College reading engagement is a significant predictor of students' skill development and degree completion. However, only about one-third of college students are completing assigned readings, and among those who do, many struggle with successful interpretation and analysis of content (ICAS, 2002). One reason is that students may be underprepared for the academic rigor of college-level texts (Bartolomeo-Maida Citation2016). Previous research on reading support has often focused on traditional college students; however, the number of nontraditional students continues to grow, especially at community colleges, where curriculum reform is occurring with reading courses. As educators work to redesign these programs, it is important to illuminate the voices of nontraditional students to create accessible reading support so that they can successfully engage with college-level texts. This qualitative study explored interview responses of nine nontraditional community college students to learn about their experiences as readers and discover their desired reading support. Analysis of the data revealed negative self-perceptions as barriers, the importance of relatable content to reading engagement, and desired reading supports that included guidance from the content instructor and reading courses. These findings offer implications for educators seeking to offer equitable access to college-level reading skills for nontraditional community college students.

Based on the results of its Equity Scorecard, Occidental College decided to undertake a qualitative interview project to gain more in-depth knowledge of the inequities that exist among our students. This chapter focuses on that project's effect on participating faculty members and administrators. First, the authors discuss the rationale for employing an empirical approach to structuring the interview project. Next, the authors discuss how the knowledge generated from the interviews contributed to their understanding of inequities on campus. Specifically, they address how the information learned from students affected them in their roles as faculty, administrators, and campus leaders. The authors also discuss how an awareness of double consciousness has shaped new practices inside and outside the classroom. Lastly, they discuss the effect of the interview project on students. 1

In this chapter, the authors describe how examining, discussing, and reflecting on disaggregated data on student outcomes resulted in individual and organizational learning. Disparities in educational outcomes continue to affect critical masses of students of color enrolled at community colleges. Organizational learning entails acquiring new ideas that lead to institutional improvements. The practitioner-as-researcher model was developed and shaped by a desire at Center for Urban Education (CUE) for practitioners to learn about the current status of educational outcomes that exist on their respective campuses, and to use the newly acquired knowledge to influence their practices to achieve equity in students' educational outcomes. Although assuming the role of practitioner-researcher is important, becoming equity-minded and engaging in organizational learning is more likely to occur in conversation with others. Individuals begin to conceptualize student outcomes from an equity perspective. Institutions learn from the information and apply new knowledge to existing practices that are in need of change.

The authors of this article invite disability and student affairs professionals to engage autistic college students and colleagues in program development and assessment efforts. Ten strategies to construct student support programs and assessment designs are provided that are inclusive of autistic students, staff, and faculty input and participation from start to finish. Recommendations by Dena, an autistic social scientist/co-author, are embedded within the strategies to provide a neurodivergent perspective. Together, these strategies are grounded in principles of community-based participatory research, neurodiversity, and autistic expertise.

With one in 59 children diagnosed with autism, higher education institutions are experiencing increasing enrollments of autistic students. Furthermore, autistic students are disproportionately more likely to identify as gay and lesbian in their sexual orientation and as transgender or genderqueer in their gender identity compared with nondisabled peers. This case study challenges readers to consider the role that educational leaders can play in addressing the complexities of supporting a student named Erik, a gay, autistic student who is considering “coming out.” Readers are also challenged to consider implications about addressing campus climate issues for students with multiple, intersecting identities.

