Róisín Kelly, Learning Support Tutor at TUS, explains the needs her institution identified and how the Autism&Uni toolkit helped meet those needs.
The Disability & Learning Support Service of the Technological University of the Shannon Midlands is committed to the provision of an equitable learning environment. The number of Autistic students pursuing higher education here has increased dramatically in recent years.
We recognise the challenges that autistic students experience and the importance of supporting their transition from school to university. In view of that, we are working towards becoming a more Autism Friendly University.
Research shows that Autistic students who receive appropriate support in a timely manner thrive in higher education. We were very excited to come across the Autism & Uni toolkit as it allows students to easily access information and advice in one place.
It is an excellent resource that offers practical advice and detailed information on the student journey, from thinking about going to university to arranging support with the Disability Service. It addresses the concerns and challenges commonly experienced by autistic students in their transition to university.
We valued that the toolkit content is directly influenced by and designed specifically for the students we are working for. Dr. Marc Fabri, the Autism&Uni Project Lead, encourages a sharing culture and provided us with a template containing existing blogs. We edited and created content through WordPress to reflect our own support services, facilities, activities and locations.
The toolkit template proved instrumental in making a daunting and time-consuming task attainable..
Read the Press Release here: https://tus.ie/tus-adopts-toolkit-to-help-students-with-autism-acclimate-to-college-life/
Róisín Kelly
Learning Support Tutor | Assistive Technology Tutor
Disability & Learning Support Service
Technological University of the Shannon
Ireland