Cincinnati — For most individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), change is always the biggest challenge. Individuals with autism often find security and take comfort in having to follow routines on a daily basis, and the times when change is inevitable is often the most difficult for them.
The same is true for individuals on the spectrum who are about to face a new chapter in their lives after high school— and it is for this reason that the University of Cincinnati Advancement and Transition Services came up with the College Success Camp for students with autism.
College Success Camp is a week-long experience for students on the spectrum where they are basically given a taste of how college life will be for them.
The program includes activities wherein 11th and 12th grade students are given the chance to feel what it’s like to be in college, where they stay on campus, learn academics, attend classes, are taught employment skills, and are given assistance in identifying their social and independent needs as they transition into college.
According to College Success Camp Director and Transitions Coordinator Jan Goings:
“They’re in classes taught by university professors because a number of them said, ‘I want to understand what college is like, so when I make that decision, I’m better able to understand what skills I need to be successful.”
The university is also planning to transition this week-long program into a year-long program to even further the assistance that they currently extend to students with autism.
Source: Miriah Turner in WLWT5 Camp helps students with autism prepare for college