Autism in AdulthoodVol. 1, No. 3 InsightFree AccessThe Significance of Involving Nonspeaking Autistic Peer Mentors in Educational ProgramsSamuel Capozzi, Dillan Barmache, Emma Cladis, Edlyn Vallejo Peña, and Jodie KocurSamuel CapozziCalifornia State University Channel Islands, Camarillo, California.Search for more papers by this author, Dillan BarmacheCalifornia Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, California.Search for more papers by this author, Emma CladisVanguard University, Costa Mesa, California.Search for more papers by this author, Edlyn Vallejo PeñaAddress correspondence to: Edlyn Vallejo Peña, PhD, California Lutheran University, 60 W. Olsen Rd., MC 4100, Thousand Oaks, CA 93012 E-mail Address: epena@callutheran.eduCalifornia Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, California.Search for more papers by this author, and Jodie KocurCalifornia Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, California.Search for more papers by this authorPublished Online:11 Sep 2019https://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2019.0006AboutSectionsPDF/EPUB Permissions & CitationsPermissionsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to favorites Back To Publication ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail Too often, educational support programs for autistic teenagers and young adults lack the involvement and leadership of autistic peer mentors. Autistic peer mentors are important because they can serve as valuable role models for autistic youth.1 This essay presents personal narratives by three nonspeaking autistic college students who mentored 12 nonspeaking autistic teenagers and young adults in the College Bound Academy (CBA), a 4-day college transition program tailored to nonspeaking individuals. By typing and spelling to communicate, the peer mentors delivered presentations about their college experiences and mentored CBA participants over the course of the transition program. The college peer mentors—S.C., D.B., and E.C.—describe significant opportunities and experiences afforded to the CBA participants as a result of the inclusion of nonspeaking autistic peer mentors. These opportunities include learning from fellow nonspeaking autistic students about navigating personal challenges and victories in the college transition process, increasing autistic visibility and representation in higher education, and building a community of hope among autistic youth.Learning About Navigating Challenges and Victories: S.C.Because the presence of nonspeaking autistic students in higher education is rare, it is vital to include the voices—challenges and victories—of those who are indeed autistic college students. Upon reflecting on my own journey to higher education, I had no peers with whom to discuss my experiences. I was a pioneer. Although there are a few other nonspeaking autistic students who have obtained higher education, I did not know them or have access to them before my higher education journey. I was driven but felt alone in the process. Even though I had the support of my family and several higher education professionals, it simply was not the same as input from a peer—a true expert. What I would have done to hear and learn from a nonspeaking autistic peer about their experiences attending university.As a CBA peer mentor, I had the opportunity this past summer to consider and share some of my greatest challenges and victories as the first nonspeaking autistic student at my university. It was awesome because I could confidently share my success in accessing higher education with my otherwise misunderstood and marginalized younger peers. As I described how my concerns surrounding accessing higher education as a nonspeaking autistic were addressed and resolved, I could almost hear a collective sigh from the CBA participants. Did I face challenges? Indeed, I faced challenges but described how I overcame them, or, more importantly, I described how I tried to circumvent them. For example, fear of the unknown is a huge reality for not only us but also for the educators and faculty we will encounter as nonspeaking autistics. Advancing my education became key to alleviate my high anxiety (huge challenge) about being taken seriously as a student as well as feeling understood about the many accommodations and supports I would need to access higher education. Thankfully, my university's disability services program was readily available to not only assist me to receive the appropriate accommodations but also to help educate my professors and others I would encounter.One success that I shared with students in the program was engaging with my professors before my classes began. I managed to self-advocate to arrange meetings with my professors that ended up being a big anxiety reliever for both them and me. Even though it had not been done before, I understood the value of my professors meeting me and seeing me use my mode of communication in person. This was me educating them. One challenge I have experienced is related to my social connections with my peers in the classroom. That is, I am unable to answer questions quickly or throw out my ideas or jokes fast enough for most conversations in class. This is frustrating. Through the program, I was able to share with future college students strategies I use to address this challenge. Before class begins, I ask my professors whether I can share a 2–3-minute prerecorded message explaining my interests and understanding of everything. I also ask my professors to please include me in the class discussion by asking me my thoughts on something but coming back to me for my response. Because it takes some time to develop my answers, this strategy has been helpful although not perfect. It is not always effective because the discussion moves too quickly, the students blurt out their answers, or the professor is forgetful. Even though this is an on-again-off-again challenge, I have been mostly satisfied with my ability to be part of the life of the class and with my ability to collaborate with my professors and peers.Approaching my higher education journey this way has been highly successful. I am not only the student but also the teacher. I believe this approach has provided many victories. My success has been dependent upon collaboration and significant self-advocacy. I firmly believe these are lessons best learned from a peer mentor. Experiencing extreme anxiety and communication challenges as well as sensory dysregulation is very difficult and unique, so hearing the value of collaboration and self-advocacy is so much more impactful coming from someone who knows what these things mean—truly mean. Although I am a straight-A student, a member of three academic honor societies, and a paid fellowship recipient, my greatest victory related to university is being a representation of success to my underrepresented nonspeaking autistic peers who dream of gaining an education—I can still hear their internal collective hooray!Increasing Autistic Visibility and Representation: D.B.Involving autistic peer mentors in college transition programs is not just about giving opportunity and voice to autistic individuals, although that is a very important outcome. It is also about increasing visibility for individuals who generally are talked about but not often talked to. This benefits neurotypical people and autistic people through