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REAL services to assist students REAL services to assist students who identify with Asperger who identify with Asperger

syndrome (AS)syndrome (AS)

reliablereliable empathicempathic anticipatoryanticipatory logicallogical n.martin@lse.ac.ukn.martin@lse.ac.uk

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evidence base

participants 291 students who

identify with AS from 20 universities

17 of their mums 121 professionals

working in various roles in HE with students identifying with AS

4 peers (part of a buddy scheme)

qualitative research influenced by grounded theory, action research and emancipatory principles

over a decade similar concerns emerged within 8 linked studies

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publications: Nicola Martinpublications: Nicola Martin (2000): Widening opportunities for students with AS. (2000): Widening opportunities for students with AS.

Widening Participation and Lifelong Learning (2) 42-48Widening Participation and Lifelong Learning (2) 42-48 (2005): AS in the workplace. (2005): AS in the workplace. SKILL (81) 30-34SKILL (81) 30-34 (2006): Strategies which increase the likelihood of (2006): Strategies which increase the likelihood of

success at university of students with AS. success at university of students with AS. GAP (7:2) 51-60GAP (7:2) 51-60 (2007): Personal statements. Helping transition to further (2007): Personal statements. Helping transition to further

education and employment. education and employment. GAP (8:2) 17-21GAP (8:2) 17-21 (2008):REAL services to assist university students who (2008):REAL services to assist university students who

have AS. have AS. NADP Technical briefing. (10/08)NADP Technical briefing. (10/08) (2008): A template for improving provision for students (2008): A template for improving provision for students

with AS in FE and HE. with AS in FE and HE. NADP Technical briefing. (10/08NADP Technical briefing. (10/08)) (2008).Empathy is a two way street. Pollak. (2008).Empathy is a two way street. Pollak.

Neurodiversity in HENeurodiversity in HE

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co-authoredco-authored Madriaga, Goodley, Hodge, Beardon (2008). Enabling transitions into Madriaga, Goodley, Hodge, Beardon (2008). Enabling transitions into

higher education for students with AS. higher education for students with AS. HEAHEA Martin, Beardon, Hodge, Goodley, Madriaga (2008). Towards an Martin, Beardon, Hodge, Goodley, Madriaga (2008). Towards an

inclusive environment for university students who have AS. inclusive environment for university students who have AS. JIPFHE JIPFHE 1(1);3-141(1);3-14

Beardon, Martin, Woolsey (2009)What do students with AS and HFA Beardon, Martin, Woolsey (2009)What do students with AS and HFA want from college and university-in their own words. want from college and university-in their own words. GAP 10(2): 35-GAP 10(2): 35-4444

Hendrickx, Martin (20110 Insights into intimacy for people with AS Hendrickx, Martin (20110 Insights into intimacy for people with AS and their partners. and their partners. GAP (12(1) 26-34GAP (12(1) 26-34

Atkinson, Evans S, Gandy, Graham, Hendrickx, Jackson (2011). A Atkinson, Evans S, Gandy, Graham, Hendrickx, Jackson (2011). A buddy scheme. Supporting transition and progression for students buddy scheme. Supporting transition and progression for students identified with AS. identified with AS. JIPFHE 3(2)JIPFHE 3(2)

Baron-Cohen, Harding, Hastwell, Martin (2012) Cambridge university Baron-Cohen, Harding, Hastwell, Martin (2012) Cambridge university as experienced by students who identify with AS as experienced by students who identify with AS (Project report for (Project report for publication May 2012).publication May 2012).

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successessuccesses

serious dedicated hard serious dedicated hard working students /good working students /good graduates- particularly in graduates- particularly in STEM subjectsSTEM subjects

neurodiversity increasingly neurodiversity increasingly celebrated as differencecelebrated as difference

numbers are numbers are increasing.2003 (80) 2009 increasing.2003 (80) 2009 (1205) HESA figures (1205) HESA figures exclude students who did exclude students who did not disclosenot disclose

supportive communities of supportive communities of people with AS, via the people with AS, via the internet /social networkinginternet /social networking

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HE identified as a possibility in:HE identified as a possibility in:Supporting People with Autism Supporting People with Autism Through Adulthood. NAO (2009)Through Adulthood. NAO (2009)The Autism Act 2009The Autism Act 2009The Autism Strategy 2010The Autism Strategy 2010

The Equality Act (2010) demands The Equality Act (2010) demands further improvementsfurther improvements

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students say...students say...

