Transition Planning for College Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder
This paper presents a mixed-methods research proposal addressing the gap in transition planning services for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as they move from high school to college or university. Despite above-average intellectual ability in many cases, students with ASD face elevated risks of scholastic underachievement, social isolation, anxiety, and depression. Current transition planning programs focus narrowly on academic and psychological supports, neglecting the social and peer support dimensions critical to student retention. The paper outlines a sequential transformative mixed-methods design: a qualitative phase using in-depth interviews to capture student perceptions and needs, followed by a quantitative longitudinal phase measuring retention and degree completion rates for students enrolled in an enhanced, socially inclusive transition planning program.
- Introduction and Background: ASD students underserved in college transition planning
- Problem Statement: Social support gaps increase dropout risk for ASD students
- Purpose Statement: Research aims to improve ASD transition best practices
- Research Questions and Design: Sequential mixed-methods design to assess social support
- Sample, Data Collection, and Analysis: Interview and longitudinal data collection procedures
- Ethical Issues and Design Limitations: Consent, validity concerns, and study limitations
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper clearly articulates a gap in the existing literature — social support in ASD transition planning — and connects that gap directly to measurable student outcomes like retention and degree completion.
- Each section builds logically on the previous one, moving from background and problem identification through purpose, research questions, and methodology, creating a coherent research proposal arc.
- The rationale for the mixed-methods sequential design is explicitly justified, explaining why qualitative data must precede quantitative measurement rather than running concurrently.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates strong use of evidence synthesis: the author draws on multiple peer-reviewed sources to construct a composite picture of the problem, then leverages that evidence base to justify specific methodological choices. Citations are not dropped in as isolated facts but are woven together to build cumulative, logical arguments — for instance, linking anxiety and social isolation through multiple studies before proposing social support interventions.
Structure breakdown
The paper follows a formal research proposal structure with six labeled sections: introduction, problem statement, purpose statement, research questions and design, sample and data collection, and ethical/design limitations. This mirrors the standard format of a doctoral-level research proposal. Each section performs a distinct rhetorical function — establishing need, defining the problem, stating intent, choosing method, planning execution, and acknowledging limitations — making the proposal both thorough and professionally organized.
Introduction and Background
Designing effective support services for students with autism remains one of the most pressing needs in special education (Creswell, 2013). Autism is described as a spectrum because of its diverse manifestations; therefore, students with autism spectrum disorders comprise a heterogeneous group. This heterogeneity makes it harder to design effective support services that meet the needs of all persons. Research consistently shows that although students with autism spectrum disorders do not necessarily have concurrent intellectual or learning disabilities — and many have the potential for high academic achievement — these students are "at risk of scholastic underachievement" (Clarke, Hill & Charman, 2016; Creswell, 2013). According to White, Elias, Salinas, et al. (2016), many individuals with autism spectrum disorder have above-average intellectual ability and yet are less likely to enroll in postsecondary education such as college or university.
In addition to being at risk for scholastic underachievement, students with autism spectrum disorder are also at risk for social isolation and mental health problems (Clarke, Hill & Charman, 2016). For example, Mackay, Shochet & Orr (2017) show how prevalence rates for depression are much higher for students with autism spectrum disorder than among their neurotypical peers. Underachievement can also lead to lifelong problems related to career underachievement and therefore lower earnings, as well as reduced self-efficacy and self-advocacy (White, Elias, Salinas, et al., 2016). While transition planning tends to be formally integrated into special education programming — particularly because it is built into the mandatory components of the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) — transition planning remains inconsistent in practice.
