The Speech-Language Pathologist's Role in Supporting Autistic Students in Postsecondary Education Settings.

Area of Science:

• Neurodiversity in Higher Education
• Autism Spectrum Disorder Support
• Speech-Language Pathology Practice

Background:

• Autistic students face significant challenges in postsecondary settings due to misconceptions and self-advocacy barriers.
• Inadequate support for social communication, executive functioning, and self-advocacy hinders academic and social integration.
• Existing postsecondary systems often lack tailored resources for autistic students' unique needs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the critical role of Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) in supporting autistic college students.
• To outline how SLPs can provide personalized direct and indirect supports within the postsecondary environment.
• To emphasize the SLP's capacity to reduce barriers and foster successful integration for autistic students.

Main Methods:

• Synthesized existing literature, clinical expertise, and the neurodiversity framework.
• Incorporated lived experiences of autistic college students to inform support strategies.
• Developed guidelines for indirect and direct SLP supports, including a case example and personalized support plan.

Main Results:

• SLPs are uniquely positioned to offer targeted interventions for social communication, executive functioning, and self-advocacy.
• Direct and indirect support models can be effectively implemented by SLPs in postsecondary settings.
• Personalized support plans can significantly aid autistic students' academic and social success.

Conclusions:

• Targeted SLP supports are essential for autistic students' retention, success, and graduation.
• SLP interventions align with the scope of practice and contribute to a more inclusive postsecondary community.
• Operationalizing these supports through concrete examples demonstrates their practical application and effectiveness.