'I found university no 'I found university no problem. I got no problem. I got no additional support additional support but in a huge but in a huge institution no one institution no one cares if you are a bit cares if you are a bit strange'. ASPECT)strange'. ASPECT)

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challengeschallenges dealing with new social environments, frequently dealing with new social environments, frequently

being socially inexperienced, previously bullied being socially inexperienced, previously bullied /left out/left out

depression often arising from social isolation depression often arising from social isolation /other people’s behaviour/other people’s behaviour

communicating with people who may be unclear/ communicating with people who may be unclear/ unreliable /confusingunreliable /confusing

imagination /flexibility required to problem solve, imagination /flexibility required to problem solve, cope with change /work out what to do in new cope with change /work out what to do in new situationssituations

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................

issues with empathy issues with empathy towards / from otherstowards / from others

difficulty with difficulty with understanding understanding expectationsexpectations

getting lost in detailgetting lost in detail managing managing

practicalitiespracticalities anxiety, stress, often anxiety, stress, often

result of confusion result of confusion /perfectionism/perfectionism

sensory sensory sensitivitiessensitivities

(central coherence, executive (central coherence, executive function, theory of mind)function, theory of mind)

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some people embrace some people embrace A.S. /disability identity but A.S. /disability identity but others don’t and others don’t and consequently avoid consequently avoid associated servicesassociated services

diagnosis is necessary to diagnosis is necessary to access Disabled Student access Disabled Student AllowanceAllowance

adult diagnostic services adult diagnostic services and post diagnosis support and post diagnosis support are scarceare scarce

it is difficult to capture views it is difficult to capture views of people who do not want of people who do not want to talk about ASto talk about AS

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be reliablebe reliable

over promising and under delivering is not an over promising and under delivering is not an optionoption

services based on a single member of staff have services based on a single member of staff have built in conditions for under reliabilitybuilt in conditions for under reliability

a timetable punctuated with regular academic, a timetable punctuated with regular academic, social, domestic and support activity can helpsocial, domestic and support activity can help

not assuming competence with money, public not assuming competence with money, public transport etc is helpful and reliable backup to transport etc is helpful and reliable backup to learn these skills may be requiredlearn these skills may be required

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reliable strategiesreliable strategies

the culture of the institution needs to promote the culture of the institution needs to promote reliability as a core value which applies to reliability as a core value which applies to everyone- staff and studentseveryone- staff and students

staff training should emphasise reliability and staff training should emphasise reliability and include various roles (eg residential services, include various roles (eg residential services, student union) student union)

team work could be part of the marking criteria team work could be part of the marking criteria in group workin group work

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students say...students say...

'It all went chaotic last term. The note taker missed out on 'It all went chaotic last term. The note taker missed out on at least two of my seminars...she went to the wrong room‘. at least two of my seminars...she went to the wrong room‘. (Madriaga)(Madriaga)

'Routines changes suddenly, too many people talking, 'Routines changes suddenly, too many people talking, crowds moving'. (ASPECT)crowds moving'. (ASPECT)

'I need a laptop, a PDA, someone with me between classes, 'I need a laptop, a PDA, someone with me between classes, a quiet and consistent place to work, a meal plan, a mentor a quiet and consistent place to work, a meal plan, a mentor to go between all my different support people and tutors to go between all my different support people and tutors and not too much group work‘. (ASPECT)and not too much group work‘. (ASPECT)

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'A diagnosis would have helped so I didn't feel my 'A diagnosis would have helped so I didn't feel my lack of social skills was a deficit of mine‘. lack of social skills was a deficit of mine‘. (ASPECT)(ASPECT)

‘‘Having a diagnosis of AS in school means, as an Having a diagnosis of AS in school means, as an adult, you feel like you can never actually adult, you feel like you can never actually participate normally in everything with everyone participate normally in everything with everyone else‘. (student) else‘. (student)

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empathise- empathy is a two way empathise- empathy is a two way streetstreet

imagine being left outimagine being left out would you like to be the would you like to be the

student who looked like student who looked like they had brought their they had brought their mother with them?mother with them?

what has Fresher’s week what has Fresher’s week got to offer to students got to offer to students who don’t like booze and who don’t like booze and nightclubs?nightclubs?

would ‘I know about AS, I would ‘I know about AS, I have read ‘The curious have read ‘The curious incident...’ make you feel incident...’ make you feel good?good?

how about a bit how about a bit of genius of genius pressure?pressure?