Students with autism spectrum disorders report "negative experiences" of their transitions, including those from primary school to secondary school (Makin, Hill & Pellicano, 2017, p. 1). The transition to college can be even more challenging for students with autism spectrum disorders. Research shows that students with autism are being critically underserved and have not been receiving evidence-based practices for transition planning from secondary school to college or university (Elias & White, 2017). As a result, students with autism spectrum disorders are either not enrolling in college or university, or are leaving their programs early because they lack necessary supports (Wei, Wagner, Hudson, et al., 2015). At the same time, students with autism are matriculating at colleges and universities at higher rates than ever before (Elias & White, 2017). As students with autism become more prevalent on college campuses, there is an explicit need for conscientious transition planning. Transition planning is also two-fold, involving the types of supports students and their families need, as well as the institutional and structural supports or changes to organizational culture in both high schools and colleges.
For example, Matthews, Ly & Goldberg (2014) conducted original research showing the importance of peer support in college. Results of their survey showed that prior knowledge of, experience with, or exposure to autism led to more positive attitudes towards peers with autism in college or university. This research suggests that secondary school teachers need to address autism more frankly and work harder to incorporate social opportunities into transition planning programs. Focusing exclusively on the academic needs of students is insufficient. Likewise, focusing only on students with autism and not on their neurotypical peers would also be an error. Effective transition planning involves multifaceted interventions that address goal setting, self-efficacy, and social skills confidence.
Problem Statement
This research addresses a critical issue related to planning for students with autism. Students with autism are often highly functioning academically but less so socially, raising questions about how transition planning can better serve this important cohort. Transition planning in special education has improved to the point where students with autism are enrolling more and more in college and university, and yet they need more support during this "precarious life stage" (Van Hees, Moyson & Roeyers, 2014, p. 1673). Existing transition planning programs focus almost exclusively on academics or on psychological supports offered through school counselors — important issues, of course, but ones that fail to take into account the need for peer and social support during the transition from high school to college (Brown & Coomes, 2015). Decreased graduation rates and poorer outlooks for career and personal success are problems that can be addressed through effective transition planning (Van Hees, Moyson & Roeyers, 2014; White, Elias & Salinas, 2016). Transition planning needs to be more comprehensive for students with autism, incorporating issues such as mental health support, goal setting, academic structural supports, and social support.
Students with autism spectrum disorders experience higher levels of anxiety than their neurotypical counterparts (Clarke & Charman, 2016). It is possible that anxiety is related in part to social "isolation," which in turn leads to "scholastic underachievement" (Clarke & Charman, 2016, p. 3883). Mackay, Shochet & Orr (2017) also point out that students with autism spectrum disorders exhibit more depressive symptoms, including suicidal behavior, compared to their neurotypical peers, in part due to "communication and social interaction difficulties" (p. 3458). In addition to struggling to meet "social demands" and being victims of bullying, students with autism spectrum disorders may also exhibit poor coping skills that can impede an otherwise clear path to academic and career success (Mackay, Shochet & Orr, 2017, p. 3458).
Research consistently shows that the anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues experienced by students with autism spectrum disorders can be mitigated by "increased public awareness" (Matthews, Ly & Goldberg, 2014, p. 97). Therefore, this research focuses on how to increase public awareness of autism so that students will develop stronger social self-efficacy and social support systems in high school, easing the transition to college. Likewise, this research focuses on how to create the most inclusive and supportive environments in college and university, to help vulnerable populations cope with what is already a stressful time for neurotypical students and which could be a critical juncture for those with autism spectrum disorders.
Purpose Statement
This research will contribute to a growing body of knowledge about transition planning for students with autism spectrum disorders. Research in special education has shown that students with autism report unsatisfactory transition planning services (Makin, Hill & Pellicano, 2017). While research has demonstrated the importance of providing specialized services for students with autism spectrum disorders, there is still a gap in the literature regarding what types of social supports students need to ease their transitions from high school to college. Most importantly, the literature does not yet show what colleges and universities can do to create a more supportive social environment for students with autism spectrum disorders. This research is designed in part to contribute to the research base and to fill a gap in the special education literature.
