Student Liaisons for Autism: Using College Students in Bridging the Communication Gap
Disciplines
Applied Behavior Analysis | Educational Leadership | Higher Education Administration | Special Education Administration
Abstract (300 words maximum)
This action research focuses on supporting college students with autism by pairing them with RBT- certified student liaisons. These liaisons will monitor and coach students who have social, communicable, and executive functioning challenges. Research studies have shown that people with autism are less likely to graduate, get a job, or get married. Students with autism usually receive help throughout K-12 school, specifically with a 504 plan, but there are hardly any resources in higher education to help them. The student liaisons would bridge the gap between the students with autism and the rest of their college experience. There would be an observation period to assess where the liaisons are most needed for each individual student and then stage an intervention by coaching, creating goals, and developing much-needed skills that would increase their standard of living. Our research will take the data and make a connection between student liaisons and how they can help students with autism in higher education be more successful. Student liaisons will help the students make connections, plans, and develop skills that they would retain for the rest of their lives. We predict that our research will show that not only will this study increase and better the lives of college students with autism, but that ABA services on campus would not be hard to achieve and would ultimately make many people’s lives more efficient by developing much needed skills that would not only help them in college, but out of college and into the rest of their lives.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
BCOE - Educational Leadership
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Michael Ota
Student Liaisons for Autism: Using College Students in Bridging the Communication Gap
This action research focuses on supporting college students with autism by pairing them with RBT- certified student liaisons. These liaisons will monitor and coach students who have social, communicable, and executive functioning challenges. Research studies have shown that people with autism are less likely to graduate, get a job, or get married. Students with autism usually receive help throughout K-12 school, specifically with a 504 plan, but there are hardly any resources in higher education to help them. The student liaisons would bridge the gap between the students with autism and the rest of their college experience. There would be an observation period to assess where the liaisons are most needed for each individual student and then stage an intervention by coaching, creating goals, and developing much-needed skills that would increase their standard of living. Our research will take the data and make a connection between student liaisons and how they can help students with autism in higher education be more successful. Student liaisons will help the students make connections, plans, and develop skills that they would retain for the rest of their lives. We predict that our research will show that not only will this study increase and better the lives of college students with autism, but that ABA services on campus would not be hard to achieve and would ultimately make many people’s lives more efficient by developing much needed skills that would not only help them in college, but out of college and into the rest of their lives.