Want RIT to help Aspy son, but they're dragging

Parents Forum
1

<p>My son, who has a high-functioning form of Aspergers, is in the middle of his second year in an engineering program at Rochester Institute of Technology - RIT. </p>

<p>It has been so difficult for him, but he keeps trying and trying very hard. His mother and I are so proud of him. However, his AS and also a language/writing disability has made it extremely difficult for him.</p>

<p>Last year we provided the Disability Services Office - DSO - proof of his diagnosis in the form of letters from his physician. We are alarmed at how little RIT has done to help him. E.g. one suggestion was that he go to a writing lab that is designed for neurotypical students! Another suggestion is that he meet once a week with someone at DSO, but nothing from that seemed helpful. None of these things have helped and he has failed or had to withdraw from classes that require a lot of writing.</p>

<p>We finally had another in-depth neuro-psych evaluation and sent it to the DSO person in charge. We have heard nothing back from her. I think they will do nothing unless we push them.</p>

<p>I am worried that they are a DSO in name only and exist on paper just to show people that RIT has a DSO, but in reality don't do much.</p>

<p>Like many Aspy's our son has difficulty asserting himself and also difficulty communicating his needs.</p>

<p>How can we get more action from the DSO? We feel they are not really doing much while our son struggles and his grade point drops close to where he could lose scholarship money.</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

2

<p>What about hiring a tutor to work with your son on writing when he is taking a writing-intensive course? </p>

<p>I’m honestly not exactly sure what you expect RIT to do. The DSO at every college will tell you that students who are registered still need to fulfill course requirements, even if accommodations are appropriate in a given case. Accommodations “level the playing field,” they do not change the rules. What kind of appropriate accommodations do you think your son is not getting? He’s going to have to take writing-intensive courses in college no matter where he goes. You may not realize this, but the law requires that college students with disabilities self-disclose to their professors after filing paperwork with the DSO in order to get accommodations, so your son needs to develop the skill of self-advocacy sooner rather than later. Are you sure he is taking advantage of every accommodation to which he is entitled?</p>

3

<p>There may be people at the writing center with special training who would be well positioned to help your son. Have you asked?</p>

4

<p>Colleges are not like high school. There is not a case manager to chase your student down and make sure he takes advantage of approved accommodations and help. In most cases, students really need to advocate for themselves, and seek assistance when needed. </p>

<p>At many schools, students can sign up for tutorial assistance at the start of the term. Perhaps this is something your son could consider (and maybe you could help him with this). That way, he would have tutorial assistance if he needs it.</p>

<p>I do understand that students with AS have difficulty doing this for themselves. But self advocating is a very important life skill.</p>

5

<p>Some clarification, please. Are you saying that the neuro-psych evaluation included a list of recommended accommodations, or that your son has requested certain accommodations, and the school is refusing to provide them? Or is it that you are expecting the school to figure out what accommodations are needed and inform your son of them? If the latter, you may be expecting too much. </p>

<p>Have you requested a meeting with the DSO staff where you can hash out your issues? Merely emailing a neuropsych evaluation is an awfully passive way to approach this, especially if your son won’t speak up for himself. If you sit down with the DSO staff with some requested accommodations in hand, I think you’ll make more headway. And then of course there is the real possibility that your son may not be able to manage a traditional college curriculum, even with extra support, and may have to find a different path.</p>

6

<p>That’s the catch-22. Schools will often help if the student self-advocates, but sometimes the student’s challenge impacts ability to do so.</p>

7

<p>What kind of language/writing disability?</p>

<p>Also: “Another suggestion is that he meet once a week with someone at DSO, but nothing from that seemed helpful.” What was actually discussed?</p>

8

<p>I think you, as a parent, are putting your emotional drive into the wrong direction. You don’t need to get RIT DSO to step up. You need to get S to step up. He needs to work on his writing skills (with a private tutor rather than the writing lab, if that’s what works for him) he needs to engage with the DSO on the weekly basis, as recommended. He needs to communicate and self advocate and OF COURSE this is hard for him – it’s very hard! But he needs to do this to learn to live independently and have a happy life. </p>

<p>I’m the mom of a borderline aspy. I have some idea what you’re dealing with. Put your energy into coaching S. And if you can’t (are you aspy yourself? your screen name suggests it.) then hire someone who can do this for you. A local psychologist? Your S is clearly a smart guy with a lot of potential.</p>

9

<p>Another borderline Aspy mom here. I agree with 13th Floor. One thing I do when my son has to assert himself is to suggest that he write a script for talking to whomever it is he needs to talk to. (He then memorizes the script, something he’s really, really good at!) But the actual talking is up to him.</p>

10

<p>Does he participate in the “Spectrum Support Program” at RIT?
[Spectrum</a> Support Program | RIT](<a href=“http://www.rit.edu/studentaffairs/ssp/index.php]Spectrum”>http://www.rit.edu/studentaffairs/ssp/index.php)</p>

<p>RIT seems to have a quite extensive support system for Asperger’s students…is he taking advantage of that?</p>

