"A System That Wasn't Really Optimized for Me": Factors Influencing Autistic University Students' Access to...

Area of Science:

• Higher Education Research
• Neurodiversity Studies
• Disability Support Services

Background:

• Increasing number of autistic adults in higher education.
• Existing support systems and graduation rates indicate potential gaps in adequately supporting autistic students.
• Qualitative study focusing on factors influencing autistic university students' awareness of support resources.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how autistic university students learn about available resources and opportunities.
• To identify barriers and facilitators to information access for autistic students in higher education.
• To provide recommendations for improving university support systems for autistic students.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study involving interviews with 14 autistic students at a U.S. public university.
• Data collection through group/individual Zoom interviews and asynchronous email exchanges.
• Reflexive thematic analysis to identify patterns in information access experiences.

Main Results:

• Two key themes emerged: challenges in navigating social interactions for information and university expectations creating barriers.
• Difficulties in accessing socially mediated information were highlighted.
• University practices and policies not designed for autistic students were identified as significant barriers.

Conclusions:

• Access to information significantly impacts autistic students' academic, interpersonal, and belonging experiences.
• Understanding factors influencing information access is crucial for structural changes in higher education.
• Recommendations focus on creating more equitable access to resources and opportunities for autistic individuals.