demonstrating the humanity and value that autistic people have by increasing autistic visibility in important educational roles. Increasing visibility demonstrates to autistic students that there is a place for them in higher education wherein their specific experiences have value. They do not have to settle for substandard treatment or lost opportunities, and their disabilities are being turned into advantages. My participation in the classroom makes concrete the idea that capable autistic minds deserve and belong in college settings.As an autistic individual in higher education, I followed the example of others who took this difficult journey before me. Aside from the advice and guidance I received from other autistic individuals who had achieved my goals, I took great comfort in knowing I was not going into this journey alone. Others had gone before me. I was fortunate to have mentors like that. Other autistic students might not have such a privilege. That is a strong reason that including autistic peer mentors on transition teams should be a high priority. Just the presence of autistic individuals in the higher education system lets students know that autism is respected, and that their value as human beings is institutionally recognized. This can go so far to ease anxiety for incoming students on the autism spectrum and creating an atmosphere of welcome. Easing anxiety can help autistic students reach their full potential in a new setting. This is the effect provided by the mere presence of a valued autistic peer mentor, let alone the important advice and guidance we can provide to fellow students. As a transitioning student, being mentored by an autistic peer provides hope that they will be listened to by someone who has experienced their challenges firsthand and knows how to navigate the choppy waters of getting into college. Visibility and representation matter, and this is as true for autistic individuals as it is for any group in our diverse society.Building a Community of Hope: E.C.Witnessing nonspeaking autistic people go to college is the start of an incredible movement. I believe that hope in our futures as autistic nonspeakers is something that has been severely lacking until recently. One reason for this is that we have not had a sense of community and the support and hope that comes from that community. The time spent together at the CBA transition program brings a sense of community with a dream to be a part of a bigger included world, first, on the college campus and then in the workforce. Often, as autistic students we have not had the experience of knowing someone with our challenges who went to college and succeeded. Therefore, being in the community of other typing autistic people who have been successful students at college can bring hope that college success is possible and a viable future for other nonspeaking autistic typers. The community connections that began at CBA extended beyond the 4-day program. There are now meetings of groups of typers that met at CBA and have stayed in touch with each other. Social groups for nonspeaking typers have formed that now meet monthly to strengthen friendships and encourage each other's passions. I have personally stayed in touch with my coauthors, S.C. and D.B., even though we live far apart. We support and celebrate each other's college achievements. I think hope is the key that will push us forward: hope for inclusion, hope for respect, and hope for greater independence through a good college education.My time as a peer mentor gave value to my college achievements like no other honor could. I was able to share my ongoing journey by doing a presentation to the group and also to have the time over the 4 days to enjoy my peers. We shared our lives and hopes and dreams. As we learned together, ate together, laughed, and shared, we were no longer alone but part of something much bigger and so essential. We came to realize we would no longer be silent, and together we will add our brilliant minds to really lift this world up. Nonspeaking autistic people have a great deal to share, we just never knew until now that others would make room for us. My experience with professors and fellow students is that their hearts and minds are open to welcome a person with differences into the college environment. They will truly open doors in every way to be a part of the college experience. We all need heroes and mentors to go before us and pave the way—to say, "I did it, you can too." With these college-bound transition program experiences, we see we are indeed a community that is growing strong. That we will support each other as we dream together of a world where we are not that unusual. To have peer mentors included is key to building this sense of hope and identity of being college bound.ConclusionAlthough CBA is one example of an educational support program that incorporates autistic peer mentors, the insights from the three self-advocates have broader implications. The personal narratives demonstrate the potential benefits and value of including autistic role models and mentors in a variety of educational programming for transition-age youth. These benefits include learning from fellow nonspeaking autistic students about navigating personal challenges and victories in the college transition process, increasing autistic visibility and representation in higher education, and building community of hope among autistic youth. In addition to providing support to autistic students, autistic peer mentors can and should provide input to frame and implement program goals, curriculum, and activities. We urge program directors and educators to keep this in mind and strive for the creation of inclusive and socially just education programs for nonspeaking autistic youth.Authors' ContributionsS.C., D.B., and E.C. each wrote one of three sections on perspectives of being a peer mentor in a college transition program. Drs. Peña and Kocur wrote the introduction and concluding sections. All authors gave feedback on each other's sections. All coauthors have reviewed and approved the article before submission.DisclaimerThe article has been submitted solely to this Journal and is not published, in press, or under review.Author Disclosure StatementNo competing financial interests exist.Reference1. Hotez E, Shane-Simpson C, Obeid R, et al. Designing a summer transition program for incoming and current college students on the autism spectrum: A participatory approach. Front Psychol. 2018;9:46. Crossref, Medline, Google ScholarFiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited byBuilding Neurodiversity-Inclusive Postsecondary Campuses: Recommendations for Leaders in Higher Education Patrick Dwyer, Erica Mineo, Kristin Mifsud, Chris Lindholm, Ava Gurba, and T.C. Waisman13 March 2023 | Autism in Adulthood, Vol. 5, No. 1 Volume 1Issue 3Sep 2019 InformationCopyright 2019, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishersTo cite this article:Samuel Capozzi, Dillan Barmache, Emma Cladis, Edlyn Vallejo Peña, and Jodie Kocur.The Significance of Involving Nonspeaking Autistic Peer Mentors in Educational Programs.Autism in Adulthood.Sep 2019.170-172.http://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2019.0006Published in Volume: 1 Issue 3: September 11, 2019Online Ahead of Print:July 30, 2019Keywordsautismautistichigher educationcollegepeer mentorPDF download

