Challenges Faced by Autistic Persons in Higher Education
Autism, a neurological disorder, poses challenges for individuals seeking higher education. From communication difficulties to social interactions, the journey in educational institutes can be complex. Addressing these issues is crucial for fostering inclusivity and support for autistic individuals in academic settings, aiming to enhance their overall learning experience.
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Higher Education for Autistic Persons Muhammad Mahboob Ali, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Business Administration & Director, IQAC Daffodil International University. Phone:8801911394704,email:pipulbd@gmail.com 1st International TOT program on Autistic Education on 12th November,2016 organized by DIU 1
Autism Autism, or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is a neurological disorder that was first described by Hans Asperger in 1944. Some individuals with ASD are non-verbal and engage in stereotypic, repetitive behaviors while others are very high functioning, contributing members of the community . 70 percent of adults with autism have at least one additional disorder such as social anxiety and attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder and insomnia and depression are also commonly found in people with autism. Inclusive autism at HEIs 2
4 Things of Autism Inclusive autism at HEIs 3
Disability and poverty cause and reinforce each other Cognitive Behavior or Therapy (CBT) is a time-sensitive, structured, present- oriented psychotherapy directed toward solving current problems and teaching clients skills to modify dysfunctional thinking and behavior. Creating awareness on autism is important Inclusive autism at HEIs 4
Bangladesh Perspective The number of autistic children is alarmingly increasing in Bangladesh. It is regarded as a role model in autism awareness & the rehabilitation In a survey by the author it was found that even 1% autistic person are not interested to receive higher education. Parents also feel anxiety and vulnerable in respect of social security and status-quo. Young learners with autism will be able to negotiate the challenges of entering higher education In a survey by the author it was also found that Primary and High school level -trained teachers to deal with autistic person is very few and in HEIs it is almost zero. Inclusive autism at HEIs 5
Problems Faced by Autistic Persons Some common problems faced at Higher Educational Institutes: Difficulty in communicating ; Difficulty in social relationships ; Difficulties with imaginative thought and flexible thinking; Difficulty in course completion; Difficulties from other students ragging. Inclusive autism at HEIs 6
Problems Faced However, students with Asperger syndrome are respected and valued for their skills and positive attributes as well as being supported in the areas they struggle with. The things which cause Autistic stress and anxiety may be different than for the average student population. For example, a student with Asperger syndrome may seem unconcerned about a particular assignment, but may experience high levels of anxiety if changes are made to the timetable. Inclusive autism at HEIs 7
Policy Initiatives Government of Bangladesh under the able leadership of Prime Minister Shiekh Hasina has made significant regulatory progress in addressing the issue of complex disorders like autism as a national priority. National Trust Act for Neurodevelopmental Disabilities 2013 and Disabled Persons Right and Security Act 2013 Mainly to ensure higher education for autistic persons. Inclusive autism at HEIs 8
Policy Initiatives, Cont. Autistic children neither fall under the category of the people who are physically disable nor within those who are mentally disable. Relatively we would like to address them as children who are especially able. In Bangladesh, National Education Policy 2010 has also given importance on more training for the teachers for increasing the skill to handle the child with special need. Govt. reserves 1% quota for the disabled and autistic people in all first and second class jobs, including BCS, and 10% in class three and class four jobs for the disabled and orphans Age-limit for entering the services has been extended up to 40 yrs. But if the person do not get at least a congenial environment for their higher education then keeping quota for their job will be of no value. Inclusive autism at HEIs 9
Bangladeshs model in responding to those suffering from autism is a unique, multi-faceted and multi-sectoral one, says Saima Wazed Hossain. Source:http://bdnews24.com/health/2016/04/02/bangladesh- s-autism-tackling-model-is-unique-says-saima-wazed-putul S.W. Hossain has been playing important role against autism for positive change . She appealed to WHO to help develop and implement strategies that will steer all countries to build an inclusive society. Inclusive autism at HEIs 10
Lack of Data on Autism Unfortunately, in many developing countries like Bangladesh, we have no data for how many children or adults suffer from this lifelong debilitating developmental neurological condition. Many other scientific and medical questions need to be addressed urgently (Hossain, Saima 2011). A recent 2013 pilot study in Bangladesh, utilizing community health workers, has found prevalence of all kinds of neurodevelopmental disability is 7.1%. Whereas, for ASD, the study indicates a prevalence of 0.15% (3% in Dhaka city and 0.07% in rural area).This implies that in Dhaka city parents get access to the hospital for diagnosis of their kids while in rural areas parents can not get scope or lack of knowledge prevent them. Inclusive autism at HEIs 11
