Realizing the College Dream with Autism or Asperger Syndrome : A Parent's Guide to Student Success

Realizing the College Dream with Autism or Asperger Syndrome is both a practical and a personal account of one ASD student's successful experience of going to college. This accessible book focuses on how to get there and stay there: deciding to go, how to get in and how to get the most out of it. Ann Palmer advises parents and professionals how to prepare the student for the transition from school and home life to a new environment and educational challenge, and how to support them through potential problems such as academic pressure, living away from home, social integration and appropriate levels of participation in college. She offers helpful strategies that will encourage and inspire parents and students and show that college can be a suitable option for students with an autism spectrum disorder, as well as the basis for a successful independent life later.This book is essential reading for any parent considering college as an option for their child, disability service providers in colleges and for ASD students themselves. Realizing the College Dream with Autism or Asperger Syndrome is both a practical and a personal account of one ASD student's successful experience of going to college. This accessible book focuses on how to get there and stay deciding to go, how to get in and how to get the most out of it. Ann Palmer advises parents and professionals how to prepare the student for the transition from school and home life to a new environment and educational challenge, and how to support them through potential problems such as academic pressure, living away from home, social integration and appropriate levels of participation in college. She offers helpful strategies that will encourage and inspire parents and students and show that college can be a suitable option for students with an autism spectrum disorder, as well as the basis for a successful independent life later. This book is essential reading for any parent considering college as an option for their child, disability service providers in colleges and for ASD students themselves. "This accessible book focuses on how parents can help their ASD child to get to college, and how to get the most out of it. Ann Palmer offers tried-and-tested advice on how to prepare students for the transition from home life and high school to a new environment and educational challenges, and explains how to support them through potential problems with social integration, academic pressure, self-disclosure, and appropriate levels of participation in college. Her own son's success shows that college can be a suitable option for students with an autism spectrum disorder, and a basis for a successful, independent life." This book is essential reading for any parent considering college for their child, for disability service providers in colleges, and for ASD students themselves. Dedication Acknowledgements Preface Introduction Starting out; diagnosis and the early years Strategies for the high school years Making the decision about college Everything you need to know about life; a summer of lessons Moving out; the transition to the dorm Supports and strategies at college Self-awareness and the issue of self-disclosure Positives of the college experience What comes next? Appendix A: useful books and websites Appendix B: sample self-disclosure form.