Preparing Educators to Effectively Engage with Postsecondary STEM Students with Autism

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a lifetime mental disability (Boucher, 2009). Because the brains of people with autism work differently than their non-neurodiverse peers (Kuzminskaite et al., 2020), they tend to respond to external stimuli in a hypo- or hyper-sensory fashion. One of the primary considerations that must be accounted for when working with individuals with autism is that the brains of these persons are each neurologically distinct. In other words, there is no "one-size-fits-all" means by which individuals with ASD learn and develop and, consequently, no single way to therefore engage with said individuals (Anderson & Butt, 2017; Kuzminski et al., 2019). Students with ASD present with strengths that position them to be successful in STEM fields, including attention to and focus on details, persistence, and recognizing and using patterns (Hassenfeldt et al., 2019). However, even though students with ASD demonstrate cognitive and academic capabilities that contribute to the STEM fields, they also experience barriers in other areas (sensorial, social, emotional, communication, routine changes, time management) that pose difficulties in college (Wick, 2022). Therefore, students with ASD need continuous accommodation, support, and/or interventions or treatments as their unique needs change and evolve. Consequently, those educators working alongside students with ASD require a comprehensive understanding of the studentsâ?? extraordinary and efficient neurological distinctness, as the brain of ASD just â??works differentâ?? (Wick, 2022). The work presented herein seeks to address these considerations and to promote conversation around best practices for supporting and engaging with postsecondary STEM students with ASD.