1. An Interdisciplinary Approach to Providing Support Services for Students with Autism
2016 AHEAD Conference
Presented by:Western Michigan University
Kourtney Bakalyar
Jayne Fraley- Burgett
University of Cincinnati
Nicole Birri
Dr. Christina Carnahan
Dr. Matthew Sauer

2. Introductions Jayne Fraley-Burgett Kourtney Bakalyar
Coordinator of services for college students with ASD at WMU
Special education teacher for 6 years
Jayne Fraley-Burgett
Director of WMU’s Disability Services for Students
Ask about demographic of group in room, one person office, support for ASD students out of the DS office,
What barriers are there for the group for supporting ASD students
Unit name

3. Barriers for DS office when working with ASD Students
No additional staff to help with barriers
Retention of students
Difficulties interacting with peers and professional
Keeping on campus jobs
Organization
Higher Executive Functioning
Communication with all on-campus departments (e.g., ResLife, advising, academic departments, academic support)
Parents not understanding the transition
Parent support service
How can you get these support services for ASD students so they can have the equal access, retain at your school, graduate and get jobs.
Unit name

4. Program Development Grant
A component of the Autism Center of Excellence grant provided by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
Grant’s goal is to improve outcomes for individuals with ASD across the lifespan.
Developed the Autism Services Center to support college students with ASD in their transition from high school to college and from college to workforce.
Have another department do it for you! Talk about PSY coming to me.
Unit name

5. Collaborative process between Psychology and DSS office
Collaboration
Collaborative process between Psychology and DSS office
Bringing someone into the DSS office
Autism Services Center
Coordinator
Two Graduate Students
Unit name

6. What is the Autism Services Center?
Provides services and supports for:
Social skills
Academic skills
Independent living
Weekly check-in meetings
Liaison between students and professors
Collaboration among departments on campus
Communication and collaboration with parents
Transition support from local community college to WMU
Social activities
Work with DSS’s peer mentor program
Practice with communication, interview, leadership, and collaboration skills
Unit name

7. Weekly Meetings
Students meet with ASC coordinator or a doctoral assistant weekly
Meetings last 30 minutes to an hour
Most freshmen, some sophomores, and juniors or seniors who need extra support
Meetings are focused on:
Time management – planning what assignments need to be complete, breaking large assignments into smaller tasks, clarifying assignments, checking on the completion of assignments, checking-in on mental health, finding activities/groups to join, coaching appropriate social skills for working with professors, discussing and problem solving issues with roommates and professors…
Unit name

8. Liaison Between Students and Professors
s are sent to professors at the beginning of the semester
Opens a line of communication between ASC and professors
Midterm progress reports
Attend meetings with professors, if needed
Help students draft s to send to professors
Training for faculty, in progress
Help “smooth-over” miscommunications between students
Unit name

9. Collaboration Among Departments on Campus Building a Team
Disability Services for Students
Residential Life (ResLife, Dorms)
Training, communication, collaboration
Advisors
Training, picking good-fit course
Counseling Services
Orientation
Admissions
Unit name

10. Communication and Collaboration with Parents
Very active parents
Students still rely on their parents
Mitchell & Beresford, 2014
FERPA Release
Communication via or phone
Parents may call with concerns
ASC corridnator call with concerns
Work together to problem solve
Can implement contingency plans
Unit name

11. Transition Support from Kalamazoo Valley Community College
Work with Special Services Advocate
KVCC student and advocate meet together with ASC coordinator prior to transferring to WMU
Unit name

12. Peer Mentor Program Collaboration with DSS Office
ASC coordinator works with DSS’s peer mentoring program
Meets with peer mentors
Receives weekly progress reports from mentor meetings
Assist in the training of peer mentors
Unit name

13. Social Activities
Social events are co-hosted monthly by the ASC and other student group on campus
Game nights twice a month
Traditional or video game nights
Partnering with Best Buddies
Exercise Group
Spring 2016 semester
Peers and students with ASD
Fitbits
Unit name

14. Coaching College Success: Tools for Doing Well in College
Michigan Autism Conference (MAC) in Kalamazoo
Hosted a workshop for high school students with ASD and peer mentors
Students from local high school
Focused on completing a college application, differences between services in high school and college, self-awareness of college readiness, self-advocacy skills, and interview skills
Planning has begun for MAC 2016
September 16, 2016
Unit name

15. WMU/Michigan Rehabilitation Services Summer Transition Program
Summer II 2016
Replication of BSBP’s summer program
7 high school students with ASD
Live on campus, take a 3-credit general education WMU course, paid on-campus work experience, courses and workshops to build skills
Unit name

16. Barriers
Funding
Buy in by university senior leadership
Space

17. Successes Retention Programing Educations to university community
Student outcomes
Increase collaborations with university departments

18. Contact Information
Kourtney Bakalyar
Jayne Fraley-Burgett
(269)
(269)
Unit name