Purpose
The purpose of the project is to gather information from the perspectives of Autistic students regarding their needs and the needs of other post-secondary students with autism spectrum disorder in Canada.
Process
To achieve this, we are using a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach to develop and implement a survey of Canadian autistic post-secondary students. The SEN-CAPS Study Steering Committee includes individuals with lived experiences relating to this topic including those who identify as having an autism spectrum disorder, family members, support services staff, faculty and students from colleges and universities, community clinicians, and advocates.
Plan
There are 3 proposed phases for this project.
Phase 1 – SEN-CAPS Survey Development & Pilot
The purpose of this phase of the study is to test and conduct a pilot of a survey that has been developed learn more about the strengths, experiences, and needs of autistic college and university students in Canada from the perspective of students with ASD.
Phase 2 – SEN-CAPS Survey Ontario Launch
The purpose of this phase is to conduct an survey to learn more about the strengths, experiences, and needs of Autistic college and university students in Ontario from the perspective of students with ASD.
Phase 3 – SEN-CAPS Survey Pan Canadian Launch
The purpose of this phase is to conduct a pan-Canadian survey to learn more about the strengths, experiences, and needs of Autistic college and university students from the perspective of students with ASD.
Outcomes
The results of this survey will provide important insights into the needs of Autistic students, gaps in the post-secondary environment, and suggestions on how to best support Autistic post-secondary students in their academic pursuits. The results from the survey will be used (a) for future development of an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) specific needs assessment tool for post-secondary students and (b) to inform a program of research focused on developing interventions to mitigate the learning and mental health challenges experienced by these students.
Research Ethics
This study has been reviewed and received ethics clearance through Brock University’s Research Ethics Board [file # 19-264 – CONDILLAC].
If you have any questions about these studies or your rights as a research participant, please contact the Brock University Research Ethics Officer (905.688.5550 x 3035, reb@brocku.ca).
