Accommodations and support services preferred by college students with autism spectrum disorder.

Titlestad et al. (2019) asked 30 college students with autism what help they actually use and want on campus.

They gave a short survey and then talked in depth with each student.

The goal was to build a list of real-world accommodations that students say work.

The top picks were the usual academic items: extra test time, note takers, and quiet rooms.

Just as important, students wanted one-to-one non-academic supports like a faculty mentor or a weekly check-in coach.

In short, they want both paper accommodations and a trusted person they can go to.

Kunze et al. (2025) later asked adults with IDD of all ages to list their support network. Autistic adults named the fewest people, usually only family. This backs up Titlestad et al. (2019): college students are asking for exactly what they lack—non-family mentors.

Siklos et al. (2006) looks like a contradiction at first. They surveyed parents of young children with autism and found parents wanted respite and specialized info, not mentors. The gap makes sense: parents speak for little kids, while L et al. let the students speak for themselves. Different life stages, different needs.

Zakai-Mashiach (2023) interviewed autistic high-school graduates who recalled feeling caged in segregated classes. They wished staff had listened to them earlier. L et al. shows that when we do listen at college level, students ask for simple, low-cost human supports.

You do not need a new program or big grant. Add a volunteer mentor list, train faculty to do 15-minute weekly check-ins, or pair upper-class autistic students with newcomers. These were the highest-rated items in the study and they cost almost nothing. Start there before buying more software or sensory pods.