collaborative autism support program at Brooklyn College: a formative program evaluation.

• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2047/D20247111

In the last decade, postsecondary institutions have seen a tremendous increase in the enrollment of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). As a result, in 2012, Brooklyn College (BC), a large public college in an urban setting serving 17,000 students, created the Collaborative Autism Support Program (CASP). The program has a structured interdisciplinary approach designed to provide academic and social supports to students with ASD, while increasing the awareness of their needs across the college campus. CASP provides services through six different service departments, a graduate student mentor component, and in-service training for faculty, administrators, and staff. This qualitative formative program evaluation examined this relatively newly formed interdisciplinary collaborative support service program to assess if the program is meeting its goals mid-cycle and make recommendations for improvements to aid with the development of the program. Historical program documentation, observations, and interviews with 13 faculty, staff, and program participants informed the results of this study. Through significant collaboration and coordination, CASP successfully utilizes existing resources to improve the social and academic experiences of its participants. CASP program participants found the mentor program to be an invaluable component that aided in the development of social skills, provided emotional support, and improved executive function skills. One suggested improvement for CASP was to enhance efforts to increase campus awareness by forming relationships with academic and administrative offices, partnering with the student advocacy group for individuals with disabilities, and developing a website.