Applying the ICF to identify requirements for students with Asperger syndrome in higher education

Abstract

Higher education requires more than academic skills and everyday student-life can be stressful. Students with Asperger syndrome (AS) may need support to manage their education due to difficulties in social functioning.

Objective: As preparation for the development of a structured tool to guide student and coordinator dialogues at Swedish universities, this study aimed to identify ICF categories that reflect requirements in everyday student-life for students with AS.

Methods: Using descriptive qualitative approach, information in documents reflecting the perspectives of university students, international classifications, user/health organisations and education authorities were linked to ICF codes.

Results: In total, 114 ICF categories were identified, most of which related to learning, tasks and demands, communication and interactions.

Conclusion: Students with AS need varying accommodations to be successful in higher education. In the future, ICF-based code sets, including demands on student roles, can be used as checklists to describe functioning and needs for support.

• Asperger syndrome
• higher education
• ICF
• requirement
• student
• support

Declaration of interest

The research was supported by Sunnerdahl’s Disability Foundation (dnr 38/12).

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.