Privacy
Swarthmore College respects the privacy of its students. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) governs all student record information.
Autism spectrum disorders and related developmental disabilities are lifelong neurodevelopmental disorders that are characterized by impairments in verbal and/or nonverbal communication. Asperger Syndrome is a condition that is considered to be on the high end of the autism spectrum. Increasing numbers of students with Aspergers Syndrome are entering college. Many have strong academic skills and may have just a few characteristics of the condition. Some of the symptoms of Asperger Syndrome might make it appear as if a student is being rude or is uninterested in your class. The student may in fact be highly engaged, but due to difficulties in social communication, his or her behavior might come across as unusual.
Not all students are comfortable sharing that they have been diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum disorder. If the student has registered with the Student Disability Service and has given us permission to share details, we will contact you so that you and the student can work together to explore accommodations that will be helpful without altering fundamental course requirements. We are happy to consult at any time if you have any questions.
Adapted from Students with Asperger Sydrome: A Guide for College Personnel. By Lorraine E. Wolf, Ph,D., Jane Thierfeld Brown, Ed.D., and G. Ruth Kukiela Bork, M.Ed. Shawnee Mission: Autism Asperger Publishing Company, 2009.
If a student identifies to you as having a disability and expresses a need for accommodations, please ask whether the student has also registered with the Student Disability Service so that we can draft formal accommodations letters. We recommend that you schedule an individual meeting with the student so that the two of you can identify accommodations that will enable the student to access the course material without altering fundamental course requirements. We have found that even when multiple students have the same disability, each student often benefits from different strategies for accessing the material.
Swarthmore College respects the privacy of its students. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act governs all student record information.
College Autism Spectrum website
Online Asperger Syndrome Information and Support Center
Swarthmore College respects the privacy of its students. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) governs all student record information.