present. I've always received confirmation that other Aspergers students have succeed at these small LACs, that professors are experienced w/these students in their classrooms, and that a wide spectrum of such students are present on campus. DS is high-functioning, but can be quirky in social contexts.

I was particularly impressed w/Knox, where a biology professor spent more than an hour w/my son and I in conversation. When I later disclosed when DS left to shadow a class, the professor was surprised, and noted that there were a number of Aspergers students on campus with a range of disability-related accommodations and concerns. She noted that professors always appreciate knowing the students' specific issues, so that their classroom expectations/responses are appropriate. She noted that some students were very successful, while others truly struggled despite the support systems in-place.

"Fit" is extremely important for DS' success. I'm looking for confirmation not only of a competent Student Services Disabilities Department but also evidence of empathy. Our son needs only two accommodations (seating near teacher and extended time for exams). No HS IEP, but he receives those two accomodations plus has a wonderful guidance counselor to monitor and advise him. His private college prep HS' teachers' empathy (and not excuses) have allowed him to flourish and succeed in a manner we thought not possible when he was in elementary school with an IEP in-place.

I'd caution against "not telling". A college or university that may decline admission to such a student for disability concerns would not be a good fit either. Admissions experience is a revealing encounter w/operating philosophy and atmosphere of a school still marketing itself to your child. If there are problems or reservations then, it's likely those problems will escalate later.

Another mother recently recounted her DS' experience at a prominent Midwest LAC included in K&W Learning Disabilities guidebook's listings. Yes, it had a student disability services office providing a range of services. But when her son had serious MH crises two semesters in a row, professors and disability office weren't communicating about his chronic class absences and missing work. Disability Office also never contacted professors directly regarding student's disability accommodations. Student himself contacted parents for help each time, two semesters in a row. Student received no credits for either semester.

I appreciated hearing from four colleges so far that professors monitor all students' performances, and contact Student Services if any students are missing two classes in a row, chronically missing work, or AWOL from a test. I appreciate the professors' ancedotes about calling missing students, or knocking on students' dorm doors, and hearing from adminstrators that "it's difficult to hide from professors" at their schools. For us, that added layer of monitoring is worth the cost of a private LAC.

[higgins2013]

Missypie: I've been reading your posts all along with great interest. I'd greatly appreciate a PM noting which LACs we should avoid.

[Mom24boys]

Sorry in advance for the long response. A lot of interesting things have been said in the last day.

Frazzled2thecore
[Getting back to OP - I think that adding an explanation (that may or may not include the term "Asperger's") to the application can help if there are issues that raise eyebrows, such as "course selection freshman year.]
This is exactly the issue. DS spent 6 years in public Special Education schools prior to being returned and fully mainstreamed into his home public high school. Both parents and educators where unsure how the transition back would go, so the only advanced course he took was math. He also did not have room for a social studies or a foreign language because of a tutorial class and an engineering class. He also got more B’s then A’s freshman year.

He has gotten all A’s and 1 B (Honors World History) sophomore and junior year. He also took a American History Class at the CC (got an A) so he will have 4 years of social studies on his transcript. He will have 3 yrs of a language, which should be enough for an engineering kid. In addition to competing the PTLW program he will have 6 AP course (5 on AP Gov’t sophomore year, expected 5’s this year for Physics C and Calc AB and next year AP Econ, Physics B and Calc B/C) and all honors classes except 10th grade English (11 and 12th grade English will be honors not AP).

His test scores are close to perfect. SATs 1600/2320. Math 2 SAT 800 and Chemistry 800 (with only GT chemistry, no room for AP chem.) I want schools to know that he has worked hard and his comparatively low unweighted GPA 3.78 weighted 4.2ish is not from being lazy, but from hard work and adapting and copying with his Aspergers.

Adamon – Nice to hear good things about Case’s disability services because DS really enjoyed his visit last spring and plans to apply. Skype is a great idea for keeping up in between visits.
Missypie

[Note that some Aspies exhibit the exact opposite behavior. When they don't understand a concept, they try to stop the class/lecture right then and there and bug the teacher for an explanation. That is more socially stigmatizing, but those kids tend to do okay academically.]
This is a good description of my son. However, he has learned to wait for the end of the class and corner the teacher or send an e-mail or write down all his questions and save them for the later.

Fieldsports
[The disability rights movement is a subset of the civil rights movement. Tremendous ground has been broken in all areas of civil rights by people who found a way into a place where they were not wanted, and held their ground. We are all in their debt. And yet I do not believe that every kid going off to college with neurological differences is honor-bound to move forward in that spirit, keeping quiet about the disability, and seeing how it goes. It can be an expensive disaster that limits the student's transfer options going forward. So for some applicants, the better option is to be forthright, early on, and shop for a school where he or she is really wanted, disabilities and all.]

Very well said.
Higgins2013

["Fit" is extremely important for DS' success]

I agree 100%, but I think fit is very important for both the school as a whole and the disability services which is what seems to make the search so hard.

[Mom24boys]

Sorry, I guess I don't know how to quote.

[missypie]

I'll do one that's wrong and tell you how to fix it to be right.



[quote] Sorry, I guess I don't know how to quote. [/quote


If you put the close bracket at the end of the second word quote above, it does it.

[MQD]

... To help him understand the ups and downs he might face in college. Did you all let yoir kids read thecmaterial or did you guide them withoutboo much history forvthem to fixate on?

[calla1]

Hi all,
I am following this thread with great interest. DS is a junior on the spectrum. We are just now asking ourselves how far away to attend school is too far. I will appreciate seeing updates on how your kiddos are doing.

[adamom]

Son is currently in his first semester at Missouri S & T which is about 6 hrs from home. It has not been easy for him socially, as he has significant social anxiety, and he still spends a lot of time alone. However his growth has been amazing. He is taking care of himself, doing laundry etc. He has also joined a couple clubs and a design team and partakes in an Aspergers group once a week. He set up his own appointment with the counselling office when he needed help. Academically he is doing great and seems to be on top of things and has chosen not to meet with the disabilities coach weekly, but this can be resumed anytime if he needs it. We have visited twice and talk to him daily sometimes just by phone and sometimes via Skype. Overall it has been more positive then negative and is preparing him to be more independent.