Should colleges and grad schools have special services?

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I ask this because I am trying to gauge how opinion within the ASD community has changed and if ti has changed in any fundamental capacity.

When it comes to universities having disability services and learning centers for those who have severe ADHD or spectrum disorders, do you think it is fair and reasonable for state/federal universities to have them? Or do you think that having these centers is an example of colleges being too soft and accommodating and they should just neglect and get rid of them the way they did in the 1940s or earlier?

I wonder because I think there are some on the spectrum who feel that since they made it through college without any kind of special services or disability centers of any kind whatsoever that everybody else on the spectrum should either do the exact same or leave the school, even if they could succeed with these centers in place.

I feel, point blank, that colleges/universities should have "special services" for students (even professors) with disabilities.

kraftiekortie - Thanks for the prompt response. As I noted before, I ask because even within the Autism community there seems to be a backlash against special services. So I wonder how one should respond to a statement such as this:

"I have autism and an advanced degree and never asked for any special treatment. My boss wouldn't give a s**t, so why should the schools? In work ASD employees won't get extra time to finish projects so why should anybody get extra time on tests? In work nobody will have a service center to help with communication so why should schools? I didn't ask for it or get it, scientists like Temple Grandin never asked for it or got it so why should we give special treatment to anyone on the spectrum who professors claim need it?"

Colleges and universities should be oases amid the generalized "real world."

Even though one should be educated in the ways of the "real world" while within that oasis.

YES YES YES!! ! If they had I would not have dropped out three times and probably would have graduated top of my class.

Depends on what these "special services" would actually be.

If it's just a way for people to out of taking tests or get extra easy tests and assignments like I had when I was in "fourth" grade special ed and given first grade and sometimes even kindergarten level worksheets, then no.

If a person didn't understand something and could have access to a free one-on-one tutor who knew what they were tutoring, then yes. Extra time and time extensions on tests, no time limit, the option to get up and take a break whenever one needs it, the option to have someone read the test to them or have it read via text-to-speech. Different dates and times to take the test. (these could benefit "normal" people as well)

Autism and learning disability training for professors, teachers, tutors, etc...as a required course no matter WHAT subject or grade level you were teaching. A preschool teacher or a vet school professor would all have to have it.

HELL, NO. The real world doesn't work that way. You complete the work in the time allotted, or you stand in the welfare line. Time is money, so adapt quickly, or be replaced!

Many colleges and grad schools already have services for students with special needs, including the college I attend classes at in Portland.

Some people really do need "extra time" to take tests because of processing difficulties.

People with processing difficulties come up with good solutions to things---but it just takes a big longer than it does for most people.

As a aspie-autistic who graduated college in 1979 at a time of no concept of special services in college, and who went to elementary through high school when a number of states mandated by law public schools not accept individuals with certain physical and mental disabilities, definitely yes. When I first read autistic students have notetakers I was flabbergasted, such a thing was beyond my comprehension. A lot my autistic peers that could have used their talents to contribute to themselves and society were thrown into institutions and the streets never to be heard from again or their lives have been one failure after another (if they are still alive). And the work world had the same "sink or swim" attitudes. Nowadays by law employers are supposed to give accommodations although in reality laws are not often followed.

That said as mentioned before it depends on what the accommodations are. If it is accommodations that emphasize what a person can not do, victimhood, or no consequences for one's actions I am against it.

I too came up during a time when no one knew anything about us and I struggled at three different universities and had to drop of each one because of sheer mental and sensory exhaustion. I took my own notes and for some exams I did great. But for others I did need a little more time because it took me so long to figure out what the questions were asking. And if I had to type something it would take me five times longer because of impairing dyslexia. And often times I could not tell what the teacher was actually saying because his words would blend in with background noises. Or other students were popping gum and clipping their nails and clicking pens in the classroom and I had to leave and miss class or have a massive meltdown. Or sometimes concepts would have to be explained to me a different way because I linguistically could not process what what being said. And there were times where my motor skills would be impaired and where my brain would just shut down and I just could not function at all. People with physical disabilities got every accommodation they needed in order to succeed. No one would tell the wheel chair students you can't come to class until you learn to walk up the the stairs. There were ramps and elevators for them. We also had a deaf student. No one ever told her she was not allowed to bring her sign interpreter to class. What's the difference? Why should we have to just do whatever we need to do without help when people with physical disabilities get help? No one ever told the blind students that they could not have a person take notes for them and help them if they needed it and read textbooks to them that were not printed in braille.

When I was going to college I only took 2 courses per semester.
I don't know how other students could handle 4 or 5 courses at one time. I would not be able to do that.
But by taking 2 courses at a time I was able to get good grades.
That's how I was able to help myself.
There may be other things you can do to help get yourself through college if you can't get special services.

I graduated from uni last year with a Bachelor of Psychology. Right from the start I let the uni people know that I have HFA, ADHD and sight sensitivity. I and a uni psychologist went through what support I'd like. I had exams in a room with only a few other people instead of in the loud, echoing gym where there were many people. I had my exams given to me on grey paper. Last of all I had more time to complete my exams (which I really needed when I did statistics). That's all I had.

I had two meltdowns while at uni which I think is pretty good going since I went there for five years.