Dissertation
Serving the needs of students on the autism spectrum in higher education: a study of leadership and support services
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Drexel University
01 Nov 2014
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/etd-6421
Abstract
The exponential increase in children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in recent years has caused higher education institutions to prepare for the expansion in enrollment of students with this type of disability. Since there are defined legal mandates ensuring the rights of people with disabilities, higher education leaders must be prepared to respond effectively to this increased demand for support and related services. In addition, with the recent influx in students with learning and other disabilities accepted to college, assistive technology is being used more frequently in post-secondary education. Disability support services offices in universities are being inundated with requests for assistance and adaptations but the support services that are being offered may vary tremendously from one institution to another because of differences in institutional context, leadership, resources and availability of specialized expertise. The purpose of this study was to identify and analyze how disability support services offices responded to the needs of students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), with a focus on leadership factors and "in house" expertise (e.g., the use of assistive technologies). The researcher sought to explore how leaders of disability services offices responded to the needs of students with ASD by conducting a survey of several universities and case studies of two research universities in Pennsylvania. This study began with a survey of 25 universities with the highest enrollment in Pennsylvania, which was followed by site visits and in-depth interviews at the two Pennsylvania universities. The leaders in each of the disability support services offices were surveyed and interviewed (along with key professional staff and students) on their perception of the needs of students with autism and how they met those needs through services, supports and assistive technology. This study was beneficial because it explored different leadership approaches used by research universities to meet the needs of this growing population of students.
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Details
- Title
- Serving the needs of students on the autism spectrum in higher education
- Creators
- Amy Danielle Edwards - DU
- Contributors
- Constance Lyttle (Advisor) - Drexel University (1970-)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- School of Education (1997-2026); Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 6421; 991014632391404721