<p>Transitioning students (first year freshman and transfer students) are paired with a trained SSP Peer Coach to receive consistent 1:1 individualized support and guidance in transitional domains including; advocating with professors, negotiating the residential experience, utilizing RIT resources, engaging with extracurricular clubs and events, navigating challenging situations, and working toward academic and social goals. SSP Peer Coaches are RIT graduate students who receive supervision as well as ongoing training and support from the SSP Case Manager and SSP Director. Continuing students meet monthly with an SSP staff member who assists students with problem-solving, advocacy, use of resources, and continued work toward academic, social and career related goals. SSP staff are also available to program enrolled students for drop-in coaching and support.</p>

<p>Case Management</p>

<p>Case management services create a systemic, cross-campus web of support that connects SSP staff to other professionals on campus that can support the student throughout their time at RIT. Program participants give a signed consent to allow SSP staff to collaborate with a participant’s “support team” such as parents, academic advisors, residential coordinators, disability services office, co-op program coordinators, and relevant academic support center staff in order to make timely and targeted referrals as well as provide comprehensive follow-up and support.</p>

<p>Customized SSP Seminar Courses</p>

<p>Five unique seminar courses have been created to deliver skill development and support for SSP participants in a small group format. Each zero-credit, semester long seminar course addresses critical skill development in traditionally challenging areas such as college transition, academic and social strategies, and co-op preparation. Seminar courses offered 2013/14: SSP Transitional Success I, SSP Transitional Success II, SSP Success Lab, SSP Intro to Co-op Success, SSP Co-op and Career Success Seminar</p>

<p>1:1 Executive Functioning Coaching</p>

<p>Available to SSP program enrolled students in need of additional support to address specific executive functioning deficits such as breaking down assignments, academic planning/prioritizing, monitoring academic progress, utilizing academic resources, time management and organization.</p>

<p>SSP Sponsored Social Events</p>

<p>All program participants are invited to attend organized events sponsored by the Spectrum Support Program. Past events include bi-weekly lunch meet-up, board game nights, mall scavenger hunt, RITchies Gameroom and Ritz Sport Zone hangouts.</p>

<p>Pre-Orientation Program- Gearing Up for Success</p>

<p>A three-day program takes place prior to fall New Student Orientation and assists program enrolled students in transitioning to RIT. Separate registration and fee applies.</p>

<p>*Please note: Students who would like to request academic and/or residential accommodations due to an autism spectrum disorder should register with the Disability Services Office and submit an accommodation request along with disability documentation. Should you have questions directly related to accommodations or documentation required, please contact the Disability Services Office at 585-475-2023.</p>

11

<p>The standard for accommodations at the college level is lower than the level required in high school (because attendance at high school is compulsory and in theory, legally, not compulsory at the college level). These things are being worked out over time and things are improving as precedents are established, but much is still at the discretion of the school and, especially, the professors.</p>

<p>Accommodations cannot cause undue financial or administrative burdens, ro change the academic program or standards. The DOS exists partly to protect the school, honestly, and can sometimes be what I once saw described as “guard dog of the curriculum.” In other words, to make sure accommodations don’t alter the program. But they do help in certain ways.</p>

<p>The DOS provides letters for the student to bring to each professor stating that the student has registered, but not letting professors know the specific disability. The student can say as much or as little as he or she wants. Some schools will list specific academic accommodations but others will only deal with things like wheelchair access, housing issues, or snacks for kids with diabetes, and not extensions, excused absences or tutoring, which are sometimes the province of professors.</p>

<p>Every school is a little different and the first year can be especially difficult because often the schools don’t describe their system very well. Your son should meet withe the DOS to get a clearer idea of what can happen, and he should bring, perhaps, a specific list of what he would want and need and they can say yes or no. They are not going to suggest things.</p>

<p>He should also meet with each professor, and most likely a dean. Often accommodations are handled in daily life by deans, who have the info that the student is registered with the DOS, and can e-mail the professors to back the student up.</p>

<p>Your son should have some special advisor or person in a dean’s office or someone to help advocate. If he signed a release, you can call and investigate or set this up, but be aware that parents get judged if they get too involved, as does the kid. There is a lot of kindness and support out there, and your son is high functioning. Some nudges to the system now can go a long way, they really can. But ultimately it will be up to your son. You can be training wheels behind the scenes though, and it is important that you be activvely involved in guiding him.</p>

12

<p>ps Also, write your own letter to have MD’s or neuropsych. sign, and give to the DOS. Include in that letter any and all accommodations you can think of or that professionals suggest or that your research suggests. DOS won’t necessarily put this list in the letter to professors but they will have it on file. And you son can have as copy to remember ideas that might help him, that he can ask for through an advisor or directly to professors.</p>

13

<br>

<br>

<p>How is this an issue? They have a lab to help students who need help in writing. Your son needs help in writing, so they suggest he try getting help there first. I understand if he tries it an it doesn’t work for him you may need options, but if he never tries it, how will he know it doesn’t work? They also may be able to make accommodations in this lab for him if, for example, he needs a quieter working space or a different computer program or to read the essay aloud. Try the general helps before asking for specialists.</p>