We seek to expand the disability theoretical toolkits of higher education scholars to include frameworks that view disability as multivalent. We start by describing limitations scholars can encounter when employing traditional medical, social, and minority frameworks. Then, we draw upon: (1) the temporal and fluid understandings of disability in critical disability theory, ( 2) the value critical realism gives to the body, impairment, and the environment, and (3) the work of Deaf epistemologies to call attention to the varied communication methods disabled college students use to encourage the use of frameworks that promote intersectional understandings that are authentic to lived experiences. We extend scholars' toolkits by encouraging the use of frameworks that value diverse human neurology and draw attention to the hegemonic dominance of Western thought. We conclude by discussing four implications and two limitations for higher education scholars.

In this chapter, the author situates her personal narrative within the context of an evolving organizational culture to examine her institution's role in developing what Tugend (2018) calls intentionality among institutional leaders to support the recruitment, advancement, and tenure of Latina faculty members. Drawing from literature on organizational change and leadership (Adserias, Charleston, and Jackson, 2017), as well as agentic perspectives within gendered organizations (O'Meara, 2015), Peña explores the intermingling of her personal experiences as a tenure-track Latina faculty member with institutional practices that involve honoring familismo (De Luca and Escoto, 2012). The chapter ends with institutionalized efforts that created structures to support her advancement in the academy and strategic implications for postsecondary leadership teams to consider in an effort to advance the promotion and tenure of Latina faculty at predominantly white institutions.

Research on the experiences of college students with disabilities and the extent to which student affairs practitioners and scholars are meeting their needs is sparse. This article advances the concept of Universal Research Design (URD) by discussing the application of universal design principles to research on college students. Four critical considerations that student affairs practitioners and scholars should address when conducting disability research include (a) language and operational definitions, (b) accessing participants, (c) data collection for both qualitative and quantitative research, and (d) researcher's positionality and just representation. We demonstrate how URD can be used to make research on students with disabilities more inclusive, accessible, and accommodating.

