Student Service
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Factsheet
What is Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)?
Autism Spectrum Disorder is a lifelong developmental disability that affects how a person processes information, communicates and how they relate to other people and how they make sense of the world around them. Such difficulties can be defined in three areas: social communication, social interaction and social imagination. Other related characteristics may include special interests, sensory difficulties and a strong preference for routines.
As a spectrum condition, it means that while all people with ASD share certain difficulties, their condition will affect them in different ways.
What are the difficulties associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)?
- Problems understanding and being aware of other people's emotions and feelings
- Difficulty starting conversations or take part in them properly
- Taking people’s speech literally and being unable to understand sarcasm, metaphors or figures of speech
- Avoiding eye contact
- Delayed language development
- Making repetitive physical movements, such as hand tapping or twisting
- Becoming upset if set routines are disrupted
- Over- or under-sensitivity to sounds, touch, tastes, smells, light or colours
Diagnosing ASD is usually done by a specialist or psychiatrist following referral from a GP. If you think you may have any of these difficulties and would like to investigate if you are showing signs of ASD, please or telephone 0207 8487018 to request an appointment with a disability adviser for further advice.
How may this impact on academic engagement?
The following are some of the characteristic effects of ASD on the learning process. The range of characteristics will differ from person to person.
- Difficulty joining in group discussions with fellow students
- Feeling anxious in new surroundings and when meeting new people
- Changes to routine at short notice, for example, timetable changes cause you stress and anxiety
- Feeling overwhelmed and uncomfortable when there is too much sensory information, for example when in a large lecture theatre with many students chatting or bright strip lighting
- Become over-stimulated by too much input from verbal and non-verbal information leading to confusion
- Prefer literal language and struggle to understand metaphors, sarcasm and jokes
- Prefer email to telephone contact
- Good punctuality
- Difficulties processing verbal information
- Difficulties note taking in lectures
- Difficulties with organisation and planning self-directed learning
Possible support strategies
The Disability Advisory Service offers advice on individual basis to students regarding support available to them. The information below gives an overview of typical areas of support.
- Orientation around the campus
- Access to a rest room or quiet space area
- Permission to audio record lectures and meetings
- Regular timed meetings with your personal tutor
- Access to lecture slides before the lecture
- Specialist mentoring support
- Facilitated contact with your academic department about your disability
- Personalised examination arrangements, for example extra time and to be seated in a smaller room
- Assistance in the library; one to one induction in the library
- Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP)
- Assistance with application process for the Disabled Students' Allowance – funding for specialist equipment, non-medical helper support, general consumables and travel costs
Accessing support
Before we can put any arrangements in place, the Disability Advisory Service will need to have suitable evidence of your diagnosis to ensure we are advising appropriately. Evidence of ASD should be in the form of a letter or report from your GP, specialist or psychiatrist.
If you think you have any of these difficulties and would like to discuss support options or investigate if you are showing signs of ASD, please contact telephone 0207 848 7018 to request an appointment with an adviser.