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empathic strategiesempathic strategies

foster a culture which celebrates diversity and foster a culture which celebrates diversity and individualityindividuality

provide diverse social opportunities and easy provide diverse social opportunities and easy ways to access themways to access them

employ high status peer mentors and emphasise employ high status peer mentors and emphasise reliability in trainingreliability in training

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anticipate...anticipate...

unfamiliar situations can cause anxietyunfamiliar situations can cause anxiety unexpected changes in routine can cause distressunexpected changes in routine can cause distress sensory environment could be disturbingsensory environment could be disturbing social experience beyond family may be limitedsocial experience beyond family may be limited making choices when faced with a blank sheet can be making choices when faced with a blank sheet can be

overwhelmingoverwhelming challenge of getting to the next stage including finding challenge of getting to the next stage including finding

employmentemployment some students avoid disability servicessome students avoid disability services phases of depression and anxiety are likelyphases of depression and anxiety are likely

2020

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anticipatory strategiesanticipatory strategies

develop /communicate robust joined up pre entry develop /communicate robust joined up pre entry support (start early)support (start early)

ensure access to general support/ wellbeing ensure access to general support/ wellbeing services/timetabled funservices/timetabled fun

induct into each year /consider each stageinduct into each year /consider each stage establish reliable means to advise of change (eg establish reliable means to advise of change (eg

post it note on the door for room change, texting, post it note on the door for room change, texting, email, intranet)email, intranet)

help with placement /securing a jobhelp with placement /securing a job

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be logicalbe logical

interact ' with the affect turned off’interact ' with the affect turned off’ ambiguity /unclear expectations, can perpetuate ambiguity /unclear expectations, can perpetuate

confusion / cause anxietyconfusion / cause anxiety difficulty with understanding what is in another difficulty with understanding what is in another

persons head can make it hard to work out what persons head can make it hard to work out what the lecturer meansthe lecturer means

spelling out how (a) relates to (b) can help spelling out how (a) relates to (b) can help students to see the linksstudents to see the links

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logical strategieslogical strategies

communicate unambiguouslycommunicate unambiguously write straightforward assignment briefswrite straightforward assignment briefs spell out the relative weightings of pieces of work spell out the relative weightings of pieces of work

and how much effort is expectedand how much effort is expected explain the potential consequences of choicesexplain the potential consequences of choices put achievement and failure in contextput achievement and failure in context say what you mean / mean what you saysay what you mean / mean what you say

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the last wordthe last word

'People need to get over the idea that the 'neuro typical way is the 'People need to get over the idea that the 'neuro typical way is the right way and any other way is wrong. The AS way is just as valid, right way and any other way is wrong. The AS way is just as valid, in fact better in some respects. We should be accepted in our own in fact better in some respects. We should be accepted in our own right, and the emphasis should be on educating NT's not to be so right, and the emphasis should be on educating NT's not to be so discriminatory, and to get over the absurd and offensive idea that discriminatory, and to get over the absurd and offensive idea that they are better than anyone else. People with AS don't need to be they are better than anyone else. People with AS don't need to be cured, or trained how to be 'normal'. It's the 'normal' people who cured, or trained how to be 'normal'. It's the 'normal' people who need to learn that, contrary to what they think, they are not the need to learn that, contrary to what they think, they are not the pinnacle of God's creation and there is, in fact, a lot they could pinnacle of God's creation and there is, in fact, a lot they could learn from Aspies. They need to be taught not to be prejudiced learn from Aspies. They need to be taught not to be prejudiced and discriminatory, and to accept and accommodate us for who and discriminatory, and to accept and accommodate us for who we are'. (ASPECT)we are'. (ASPECT)

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notes on illustrationsnotes on illustrations

slide 10 shows a crowd scene to illustrate slide 10 shows a crowd scene to illustrate a stressful sensory environment with the a stressful sensory environment with the potential for sensory overloadpotential for sensory overload

slide 18 shows Dustin Hoffman’s slide 18 shows Dustin Hoffman’s portrayal of Rain Man which is included to portrayal of Rain Man which is included to facilitate discussion about stereotypingfacilitate discussion about stereotyping

slide 20 depicts an anxiety provoking slide 20 depicts an anxiety provoking airport scene airport scene