The number of students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) seeking admission into college is rising. Little research exists on how to meet the unique learning needs of this student population in higher education classrooms. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to document the ways in which supportive faculty members responsively approach students with ASD in their teaching roles. The findings of this study suggest that faculty members who were nominated as exceptional teachers and advisors to students with ASD drew from experiences of prior connections with individuals with disabilities, a belief in student abilities, setting high expectations for students, the development of caring relationships with students with ASD, an authentic passion for teaching, and a commitment to social justice. The pedagogical approaches entailed structured scaffolding, differentiated instruction, comprehensive accommodations, and collaborative institutional support. The outcomes of this study contribute new information to a paucity of research investigating faculty contributions to the success of students with ASD in higher education. This study pinpoints practical ways in which faculty members seek to help their students. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

As higher education institutions make intentional steps to include underrepresented groups and ensure their success in school, it is particularly important to understand their epistemological, intrapersonal, and interpersonal development as a key factor of supporting their academic and developmental needs. Institutions of higher education are challenged to prepare graduates for engaged citizenship in an increasingly multifaceted world that requires college graduates to demonstrate higher-level order epistemological abilities to successfully navigate in the 21st century. This qualitative study investigates self-authorship theory through the perceptions and experiences of first-generation undergraduate students, contextualizes periods of cognitive dissonance, examines contextual and environmental factors related to development, and frames these experiences as catalysts that promote self-authoring behaviors. This study captures the unique stories of 14 first-generation undergraduates at a public 4-year comprehensive liberal arts institution on the West Coast of the United States. Future research and practical application strategies to promote self-authorship are provided for higher education professionals to intentionally design supportive learning environments in an effort to better serve the developmental needs of first-generation undergraduates.

Unwanted Sexual Contact: Students With Autism and Other Disabilities at Greater Risk Kirsten R. Brown (bio), Edlyn Vallejo Peña (bio), and Susan Rankin (bio) Ten percent of college students identify as having a disability (Snyder & Dillow, 2011), and a subsample of this population, students with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), are increasingly participating in higher education (Geller & Greenberg, 2010). Disability resource offices at doctoral-granting institutions serve an average of 8.6 students with ASD per semester (Kasnitz, 2011), whereas these offices at 2-year colleges serve an average of 16.4 students with ASD per semester (Brown & Coomes, 2015). Furthermore, the participation of students with ASD in postsecondary education is expected to increase as one in 68 individuals is diagnosed with ASD (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014). Autism spectrum disorders represent a spectrum of neurodevelopmental differences that can contribute to difficulties in communication and social interactions. In their research on the experiences of college students with ASD, Van Hees, Moyson, and Roeyers (2015) found "challenges frequently reported include nonacademic issues such as difficulties with social skills, interpersonal deficits, organizational and time management difficulties, lacking self-advocacy skills and sensory overload, as well as problems meeting academic demands" (p. 1674). The small but growing body of literature regarding experiences of college students with ASD indicates that students face an unwelcoming campus environment (Brown, Peña, & Rankin, 2015; Van Hees et al., 2015) and experience prejudice (Wiorkowski, 2015). Brown et al. (2015) found that 33% of students with ASD experienced exclusionary behavior and only 67% felt comfortable in their classrooms. Additionally, functional limitations in areas of communication and social-emotional interactions make it difficult for students with ASD to navigate relationships (Van Hees et al., 2015). Challenges in discerning when others are being deceptive or have malicious intent (Dennis, Lockyer, & Lazenby, 2000) place students with ASD at risk for predatory behavior (Edelson, 2010; Sevlever, Roth, & Gillis, 2013). Very little literature about sexual harassment, unwanted sexual contact, or assault of children with ASD exists (Mandell, Walrath, Manteuffel, Sgro, & Pinto-Martin, 2005). The broader literature indicates that college students with disabilities experience "higher rates of victimization" (Cantor et al., 2015, p. 36); however, there is no existing literature that examines unwanted sexual contact or sexual assault for college students with ASD. [End Page 771] Rather than focusing on prevalence, the existing literature on sexual assault and ASD describes risk factors (e.g., Edelson, 2010) including a lack of sexual knowledge (e.g., Brown-Lavoie, Viecili, & Weiss, 2014); the mistaken belief that individuals with ASD are asexual (Irvine, 2005); and challenges to providing sex education for children, adolescents, and adults with ASD in community settings (e.g., Koller, 2000). Brown-Lavoie et al. (2014) found a relationship between lack of actual sexual knowledge and increased risk of victimization and explained that decreased social interactions and increased social isolation among students with ASD prevent these students from receiving sexual knowledge from peers, parents, and teachers that can mediate the risk for victimization. Edelson (2010) proposed that females with ASD might be at greater risk for sexual abuse and noted this was an area for future research. Without a better understanding of unwanted sexual contact, student affairs practitioners and scholars have little knowledge to draw on when supporting the growing number of college students with ASD and other disabilities. To address the paucity of literature, we used data from a multi-institution climate assessment to examine the following research question: What is the prevalence of unwanted sexual contact for college students who self-identify as a person with ASD and two comparison groups: college students with other types of disabilities and students without disabilities? METHODS Nine campuses were involved in this study, and university community members completed 104,208 surveys for an overall response rate of 27%. The undergraduate student response rate, which was the sample used for this study, was 21% (n = 37,693). All campuses were public, 4-year institutions. Seven percent of participants (n = 2,735) did not provide a disability status, leaving blank all responses to the question including "I have none of the listed conditions." Disability was the focal point, and participants with missing disability data were removed from...

