HAYS, Kan. – Three faculty members from the Department of Advanced Education Programs at Fort Hays State University presented at the recent 21st International Conference on Autism, Intellectual Disability, and Developmental Disabilities in Sarasota, Fla.

Dr. Jacqueline Lubin, an assistant professor, Dr. Jerrie Brooks, instructor, and Dr. Robb Scott, assistant professor, presented “Self-Determination Skills of College Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).”

Lubin is the coordinator of special education programs in the AEP Department, and Brooks is a virtual instructor of special education courses and a lead reviewer for the Council on Accreditation of Education Preparers.

Their presentation focused on research that examines the self-determination skills and quality of life for individuals with ASD. This is the first stage of a long-term project, said Lubin, the lead researcher.

“We aim to identify the self-determination skills of college students with autism, implement an intervention to foster self-determination skills and then evaluate quality of life,” she said.

Current research shows that approximately one-third of high school students with ASD are likely to pursue college within six years of leaving high school. According to the National Center for Special Education Research, by the year 2028, of the projected 20,310,000 college students in the United States, more than 200,000 will have Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Through this research, the team hopes to help students with autism make a smooth transition from K-12 settings to college life.