Brief Report: Autism-Specific College Support Programs: Differences Across Geography and Institutional Type

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Nachman, B. R., McDermott, C., & Cox, B. E. (2021). Brief Report: Autism-Specific College Support Programs: Differences Across Geography and Institutional Type. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 52(2), 863-870. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-021-04958-1

Publication date: 26 Mar 2021 Added to AutiHub: 6 Jul 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
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Authors

Publication authors
3
Publication authors identified as autistic
2 / 3 (66.7%)
  1. Brett Ranon Nachman *
  2. Catherine McDermott
  3. Bradley E. Cox *

Abstract

Many postsecondary institutions have begun their own Autism-Specific College Support Programs (ASPs) to integrate the emergence of autistic students into college and offer supports aiding their success (Longtin in J Postsecond Educ Disabil 27(1):63-72, 2014), yet little is known about these programs. We conducted an exhaustive, year-long search of all postsecondary institutions in the United States to identify all ASPs. Although we identified a total of 74 programs located in 29 states, our analyses suggest these are unavailable to students in large portions of the country. When they are available, these programs appear to be disproportionately located at 4-year institutions, public institutions, and in the Mid-East. Our study highlights inequities based on institutional type and geography, as well as offers a complete public list of ASPs.

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These indicators describe the cited bibliography imported for this publication. Cited-reference metrics use the cited-reference total as denominator. Cited-author metrics state whether they use all cited-author occurrences or only occurrences linked to authors already integrated in the AutiHub database. They use cached links between cited authors and authors integrated in the AutiHub database. Last computed: 16 Aug 2026 11:31.

Cited references
32
Total cited references integrated for this publication.
Cited references with an identified autistic author
3 / 32 (9.4%)
Cited author occurrences identified as autistic
4 / 150 (2.7%)
Among occurrences linked to AutiHub author records: 4 / 23 (17.4%). Distinct cited authors identified as autistic: 2 / 124 (1.6%).
Cited author occurrences linked to AutiHub author records
23 / 150 (15.3%)
Distinct linked cited authors: 19 / 124 (15.3%)
Linked cited-author occurrences not identified as autistic
19 / 23 (82.6%)
Among linked cited-author occurrences only. Across all cited-author occurrences: 19 / 150 (12.7%). Distinct linked cited authors not identified as autistic: 17 / 19 (89.5%).
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