Autism U: As College Application Deadlines Near, Growing Adult Autism Population...

Autism U: As College Application Deadlines Near, Growing Adult AutismPopulation Focuses on Higher EducationPITTSBURGH, Nov. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- As early detection and treatmentsimprove, a growing number of young adults with High-Functioning Autism andAsperger's Syndrome are considering higher education.

While some colleges scramble to meet the needs of an aging population withautism, others have turned to third-party programs, such as Achieving inHigher Education with Autism and Developmental Disabilities (AHEADD), toenhance their level of support. Originally developed in collaboration withCarnegie Mellon University's department of Equal Opportunity Services, AHEADDprovides mentoring and personal advocacy services for students with Asperger'sSyndrome, Attention Deficit Disorder, High-Functioning Autism, and Non-VerbalLearning Disorder. The program is quickly expanding to higher-educationenvironments in the District of Columbia, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, andVirginia.

For students on the Autism Spectrum, programs such as AHEADD greatlyinfluence their college application decisions. "These students are oftenserved really well in the K-12 public school system, and then they're cutoff," says Carolyn Komich Hare, AHEADD's founder and director. "College posesa whole new set of communication, organization, and social challenges, and itis important to have a plan in place to make the transition as seamless aspossible. I have students who apply to colleges in Pittsburgh just because ofthe level of support they can receive here."

As accommodations improve, students, as well as their universities, arefeeling the effects. One hundred percent of college students who participatedin AHEADD for one semester improved their GPA by at least .5, and sometimes byas much as two, points. Ninety percent of students who were on academicprobation were able to successfully continue their college careers with theprogram's support. "The Asperger's population is much bigger than we think itis," says Larry Powell, manager of Disability Resources at Carnegie MellonUniversity. "If we could put together systems that would adequately supportthese students, word would get around and more students would disclose it andwould come."

For more information about AHEADD and its higher education supportprograms, visit www.aheadd.org, or call 412.519.0720.SOURCE AHEADDChristina Koshzow for AHEADD, +1-412-519-0720, christina@brandingbrand.com