Facilitating Support for Students with Asperger's Syndrome

Abstract

The number of students with Asperger's Syndrome enrolled at tertiary institutions in the United States continues to increase. This can be attributed to: (a) the passage of legislations such as the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA); (b) revisions to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM); and (c) early intervention and treatment. Although the increase may be an indicator that a climate of inclusion for individuals with Asperger's Syndrome has been created, many institutions are not adequately prepared to accommodate these students. In order to serve students with Aspergers's Syndrome effectively, collaboration between several university entities is necessary. The authors highlight the pivotal role that college counselors can play in providing direct support to students with Asperger's Syndrome and in facilitating and coordinating inputs from other sectors of the college environment such as disability services, faculty members, and residence-life staff.

Keywords:

• Asperger's Syndrome
• college counselor
• disability services
• faculty
• interventions
• practice-based interventions