Asperger syndrome Asperger syndrome may affect the way the person Ensure application forms clearly give the opportunity for the person to disclose that they have Asperger syndrome. Identify a key person, usually the disability coordinator who has clear responsibility for supporting students with Asperger syndrome. Orientation themselves around the campus by authority; Differentiate teaching materials according to individuals needs organizes their workload Inclusive autism at HEIs 12
knows how to make sense of the academic requirements and teaching styles prepares for exams manages their living skills, study skills, career guidance manages the social aspects of university life Identify a 'safe' space on campus for the individual to go to when anxiety levels get too high or for a break from social demands. Inclusive autism at HEIs 13
Susan Stokes(2000) argued that a large variety of strategies and tools, including technology, have been used to enhance both the functional capabilities and the quality of life of people with developmental disabilities. These areas are: Visual Representation Strategies, Sensory Input, Motor, Receptive Communication, Expressive Communication, Academics, Organization, Behavior, Social Interaction, and Transition. Inclusive autism at HEIs 14
Wanted to admit into HEIs with multiple problems like belated development of: speaking ability, stereotyped or repetitive linguistic characteristics, inability of eye contact, lack of interest in relationships, persistent preoccupation with objects, and inflexible adherence to specific and non-functional routines or habits. Individualized Education Program(IEP) can include technology training and support for academic and non- academic staff. Parent counseling and training also can be incorporated into the IEP or Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) (Wright, P. & Wright, P. , 2007). Inclusive autism at HEIs 15
It is estimated by the Ministry of Social Welfare that the total number of persons with ASDs at Bangladesh (Autism Spectrum Disorders), could be as high as 1.4 million -- of whom only a few hundred have been diagnosed. One estimation is also that one child in 500 in Bangladesh has autism, meaning that the approximate number of children with ASDs in Bangladesh is no less than 280,000. In Bangladesh, so far around 30 centers are there to support autistic children and 22 of them are in Dhaka. But no scope for studying at HEIs. Inclusive autism at HEIs 16
Impacts of Assistive Technology Assistive technology promotes greater independence by enabling people to perform tasks that they were formerly unable to accomplish, or had great difficulty accomplishing, by providing enhancements to, or changing methods of interacting with, the technology needed to accomplish: such tasks: Adaptive technology Mobility impairments Visual impairments Personal emergency response systems Accessibility software Hearing impairments Augmentative and alternative communication Cognitive impairments Assistive technology in sport Assistive technology in education Computer accessibility Home automation Inclusive autism at HEIs 18
Some of the assistive and augmentative technology commonly used to help individuals on the autism spectrum https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c0/Hoergeraet_analog_050609.jpg/140px-Hoergeraet_analog_050609.jpg 19
Educational and Technical Aid Computer access aids include hardware (such as mobile devices) and software (such as apps) that enable people to access, interact with, and use computers. Daily living aids (or functional) are devices and tools (such as videos) which are designed to help people perform daily living activities, such as getting dressed, getting around safely and so on. Education and learning aids (such as robots and visual schedules) are designed to help people cope with educational tasks such as reasoning, decision making, problem solving etc. Recreation and leisure aids (such as models and games) are designed to help people participate in sports, social, cultural events. Inclusive autism at HEIs 20
Technical Aid, Cont Motor aids refer to any devices and tools which make use of, or which aim to improve, motor functioning i.e. control, coordination and movement of the whole body or parts of the body. Specific types of aids include: Environmental aids (such as workspaces) which are designed to remove or reduce physical barriers for individuals with disabilities. Hearing and listening aids (such as noise cancelling headphones) which are designed to help people gain a better sense of, and more control over, their hearing and auditory processing. Inclusive autism at HEIs 21
Technical Aid, Cont Multi-sensory aids (such as multi-sensory environments), which make use of many different tools and devices at the same time. Positioning aids (such as therapy ball chairs) which are designed to help people gain a better sense of, and more control over, their own balance and coordination. Tactile aids (such as weighted blankets) which are designed to help people gain a better sense of, and more control over, their own tactile sensitivity. Vision and reading aids (such as coloured filters) which are designed to help people gain a better sense of, and /or more control over, their vision. Inclusive autism at HEIs 22
