Declaring your "disability" to the college?

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My son will be going to college this fall. The university has an "office of disabilities" (although I think it has a more politically correct name like "Office of Access" or something like that) and the registration papers encourage students to "declare their documented disability" to this office. I was wondering if anyone has experience with this at other schools. Did you "declare your disability" and did you really get any worthwhile support? Did you feel you were discriminated against after declaring?

Up to your son whether to disclose or not, but just be warned; not all colleges are great at keeping medical records private. I was diagnosed by a college psychologist and found myself pestered during exams by her PHd students looking for subjects; they obtained information I'd explicitely refused to hand them by simply going to my records.

The only support the college offered was a private room to do exams in and a phone number for someone in Disability (I think). I never used it and didn't disclose my diagnosis to my school. I was advised not to because I was in the healthcare school and prevalent belief is that aspies have no empathy- not the sort of advice you'd expect to hear from the college disability service, but I followed it anyway and in retrospect I'm glad. No one can accuse me of not having earned my degree.

I don't live in America though, so perhaps things are less backward where you're from!

What course is your son doing?

Thanks. He's going to study business/pre-law.

Did you ever tell just your professors (one-on-one)? Or did you ever have any incidents that made you feel like you needed to reveal your diagnosis?

I did disclose it to my university. I wouldn't have if I didn't need to (not everyone with an ASD absolutely needs the assistance). I felt it has been beneficial for me though. I get overloaded very easily by auditory stimuli especially, so I get a private exam room. Without a private room, I would not be able to do my exams on time or as well. Also, when participation counts toward the grade, my professors get an email asking to take my disability into account when marking that because sometimes I have difficulty participating in class discussions. It's not that I WANT this email to go around to my profs, but if it didn't, I would lose valuable grades that could bring my GPA down.

Is there any way to get extra time on tests without proof of a diagnosis? As a future college student, not having the time to finish is really the only thing that I'm concerned about.

I suppose the most important question is how does your son feel about this? Is he happy about his professors knowing about his diagnosis?



No, never. I've had a couple of times when I've been close to giving up; a couple of clinical situations when I was totally out of depth and I did cry at these, but luckily they were situations where NTs are also known to break down too, so whilst embarrassing it didn't stand out too much.

Close to exams, it was tempting too, but in reality for my line of work I have to just learn how to cope, there won't be provisions for lack of people skills in the workplace so I might as well learn them in college.

Like I said, America may be better; I don't want your son to lose out on good support just because it's not so good over here. Other people may have had better experience and the benefit to your son also depends on how much his AS affects him.

Another point I suppose is the cost of university in the US. It costs less where I live so I could afford to repeat a year if it came down to it (luckily not); if you have to pay an arm and a leg each time though it may be too risky to just wait and see how things go...

I wondered about this, too. Like if you just communicated directly with the professor and asked for extra time. Sounds reasonable to me.

It doesn't work that way, unfortunately. It might depend on the university, but after taking classes at 4 different universities last semester (for transfer credits....never again!! !) it seems pretty protocol: many of the exams are scheduled by the registrar and have a specific time and location that is not during your class. The professor cannot make exceptions for you unless it is a serious circumstance, and at my school all disabilities must go through the Office of Student Accessibility.

When it comes to time, some get it and some don't. When my psychologist filled out the paperwork, he automatically requested time and a half. I did not ask him to do this, nor did I see the sheet before he mailed it to my school. My regular university still refuses to give me the extra time (although one of the other universities I went to last semester did give it to me....) In the paperwork you fill out for the office, if the psychologist (not you--the psychologist makes the requests) asks for extra time for the exams, then you need to make sure they put on your sheet WHY you need extra time.

If this helps at all: at my regular university, I get a private exam room and no extra time. Some auditory stimuli still manages to bother me but because the room is super private, I manage to finish my exams on time. At the other university last semester, they gave me time and a half but were unable to give me a private room. I got a semi-private room with 5-10 other people in it. I knew the material inside and out, but at the three hour mark I would have likely gotten a C or worse due to the sounds from the other students. When they left and I still had an hour and a half left, I managed to get everything out and, according to the prof, wrote the best exam in the class. That was because I had an hour and a half more. I would not have needed that extra hour and a half had I had a private room. So, perhaps a private room might be enough to get you to write the exam in time. At my regular university, they are far more accommodating with private exam rooms than they are with extra time.

