Autism and College: How to Access Campus Disability

A guide for autistic students to access disability accommodations on campus to ease their college transitions and experiences.

When I was in school, I needed disability accommodations for several health conditions, but I didn’t know what accommodations were or how to get them. I also felt ashamed to get help. I hope that this article will help your students access disability resources more easily.

I reached out to Dr. Cort Schneider, the Director of the Student Disability Access Office at Duke University, for more information on how to access disability accommodations. I also asked about specific disability accommodations that tend to be useful for autistic people.

What counts as a disability? Is autism included?

Some students worry that their disabilities won’t “count,” especially if the disability is not immediately visible to others. While physical impairments can qualify for disability accommodations, students with disruptions in mood, memory, focus, sensory processing, auditory processing time, reading, speech, or other areas often receive accommodations as well.

Many autistic students receive disability accommodations, and an autism diagnosis is considered a valid reason to seek accommodation. Students can also receive accommodations for related conditions such as attention deficit disorder (ADD) or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and sensory processing disorder (SPD) .

For students who experience difficulties with social interactions or school, and who are not sure if they would qualify for disability accommodations, it’s always better to contact the disability office and start the process of applying.

“The sooner you can reach out and go through the process, the better,” Dr. Schneider said. “I tell my students that I’m not giving them accommodations because I’m a nice guy, even though I am a nice guy. I’m giving them accommodations because they’re entitled to them.”

What kind of accommodations are relevant to autistic people?

Every person is different, and it’s important for students to work out customized accommodations with the disability office. That being said, Dr. Schneider has worked with many people on the autism spectrum, and some accommodations he sees frequently are extra time on tests, distraction reduced testing, assistance with note-taking, use of text-to-speech software, books in an alternative format (electronic scans or e-books), and use of private study rooms at the library.

Dr. Schneider also noted that some autistic students request and receive housing accommodations. For example, if sharing a dorm room with new people would be difficult or impossible due to autism or other disabilities, students can request a single room.

Housing accommodations can take more time to set up, so students should contact the disability office as soon as possible after they are admitted to college. At Duke, where Dr. Schneider works, single-room housing assignments are usually made in February or March (about five or six months before the academic year starts). Students should not wait until June or July when most colleges have already finalized housing assignments.

Other accommodations are available depending on the nature of a student’s disability.

Students can access accommodations at any college campus. As soon as students know they are interested in a specific college or university, they can contact the disability office to learn more about accommodations. Dr. Schneider says that it’s okay to contact a college disability office as early as sophomore or junior year of high school.

He also recommends visiting the disability office as part of a campus tour. The information gained through campus visits can be valuable when deciding which college to attend.

“You’re looking for a personal fit with the disability office,” he says.

Once students are admitted to a school and decide to attend, they can email or call the disability office at their college to apply for their disability accommodations. It’s ideal to contact the disability office as early as possible, but the disability office is available to help at any time, so students should reach out even if they think they are too late.

How much should I share with the disability office at my college?

Students who have been teased for their disabilities often try to hide their symptoms to try to “blend in.” However, students need to be honest with their disability case manager about how their disability affects them. Disability case managers use this information to help students receive necessary accommodations.

How much information should I share with professors about my disabilities?

Students are responsible for sharing their disability accommodations with their professors at the beginning of the semester, but it is not necessary to share private health information with a professor. Professors are only allowed to ask which accommodations you need—they aren’t allowed to ask why you need it, or what conditions you have. For students who aren’t sure how to approach their professors, Dr. Schneider notes that the disability office can help students prepare an email or a verbal summary.

What documentation will I need? What’s the difference between current and recent testing?

Students will often need neurocognitive testing supporting their diagnosis. Current testing means the testing results still apply, even if the test was done years ago. For example, if a student was tested when they were 10 years old, but they still have the same symptoms, those test results are “current.” They are not recent, however, because several years have passed.

Students should ask the disability office if their school requires current and recent testing (testing that still accurately describes their symptoms and difficulties, and was performed in the last few years), or just current testing (testing that still applies but can be several years old).

Some schools will require students to be tested again to demonstrate their need for certain disability accommodations. If the cost of testing is a barrier, Dr. Schneider recommends state vocational services, which can help provide free or low-cost neurocognitive testing.

Isn’t getting an accommodation cheating?

Not at all! Accommodations are meant to remove barriers and make education more accessible. Some students just need a different learning environment, and that’s okay. Students who receive accommodations aren’t getting special treatment. In fact, students who request and receive accommodations are entitled to those accommodations by American law.

“Don’t be afraid to use accommodations,” Dr. Schneider says. “Your degree isn’t worth less because you use accommodations, and 10 years from now, no one will care if you used them.”

If you’re college-bound or are currently in college, consider contacting the disability office at your school. It can make a big difference in making higher education more accessible.