one at Western Governor’s University, where “the curriculum is driven largely by administrators, not by a traditional faculty” (p. 144). While it is true that new technologies and programs have come under attack, Gerber does not discuss the changing world of higher education, nor does he address faculty resistance to change. The absence of the opposition may cause some to find fault with Gerber’s statements here. This caveat is particularly true for the approach Gerber takes towards for-profit schools. There is nothing timid about the following statement:

The authors examine the social construction of language, labels, and knowledge associated with disabilities, arguing in favor of critical and intersectional perspectives on disability identity.

Despite becoming a federal mandate, inclusion in general education has been a challenge for students with autism spectrum disorders, particularly in urban school settings. The needs of students in urban settings are complicated by issues of low income, language minority, and underrepresented racial minority status. School leaders in urban settings are called upon to take an active role in supporting the inclusion of students with autism. Utilizing a social justice framework, this chapter will explore how administrators and teacher leaders can promote inclusion as an ethical practice in urban settings. Recommendations are made for educational leaders to facilitate and lead inclusive educational practices for students with autism spectrum disorders in urban settings.

Despite becoming a federal mandate, inclusion in general education has been a challenge for students with autism spectrum disorders, particularly in urban school settings. The needs of students in urban settings are complicated by issues of low income, language minority, and underrepresented racial minority status. School leaders in urban settings are called upon to take an active role in supporting the inclusion of students with autism. Utilizing a social justice framework, this chapter will explore how administrators and teacher leaders can promote inclusion as an ethical practice in urban settings. Recommendations are made for educational leaders to facilitate and lead inclusive educational practices for students with autism spectrum disorders in urban settings.

An increasing number of institutions utilize social media tools, including student-written blogs, on their admission websites in an effort to enhance authenticity in their recruitment marketing materials. This study offers a framework for understanding what contributes to prospective college students' perceptions of social media authenticity and how their perceptions shape expectations of the college experience. The results of the study are based on qualitative data comprising 16 in-depth interviews, 165 journal entries, and an eight-member focus group interview with college-bound students. Prospective college students perceived student-written blogs to be authentic when student bloggers disclosed personal details and feelings about campus life, even when the topic of the blog was contrived to focus on admission and college-related activities. Recognizing a blog as authentic occurred through the process of internalizing the experience described in the blog post and identifying with the blogger.