A more pressing purpose of this research is to inform best practices in special education. At every level of grade school and in higher education, students with autism spectrum disorder need access to individualized services and support. Students with autism spectrum disorder who are highly functioning academically may be technically able to complete a college degree but may lack the social or psychological supports required to ensure that degree is completed, or that the student does not drop out. Similarly, students need to know they are supported in their higher education and on track to pursue career goals. This research is designed to show what is lacking in current transition planning. The results can be used to bolster special education transition planning for all populations, but especially for students with autism spectrum disorders, and to inform best practices at every level of education — particularly high school and college.
High school administrators and guidance counselors can use information from this mixed-methods research to improve their transition planning programs and help create a more supportive environment for students with autism spectrum disorder. Research already shows that public awareness and education about autism spectrum disorders improves peer perceptions and attitudes toward students with autism (Matthews, Ly & Goldberg, 2014). Therefore, it is important to encourage high school administrators to actively advocate and educate on behalf of students with autism spectrum disorders.
College administrators, deans, and professors may also need more information regarding students with autism spectrum disorders. Many college and university leaders and educators may be unprepared to serve students with special needs, including those with autism spectrum disorders. The provisions of the IEP and IDEA do not legally extend to colleges and universities beyond the laws that prevent and prohibit discrimination. Colleges and universities can nonetheless do more to ease the transition from high school to college for students with autism spectrum disorders by taking specific steps. Those steps may include the creation of student support groups, but ultimately it should be up to the students themselves to reveal what they want or need from a formal social support service in college. The first phase of this research is designed to assess student perceptions, needs, and experiences in order to eliminate bias in the construction of effective transition planning services. The second phase is designed to provide educators and administrators with the hard evidence and metrics needed to showcase program efficacy and cost effectiveness. If the proposed program does in fact lead to higher retention rates — with extraneous variables controlled for — then the transition planning program can become more firmly embedded in special education practice.
References
Brown, K. R., & Coomes, M. D. (2015). A spectrum of support: Current and best practices for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at community colleges. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 40(6), 465–479. doi:10.1080/10668926.2015.1067171
Clarke, C., Hill, V., & Charman, T. (2016). School-based cognitive behavioural therapy targeting anxiety in children with autistic spectrum disorder: A quasi-experimental randomised controlled trial incorporating a mixed methods approach. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 47(12), 3883–3895. doi:10.1007/s10803-016-2801-x
Creswell, J. (2013). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Elias, R., & White, S. W. (2017). Autism goes to college: Understanding the needs of a student population on the rise. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 48(3), 732–746. doi:10.1007/s10803-017-3075-7
Mackay, B. A., Shochet, I. M., & Orr, J. A. (2017). A pilot randomised controlled trial of a school-based resilience intervention to prevent depressive symptoms for young adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A mixed methods analysis. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 47(11), 3458–3478. doi:10.1007/s10803-017-3263-5
Matthews, N. L., Ly, A. R., & Goldberg, W. A. (2014). College students' perceptions of peers with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 45(1), 90–99. doi:10.1007/s10803-014-2195-6
Van Hees, V., Moyson, T., & Roeyers, H. (2014). Higher education experiences of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Challenges, benefits and support needs. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 45(6), 1673–1688. doi:10.1007/s10803-014-2324-2
Wei, X., Wagner, M., Hudson, L., Yu, J. W., & Javitz, H. (2015). The effect of transition planning participation and goal-setting on college enrollment among youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Remedial and Special Education, 37(1), 3–14. doi:10.1177/0741932515581495
White, S. W., Elias, R., Capriola-Hall, N. N., Smith, I. C., Conner, C. M., Asselin, S. B., … Mazefsky, C. A. (2017). Development of a college transition and support program for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 47(10), 3072–3078. doi:10.1007/s10803-017-3236-8
White, S. W., Elias, R., Salinas, C. E., Capriola, N., Conner, C. M., Asselin, S. B., … Getzel, E. E. (2016). Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder in college: Results from a preliminary mixed methods needs analysis. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 56, 29–40. doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2016.05.010
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