Specific medical devices Specific medical devices include those used in: biofeedback including electromyogram, heart rate variability biofeedback and neuro-feedback training. hyperbaric therapy transcranial stimulation including transcranial direct stimulation and transcranial magnetic stimulation. Inclusive autism at HEIs 23
The LAMP (Language Acquisition through Motor Planning)is described as being particularly beneficial for autistic, because of its heavy emphasis on motor planning. The use of consistent motor patterns is advantageous because it: 1- decreases the need to learn the meaning of a symbol; 2- results in more automatic and therefore faster communication over time (e.g. touch typing); and 3- reduces the cognitive demands associated with continually analyzing and choosing from different symbol sets. Inclusive autism at HEIs 24
Cloud computing is encompassing everything from infrastructure as a service through to software as a service. In the middle, there is a platform tier providing the micro services that power the likes of Android and iPhone apps, and also many web-delivered services. Inclusive autism at HEIs 25
Improving autistic student productivity, conferencing and collaboration; Extending the reach of higher education Enhancing and scaling delivery of course material Personalizing education and improving learning outcomes Other innovations are rapidly emerging by way of startup companies. One example is Learn Metrics , a company that wants to make report cards obsolete. They have a cloud-based application that analyzes educational data to give teachers real-time insight into student performance. Cloud-based application can help autistic students for completing higher education. 26
Support to Autistic Students Marc Fabri(2016) commented that for funding to support students with ASD in higher education at University level are as follows: Holistic Disability Supports Pedagogical Innovations Inclusive Design Solutions Disability Insurance Scheme Inclusive autism at HEIs 27
Lessons For Bangladesh Parents must feel encouraged to send their autistic son/daughter to the HEIs. Higher educational Institutes must take special care for Autistic students; Low and High tech innovations depending on the nature of the need of the autistic personnel should be arranged; Each university should utilize cloud computing for the benefits of Autistic students; Assistive, Adaptive, and Rehabilitative devices at the university level should be established by the top management of the universities; As a part of CSR ,business magnets ,philanthropist and various corporate houses including Banks, Insurance companies should come forward to build awareness.; Physicians/Psychiatrist/Faculties must be ready to provide services to the autistic persons. Inclusive autism at HEIs Helping person and marriage of autistic person need to be be more cautious. 28
Recommendations Social awareness should be raised for autistic personnel for their normal life cycle. Specialist physician, special educator, psychologist, therapist to confront the issue comprehensively Scientifically based academic programs in inclusive settings, appropriate job trainings and sheltered accommodations for young adults with disabilities are the major future challenges for Bangladesh Collaborative role of Public-Private partnerships and foreign strategic alliances for autistic personnel are very important Equal opportunity, empowerment of Autistic person through sustainable development by different training and rehabilitation program to meet their needs. Inclusive autism at HEIs 29
Recommendations Acquire social rights; develop awareness amongst general people through awareness & advocacy with correct information Proper education, make available required care and services through conduct of proper research on autistic persons higher education. As Bangladesh Govt. is trying to ensure inclusive autism in the development processes for Sustainable development goals ,private sector as well as NGOs should come forward; HEIs at Bangladesh should spend at least 10% amount for the autistic personnel Higher education from their profit which may be tax exempted; Inclusive autism at HEIs 30
Future Direction for Research A study may be conducted on Proactive approach so that autistic persons can be included in the education system of Bangladesh. Classification on the basis of income stream, autistic persons may be identified for better living style in the country through quantitative analysis. Rural and urban identification of autistic persons can be done through a field study. Another study can be conducted on impact and diversification of gender basis . 31 Inclusive autism at HEIs
Acknowledgement Source: 1.Hossain S.W. (2011), Solving the Autism Public health Puzzle Regional and International Collaboration, as a Panelist, United Nations Head Quarters 2. All materials are extracted from the Internet. 3.Anita Medhekar, Senior Lecturer, Central Queensland University, Australia. Thank You Inclusive autism at HEIs 32
Cheers!!! Inclusive autism at HEIs 33
