Last updated on November 26, 2023
Podcast Episode 0049; Season 04, Episode 13; November 24, 2020
Daniel Sansing and I discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic encourages colleges and universities to reconsider how we support autistic students in higher education. Is online education an accommodation or does it leave out important life skills?
Daniel Sansing, MEd., Literacy and Second Language Studies
Adjunct Assistant Professor of English and Student Success
University of Cincinnati Blue Ash College
Coronavirus and Autistic Students
Education presents challenges enough without the added stress of COVID-19 mandates. From remote learning to masks on campus, the potential obstacles increased in number and severity over the last year. For some autistics, remove learning has been a wonderful discovery. Social distancing has made classrooms less exhausting. Many autistics would like some of the coronavirus changes to be permanent. Let’s do away with handshakes! Let’s stop the crowd-around-tables group work. Please, let’s maintain some physical space forever.
Benefits aside, the pandemic has reduced supports at many schools. More students are experiencing mental health issues. Staff and faculty are trying their best under nearly impossible circumstances to provide academic content, emotional support, and even living assistance.
Has higher education recognized a need for permanent change, or will things return to “normal” after COVID-19 measures end?
Transcription (still) in Progress
I am still working on completing some interview transcripts. I am sorry that they were not completed in a timely manner. I use transcription services, but the results are far from ideal unless you pay additional fees.