Supporting people on the autism spectrum in the study process. Examples of good practices

Abstract

Many changes are currently taking place regarding individuals on the autism spectrum (ASD). Until recently, the dominant medical discourse, in which autism is included as a holistic developmental disorder, is now increasingly seen as a different, unique developmental model. Many people with autism experience learning problems at various educational stages, which are very often a consequence of sensory integration disorders and attention difficulties. This is compounded by secondary difficulties of emotional and psychological origin. The person of an assistant to a student with autism may contribute to increasing the educational opportunities of such a student and minimize traumatizing situations in the school/academic environment. An example of this a solution at the higher education level is the "Student Assistant with ASD" project, which has been successfully implemented by Polish universities. It includes four main pillars that address key figures: Leader/Assistant, Social Advocate (Assistant) of the student with ASD, Student with ASD and Neurodiversity Expert. The proposed support model is universal and flexible, so it can be implemented for people with various developmental and educational needs. Importantly, it incorporates a new way of approaching autism spectrum, which refers to the neurodiversity paradigm. Therefore, it fits perfectly into the current trend (which is evident all over the world) of building an inclusive organizational culture using the principles of universal design.