The best thing to do, IMO, is--if your son is already registered at a school--either you or he should contact the disability office prior to the fall. You can even ask hypothetical questions right now without giving names and such probably, and see what kind of services and accommodations he could receive. Also find out what kind of paperwork he needs to have filled out.

Another bonus: if you are registered as a student with a disability, you can also qualify for additional scholarships and bursaries, so you can look in that as well if those would be helpful.

Some professors are very lenient, some not... I've seen professors let students put-off taking a test because they "forgot to study" and others who won't give make-up exams without a note from your coroner...

Nearly every class syllabus has a statement like:




If you have serious issues do not count on all professors being nice and/or accommodating. Most will be, but some won't!

It's up to your son, but I'd say if he doesn't need help then don't declare it.

When I enrolled in college (UK) I informed them I have AS and was wooshed off to meet the Autism Support Team - I made it clear that I did not need support as I have no learning difficulties. Later on I had an issue in class so I approached them to intervene as representatives of Learning Support - it was related to AS, but did not need to be treat as such, a simple word with the tutor about the issue would have sufficed. However they forced in-class support which not only did I not need but which also made the issue far worse, and along with their general incompetence they turned college into a nightmare for me - they didn't listen and seemed to think that as I had AS I must need learning support. They didn't seem to understand how to interact with me, that I might learn in different ways, or why I might have problems, they were determined to 'help' me. I've since had to leave the college as a result.

There is more and more support popping-up for disabled people, and autistic people in particular (at least there is here in the UK), however as well intentioned as they may be much of the support still seems to be lacking because there seems to be a lack of understanding - they may know about autism, but not really understand those of us on the spectrum, which is what's important...and without this some may force inappropriate support and not listen to individual needs. This is something that is hard to communicate, you can read as many books on autism however it really doesn't come close to explaining the needs of people with autism.

What I'm saying is this; if he needs support let them know, but otherwise tread carefully. If he thinks he needs support, before letting them know see if you can find out what they're like - if you know any other parents, if you can find any students to talk to, try to ask around or talk to them yourself without mentioning your son's name - get an idea of whether or not they're actually helpful, or if they may cause problems down the line. Perhaps don't disclose to them unless help is actually needed.

Last edited by Bloodheart on 30 Jun 2011, 11:23 pm, edited 2 times in total.

Before a department at my college was aware that I had AS, they strongly encouraged me to take a particular subject which counted towards my major. I was a straight A student. After they found out (and I was advised to tell them by a dean (not within the department)) in the interests of 'openess and honesty'), my eligibility to take that course was suddenly called into question.

We ended up in a very nasty legal stouch (which has left me with complex post-traumatic stress disorder). I got to take the subject (which I came first in), but I feel like I will never recover from the things they did and said.

Edited to add: You would think that professors would have the capacity to understand things like AS, but my own personal experiences have proved quite the contrary.

Well I went to the disability department of my college a couple times........but yeah I don't feel there is much they can help me with as I tend not to stuggle acedemically(when I do struggle acedemically it is usually for a reason and the choices I make based on that reason) I mean I have been dealing with the fact that there is 'something wrong with me' alone since I was about 7. The only thing I think they may be able to help with is when i attemt a math class because I pretty much failed remedial math in college twice even with one on one tutoring. I have always had difficulties with math and as of the year 2006 I have PTSD that effects it because I was in a math class when something took place at my school and I don't particularly want to get into that too much. So yeah I kind of just keep it to myself...and leave people guessing I'm just kind of worried about being treated differently in class due to exposing what exactly is going on with me.

Under diagnosis test.

A mood disturbance characterized by depression, grief, loss of interest or pleasure, or be "well below

Under diagnosis test.

A mood disturbance characterized by depression, grief, loss of interest or pleasure,

It's probably different here in Australia, but I haven't declared my AS. I could have a confidential interview, and have a confidential access plan which just says the extra things I need/am entitled to without disclosing my disability to lecturers. I didn't because it's based on doctors reports of treatment and so on and I'm not getting treated for AS in anyway. I could probably get a smaller exam room or extra time but I don't really need it. I've usually found lecturers very helpful and understanding if I get overwhelmed and need a bit of extra time on assignments.

Wow-that is terrible! I am just being nosy: what course was it that you wanted to take that they thought having AS might impede your success? That seems awfully discriminatory to me....