<p>My daughter is starting as an engineering student next year, but all students at her college must take writing and literature course first year. (Horrors!) My daughter is a terrible writer and the slowest reader in the world. I’m going to suggest she immediately go to the tutoring classes for those courses and not wait until she falls behind (and she will). She has required study tables anyway (athlete) so why not get the help that’s available. Even typical kids need help.</p>

<p>My other child had a lot of therapies when she was young, some of them with kids on the Asperger’s spectrum. I saw many of them succeed at learning skills if their parents would just give them the time. They weren’t going to be great swimmers or bikers or artists, but they could learn in classes with the ‘neurotypical’ kids. OP, you may need to just back off. He’s not going to be the best writer at RIT and it may be hard for him to handle not being the best, but he must learn to work within his limitations and to learn when he is limiting himself by giving up before he even tries.</p>

14

<p>Just want to add that a reduced courseload is one accommodation that is often available if you can prove it is needed. Also, extra time on writing assignments, or extensions. And taking exams by himself with a proctor. </p>

<p>Coaching/tutoring that is more appropriate for him is available if you google options online. Some really great coaches are online, but you can also find someone in person. Unfortunately, we have not found that colleges provide this special help but that you have to pay for it yourself. We could not afford this so I drove up and provided support myself for one of my kids, when she had a long writing assignment! This meant simply that I took her off campus to a bed and breakfast and literally sat with her to relieve stress. There was also a time when she dictated her thoughts to me over the phone and I typed them, then sent them to her, because her thoughts are faster than her hands. There is technology available for all this (Dragon, Smart Pen) which you can provide.</p>

<p>I will tell you though that the child I mentioned above is no longer at the college and functioning completely independently at community college. She did fine at the college so she didn’t leave because she was failing (like your son, she works really really hard), but because it was a stretch for her emotionally and academically and she didn’t want to live with the stress. And CC is very supportive.</p>

<p>Your son sounds like he functions pretty highly in some subjects and the writing is the problem. If you can, yourself, find a way to provide what he needs while he gets through the writing and distribution requirements, great. If he meets weekly with the DOS, which is a great offer on their part, maybe things will work out better. They would probably tolerate you attending with your son at least once, which might also be helpful. Freshmen still need parental training wheels at times, and he has already been dealing with them independently so they may welcome your in-person input, or by phone if in-person is not possible.</p>

15

<p>The world does not come with accommodations. Unless you want your student to be dependent all of their lives learning how to effectively self-advocate and independently seek support is imperative, even at the risk of academic performance. They will have to self advocate in the workplace, with a landlord, banks and lenders, utility companies, service providers, doctors and insurance companies…on and on. Our high school sends a few kids to RIT each year and their DOS is more accommodating then most schools, their support system is greater, and students who are not neurotypical are more likely to find their niche. The kids who have transferred out due to poor fit are the nongamer, neurotypical kids, who just don’t seem to find a peer group. </p>

<p>I would urge the OP to look into the supports posted by bopper and to seriously consider the long term benefits to her son of moving to self advocacy and independence in seeking supports and assistance, even at the risk of academic performance. The long term life benefit when the stakes are much higher is huge.</p>

16

<p>blueiguana: I think, however, that people with Asperger’s struggle with the “executive” function…the part of the brain that helps plan, organize and manage complex tasks.
So telling the OP that his son that he just has to “self-advocate” is like telling some with dysgraphia just to write better. </p>

<p>The OP’s son needs a bit extra support, which is why RIT provides it (at a cost). And yes, one hopes the son can do more self-advocating, as we all hope our kids will get better at.</p>

17

<p>I completely agree bopper! I have a kid that falls in this category, including EF. It takes time, effort, and is not at all easy. It’s something we started transitioning to in high school. My point is this is something very important to move towards, as opposed to enabling. When we ask our kids to start doing this they are not good at it, they stumble, it’s awkward and very frustrating for them (and us). They do not learn these things naturally like neurotypical kids. They are very important skills beyond college, and college is a safer, lower risk, environment to develop these skills.</p>

18

<p>Wow, RIT has a great program! Thanks for all that info bopper.</p>

<p>And I agree that independence is a long process, not a sudden event.</p>

19

<p>I had the same reaction to bopper’s link. Wow! That’s so cool! It is odd to me that the office of disability services didn’t steer the OP’s son to that program. I mean, it’s not like the first time anyone at RIT has encountered an aspy.</p>

20

<p>I’m a dad in a situation similar to the OP, 13thFloor & Massmomm.
Like it or not (and, believe me, I know how difficult it is), the best route to success is working with your child to develop the skills to self-advocate. </p>

<p>And if your son is open to it & willing to engage in a dialogue with you (and accept assistance offered), then I don’t think it’s quite as difficult as bopper asserts. Hella difficult, yeah, but achievable.</p>