Welcome to the guide to Autism in College
This libguide is designed to help both Autistic people and those around them to better understand their specific needs and challenges in college.
This page was designed specifically to address Autism at this time of life, and therefore is focused on Young Adults, Transition to Adulthood, and Adulthood themes. While there is a plethora of information on children, adult information and assistance is much harder to find as this is a burgeoning area of research on the autism spectrum.
This libguide includes not only academic sources, but popular articles, videos, websites, presentations, infographics, and statistics.
Over 80% of college bound autistic students attend a 2 year college, meaning Community Colleges are usually the first encounter these students have with higher education. Understanding their needs, values, challenges, and finding solutions for inclusion both in the classroom and across the campus are vital in supporting their success in college. ---Roux, A. M., Shattuck, P. T., Rast, J. E., Rava, J. A., Edwards, A. D., Wei, X., McCracken, M., & Yu, J. W. (2015). Characteristics of Two-Year College Students on the Autism Spectrum and Their Support Services Experiences. Autism research and treatment, 2015, 391693. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/391693
Autism is a developmental disorder with symptoms that appear within the first three years of life. Its formal diagnostic name is autism spectrum disorder. The word “spectrum” indicates that autism appears in different forms with varying levels of severity. That means that each individual with autism experiences their own unique strengths, symptoms, and challenges. --- Autism Research Institute
The raw numbers in Florida
14%
PK-12 students in Florida with a disability.
25.7%
Florida students with a disability who enroll in postsecondary education.
85.5%
High school graduation rate of Florida students with disabilities.
28.7%
Floridians with a disability who have some college or an associates degree
---Home. The Able Trust. (2024, May 28). https://www.abletrust.org/
Hello! My name is Gina Oviedo Martinez and I am an autistic person working as a Librarian Assistant Professor at HCC primarily located at the Dale Mabry Campus.
While I have lived as an autistic person my whole life, I did not realize I was autistic until my late 20s, when I was diagnosed. Both my challenges and success in the workforce has been influenced by my autism. I have been studying autism for over two decades, and this guide is a culmination of that knowledge.
I am passionate about the importance of knowledge as power, and this guide was created to assist others with autism and those around them to navigate college and the adult world as an autistic person.
More information about me can be found here: Gina Oviedo Martinez - Librarian Assistant Professor - Hillsborough Community College | LinkedIn