what are a few concerns that families of students with asd have about their child being able to successfully transition into a post secondary educational environment
Please answer the question:
What are a few concerns that families of students with ASD have about their child being able to successfully transition into a post-secondary educational environment?
Please respond to student discussion. Do not include the question in the response:
(ALLY) For students and families with ASD the transition to postsecondary education can be overwhelming. One of the main concerns of family members is the possibility of students moving aware from home. This shift can be hard for parents as they have been the primary caregiver for their child for the past 18-21 years. They may no longer living at home and students now have more responsibility for themselves. Students are now advocating for their own needs and ensuring that they have the appropriate accommodations and modifications to be successful in a postsecondary environment. For many families and students to change in environment brings many new considerations. Wehman, Smith, and Schall state “The more informed students are about the changes in responsibility and the demands of college, however, the smoother the transition will be from secondary to post secondary education” (Wehman et. Al, 2012, pg.192). Starting early transition planning and preparing students and families for these changes will lead to grater success. Through a person centered plan transition teams can ensure that they are identifying any deficits students may have and begin goals setting and instruction to help build skills to promote success in a college setting. Students and families will need to work on building independence through self management and determination preparing students for the new responsibilities placed on them when they begin their post secondary education.
Reference:
Wehman, P., Smith, M. D., & Schall, C. (2012). Autism and the transition to adulthood success beyond the classroom. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Pub.
2. (LORETTE) There is a lot to be considered when transitioning from high school into a post-secondary educational environment. Changes in services provided along with the major change in routine can concern and cause stress for families and students with autism spectrum disorders. According to Post Secondary Transition (n.d.) the students IEP will not transfer into post-secondary education environments. Students with autism will continue to be covered under ADA (Americans with disabilities act) as well as 504 plans(Post Secondary Transition n.d.). Accommodations will still need to be provided but progress and success are looked at in a different light. Along with this, families and students must understand that they need to request the accommodations and let schools know that the student has autism and be prepared to share some accommodations that may be necessary for the child to access their education (Post Secondary Transition n.d.). Planning ahead and having a variety of options when it is time to transition will ensure success for the student and their families.
According to Wheman, Datlow & Shall (2009), another concern families may encounter would be their child being away from them and their support system to attend school. Families and caregivers are aware of triggers, needs, and the skills that students have. They understand challenges with transition and how to accommodate for these for their child. This school experience will be different and will not have the same level of supports that were provided in the past. Students with autism continue to have rights for supports, however, parents don’t have a say in what is provided. They can make recommendations and guide their child in sharing what they need to be successful but it will not be the same level of support that the student and the family are used to receiving. A solid team and transition plan to work on goals to support post-secondary education opportunities will be necessary.
Resources:
Post Secondary Transition (n.d.) Retrieved from https://www.autismspeaks.org/postsecondary-education
Wehman, P., Datlow Smith, M., and Schall, C. (2009). Autism & the transition to adulthood: Success beyond the classroom. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing. ISBN-13: 9781557669582
Read chapter 4 in Life Journey through Autism: A Guide to Transition to Adulthood, by Danya International, Organization for Autism Research, and Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center.
http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED508625.pdf
Read the Postsecondary Education and Employment in the Community sections of “Autism Spectrum Disorders and the Transition to Adulthood,” located on the Virginia Department of Education website.
