I have a son who has Aspergers and is having a miserable time at University, cannot organise himself at all. I'm afraid he will fail the first year, but what can I do.
He does get support, but it appears quite poor in quality and most of this term the support was off sick so none provided !!
I'm sorry to hear it has not been good support. Most universities should be fully conversant with autism/aspergers support by now, but there will inevitably be variations. Also there has been a certain amount of relaxation because few if any universities have been sued for failing to meet their undertakings under the Disability Discrimination Act, whereas they had been vigorous about disability issues because of that fear.
Support is often based on the social model, treating people as less able, and therefore providing some infrastructures to "level the playing field" - a maybe obsolete metaphor for ensuring everyone has an equal chance.
This is not adequate for people on the autistic spectrum. You can use generalised approaches for wheelchair users by putting in ramps and good routes from disabled parking bays, or provide coloured paper handouts and suitable fonts for dyslexia (as if everyone's needs are exactly the same). Or you get more time in an exam. You might get a note taker/helper, but believe me, despite the income from support funds for this, they aren't well paid, and they often end up doing more than their remit.
You will also find it difficult to find out what is happening, as the university's contract is with the students, and because of the legal implications, universities are obsessed with confidentiality.
Unfortunately I don't know how to change this (not for lack of trying, but there has been something of a relaxation, as I mentioned earlier, as universities realise they can get away with a more risky ("cross that bridge when we come to it") approach.
Often students on the spectrum find university a much better learning environment than school, less intervention and more opportunity for self-directed learning rather than the prescriptive school learning. But things can go wrong, and you've more or less hit on one of the key problems "cannot organise himself" - that is going to be tricky because things are much more up to him. The university should assist with organisation. Is your local authority providing funds for support? I ask this as if they aren't getting the money, they wont give the support.
The other issue which can arise, and to look out for, is not doing assessed coursework and exams in accordance with the task specified (such as not doing parts a student with aspergers sees as pointless, just giving an answer and not showing the rough working that shows correct process to arrive at an answer, not writing in coherent prose, or clear report style etc). Also lecture theatres, teaching rooms, laboratories, and seminar rooms can have enormous problems for people on the spectrum, especially if crowded and noisy (they don't sit quietly and listen these days).
You are entitled to "reasonable support" and the support being off sick is not acceptable. Write to the Vice-Chancellor of the University, asking for an explanation of the support the university provides, and ask for clarification of why he is not getting it. You can usually get the Vice-Chancellor's name off the "About the University" section of the University website, but you are unlikely to get his/her email address - it needs to be a letter to that person by name and title (Dr, Professor), Vice Chancellor, at the University's main campus address.
If they take on a student knowing at the start he has Asperger's, they must make provision, though you usually need to be funded for support. The principle is that if he fails the year due to being let down, you are placed at a disadvantage in either finding an alternative university and starting again, re-doing first year at that university, or doing some other kind of course. Such a set-back would be very damaging. If their negligence caused it, you can sue (OK not that easy these days). Don't be scared to ask.
If on the other hand your son isn't making good use of the opportunity and the university can demonstrate they have made reasonable effort on his behalf, there's little you can do.
So do look in to what's holding him back. Usually if he gives signed consent to the university, they can talk to you about this progress.
I'm sorry to hear it has not been good support. Most universities should be fully conversant with autism/aspergers support by now, but there will inevitably be variations. Also there has been a certain amount of relaxation because few if any universities have been sued for failing to meet their undertakings under the Disability Discrimination Act, whereas they had been vigorous about disability issues because of that fear.
Support is often based on the social model, treating people as less able, and therefore providing some infrastructures to "level the playing field" - a maybe obsolete metaphor for ensuring everyone has an equal chance.
This is not adequate for people on the autistic spectrum. You can use generalised approaches for wheelchair users by putting in ramps and good routes from disabled parking bays, or provide coloured paper handouts and suitable fonts for dyslexia (as if everyone's needs are exactly the same). Or you get more time in an exam. You might get a note taker/helper, but believe me, despite the income from support funds for this, they aren't well paid, and they often end up doing more than their remit.
You will also find it difficult to find out what is happening, as the university's contract is with the students, and because of the legal implications, universities are obsessed with confidentiality.
Unfortunately I don't know how to change this (not for lack of trying, but there has been something of a relaxation, as I mentioned earlier, as universities realise they can get away with a more risky ("cross that bridge when we come to it") approach.
Often students on the spectrum find university a much better learning environment than school, less intervention and more opportunity for self-directed learning rather than the prescriptive school learning. But things can go wrong, and you've more or less hit on one of the key problems "cannot organise himself" - that is going to be tricky because things are much more up to him. The university should assist with organisation. Is your local authority providing funds for support? I ask this as if they aren't getting the money, they wont give the support.
The other issue which can arise, and to look out for, is not doing assessed coursework and exams in accordance with the task specified (such as not doing parts a student with aspergers sees as pointless, just giving an answer and not showing the rough working that shows correct process to arrive at an answer, not writing in coherent prose, or clear report style etc). Also lecture theatres, teaching rooms, laboratories, and seminar rooms can have enormous problems for people on the spectrum, especially if crowded and noisy (they don't sit quietly and listen these days).
You are entitled to "reasonable support" and the support being off sick is not acceptable. Write to the Vice-Chancellor of the University, asking for an explanation of the support the university provides, and ask for clarification of why he is not getting it. You can usually get the Vice-Chancellor's name off the "About the University" section of the University website, but you are unlikely to get his/her email address - it needs to be a letter to that person by name and title (Dr, Professor), Vice Chancellor, at the University's main campus address.
If they take on a student knowing at the start he has Asperger's, they must make provision, though you usually need to be funded for support. The principle is that if he fails the year due to being let down, you are placed at a disadvantage in either finding an alternative university and starting again, re-doing first year at that university, or doing some other kind of course. Such a set-back would be very damaging. If their negligence caused it, you can sue (OK not that easy these days). Don't be scared to ask.
If on the other hand your son isn't making good use of the opportunity and the university can demonstrate they have made reasonable effort on his behalf, there's little you can do.
So do look in to what's holding him back. Usually if he gives signed consent to the university, they can talk to you about this progress.
