Schembri-Mutch, T. M., McCrimmon, A. W., & Zwiers, M. L. (2024). Understanding the needs of autistic post-secondary students . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders , 54 (7), 2636–2650. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-023-06010-w

Specific assessment accommodations were not explicitly investigated; the focus was on identifying barriers to success for autistic post-secondary students.

Fourteen postsecondary students, ages 18–50, with an autism diagnosis were recruited from local institutions and autism agencies in Canada. The majority of participants (79%) had at least one comorbid condition, most commonly generalized anxiety disorder (50%), social anxiety disorder (36%), and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; 36%).

Semi-structured interviews were conducted and audio-recorded in person to collect data on barriers to success in postsecondary education.

Analysis yielded 12 total themes organized into three categories: (a) Intrapersonal Barriers (flexibility, inferences and abstractions, sensory processing, attention), (b) Interpersonal Barriers (personal relationships, working relationships, mental health awareness), and (c) Systems Concerns (administrative issues, absence or mismatch of service provisions, late diagnosis). Testing accommodations often presented challenges, with participants reporting issues such as having to choose between using exam accommodations or being able to ask professors for clarification, having accommodations for exams but not quizzes, and experiencing scheduling conflicts when accommodated quiz time caused them to miss lecture content. Additionally, many participants reported being unable to secure accommodations for lab courses despite attempting to arrange them.