Supporting Students with ASD at Third LevelDeclan Treanor, Director of the Disability Service, Trinity College Dublin

Presentation Aims

• Provide the context to this presentation• Discuss ASD and University Life• Explore the model of support for students

with ASD at TCD from entering to graduation

• Students perspectives on managing college with AS

Context-Where are we now?

• Less supports at secondary school & third level

• Less information on ASDPast

• Increase in supports available• Increased recognition and

diagnosis• Increased legislation• Access routes to education- DARE

Scheme

Now & Developing

Disability 2008 % 2009 % 2010 % 2011 % 2012 %

AS / ASD 36 2.2 76 3.4 68 3.70 94 4.3 129 5.3

ADHD 40 2.5 107 4.8 70 3.80 114 5.2 156 6.5

Blind / VI 24 1.5 54 2.4 36 1.90 36 1.6 1 0.0

Deaf/HoH 67 4.2 110 4.9 70 3.80 77 3.5 70 2.9

Dyspraxia 32 2.0 74 3.3 88 4.7 143 6.6 153 6.3

MHC 49 3.0 115 5.1 89 4.8 129 5.9 226 9.4

Neuro 0 0 43 1.9 39 2.10 36 1.6 36 1.5

Physical 17 1.0 94 4.2 62 3.30 94 4.3 92 3.83

SOI 178 11.1 72 3.2 189 10.2 226 10.4 269 11.2

SLC 0 0 0 0 17 0.90 14 0.6 26 1.08

SpLD 1152 72 1560 69.9 1108 60.3 1197 55.4 1199 50.0

Total 1595 2229 1836 2160 2397

DARE eligibility by disability 2008 – 2012

TCD Registered Students Total Arts, H, &

SS (incl TSM)Eng, Maths

and Systems Health

Sciences Cross Faculty

Medical/SOI 144 53 26 48 17

Mental Health 197 81 39 37 40

Physical 98 47 16 18 17

HOH/Deaf 38 25 5 6 2

Visual Impairment 23 13 4   6

ADHD and ADD 61 21 10 10 12

Dyspraxia 52 11 7   8

Neurological 28 14 3 5 6

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 40 7 24 3 6

Intellectual disability 33 33      

Speech Language 2 1   1    

SpLD 370 188 78 89 49

Total 1086 494 212 217 163

Trinity College Dublin Information 2007-2012

Science13

33%

Arts9

23%

Engineering7

18%

Law2

5%

History2

5%

Pharmacy2

5%

Maths2

5%

History & Politics2

5%Medicine

13%

Course of Study

The TransitionSecondary -v- Third Level

Secondary School

Third level education

ASD & University Life

• Living away from home (Nat. Autistic Soc, UK, 2006);

• New university environment is challenging;

• Poor organisational skills (Adreon & Durocher, 2007);

• Poor self-advocates, decreased leisure engagement & social participation (Gleeson, Nolan & Quinn, 2012);

• Leading to ↑ anxiety, stress & depression (Baron-Cohen et al, 1999, Fujikawa, et.al., 1987, Whitehouse, et.al., 2009).

Reactive Model

Student at the centre

Disability Service

Counselling Service

Unilink

Health Service

Student Union

Tutor

Pathway’s Model of Support for Students with disabilities

Phase 1

• Phase 1: Pathway to College• Pre-entry, admission and the first year experience

Phase 2

• Phase 2: Pathway through College• Building and maintaining a college career

Phase 3

• Phase 3: Pathway to employment• Transition to further study or employment

Phase 1: Pathway to College

Dedicated Transition Website-

Pathways workshops

• study skills• assistive technology• transition to college assessment and planning• self-determination and self-advocacy• examinations• managing stress• sleep hygiene

Supporting students as they make

decisions

• Individualised meetings with OT’s in supporting transition

• Open Evenings-designed for students with ASD and their parents

• Working with ASD Support Groups- lectures, talks

Pathways transition planning tool

AS Webpage

Orientation days

• Orientation/Welcome Day for students with ASD • Day Schedule

– Getting to know Trinity-Being a Fresher Student– Campus Tour – Meeting the DS and SU– Being a student learner– Getting to know TCD Computers/Library – Tour of BLU Library– Questions and Answers??

Students Comments about the Day

“Everything seems clearer now as a result of the Welcome Day”

“I now know what I must do in the coming weeks”

“I wanted to look around and learn about Trinity and I did that!”

“I came to learn names and find my way around”

“Between meeting important staff and being shown around I found I gained the information I wanted.”

Phase 2: Pathway through CollegeCollege Life: Building and

maintaining a college career…the bigger picture

Phase 2 Supports

• Students with ASD can avail of a number of supports in college:– Needs Assessment– Weekly individualised student centred Unilink

appointments with OT– Weekly Social Leisure Group – Mock exams – Low Distraction Exam Venues – Meeting with DO-advocate; LENS etc.

Weekly Social Leisure Group

The Unilink Process

1. Referral. 2. Assessment of student-perceived need (various assessments

used on a needs-basis; TSP).3. Weekly meetings with students (or as required). 4. Contact as needed via phone, text.5. Reports back to referral sources – all reports co-signed by

student.

Interventions: what the students with ASD and therapists do in Unilink

Some examples of the interventions we use are: –role playing social interactions/situations–developing non-verbal communication skills –making out timetables and setting weekly goals–developing healthy and balanced routines–helping with assignments – outline, structure, planning, research, developing study techniques–planning and organisational skills development–develop strategies to manage mental health diffiuclties

Interventions: what the students with ASD and therapists do in Unilink

• providing environmental management/adaptations/suggestions

• providing hands-on orientation of the college environment• providing relaxation strategies and anxiety management • providing practical help with understanding and using college

systems• breaking tasks down – activity analysis, chunking• making suggestions for eating & snacking• advocating for the student

Phase 3: Pathway to Employment

Overview • Supporting students getting Internships; 2

students with Internships last year• Workshops- developing CV’s, disclosure &

interview skills• Development of work readiness skills and

managing health & wellbeing in the workplace• Employment booklet developed for use with

students

Student Outcomes

• .

Outcome 2006-2007

2007-2008 2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-11 2011-12

Passed exams incl. graduated

3 (60%) 5 (55.6) 10 (66.7%) 12 (52.2%) 22 (75.8%) 32 (82%)

Failed year 1 (20%) 4 (44.4%) 0 7 (30.4%) 4 (13.7%) 2 (5.1%)

Off-books 1 (20%) 0 1 (6.7%) 1 (4.3%) 1 (3.4%) 2 (5.1%)

Withdrew from Course

0 0 4 (26.7) 3 (13%) 2 (6.8%) 3 (7.6%)

TOTAL 5 (100%) 9 (100%) 15 (100%) 23 (100%) 29 (100%) 39 (100%)

What is the Future in supporting students with ASD at College??

• Unilink now provided in DCU, UCD, DIT & Marino• To continue to provide student needs based services-

listening to the voices of students & adapting to the need

• Encourage more & more students to think about the possibility of college life

Student Perspectives

on University

Any Questions?Thank you for listening!

Declan Treanor dtreanor@tcd.ieClaire Gleeson clgleeso@tcd.ie

http://www.tcd.ie/disability/services/Unilink/index.phphttp://www.tcd.ie/disability/AShttp://www.tcd.ie/pathways-to-trinity/

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