Jane Thierfeld Brown is Assistant Clinical Professor at Yale Child Study, Yale Medical School, Director of College Autism Spectrum and former Director of Student Services at the University of Connecticut School of Law. She has worked in Disability Services for 39 years. She holds an EdD from Columbia University, Teachers College. Dr. Brown consults with many families, students, school districts and institutions of higher education. Dr. Brown has appeared on Good Morning America, CBS News and NPR. She has co- authored Student with Asperger’s: A Guide for College Professionals, (2009), along with many textbook chapters and articles. Dr. Brown is married and has three children, the youngest being a 26 year old son with autism. Dr. Lorraine Wolf serves as the Director of Disability Services and as Boston University’s 504 Coordinator. She received her undergraduate degree from Hampshire College, with concentrations in Genetics and Bioethics. She received a master’s degree in General Psychology from New York University and a doctorate in Basic and Applied Neurocognition from the City University of New York. Dr. Wolf was a postdoctoral fellow in Clinical Neuropsychology at the Cornell University Medical College. Prior to coming to Boston, she held faculty appointments in Psychiatry at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and the Columbia University School of Medicine. Dr. Wolf has taught at the undergraduate and graduate levels and is a national and international presenter on disability topics in higher education. She co-edited the text Adult Attention Deficit Disorder: Brain Mechanisms and Life Outcomes (2001, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences) and was senior co-editor of Adult Learning Disorders: Contemporary Issues (2008, Psychology Press, Taylor and Francis). She co-authored Students with Asperger’s Syndrome: A Guide for College Personnel (2009; 2017, Japanese translation; second US edition in preparation). Dr. Wolf holds faculty appointments as Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the Boston University School of Medicine and as Adjunct Associate Professor of Rehabilitation Sciences at the Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at Boston University. She co-developed “Strategic Education for the Autism Spectrum,” a widely adopted support model for students on the autism spectrum in higher education. Her research interests include attention and self-regulation in neurodevelopmental disorders and service delivery for college students with autism, attention deficit disorders and psychiatric disabilities. She enjoys scuba diving, adventure travel and her dogs.
Parents need to teach their kids basic skills like shopping, ordering food in restaurants, doing laundry, being on time, personal hygiene, and waking themselves up. These skills should be taught long before the child goes to college. They are part of growing up and necessary for succeeding in college. Still, the biggest obstacle for most autistic students is learning to do well in social situations. For example, I had to learn that it was O.K. to cry if I was frustrated on the job rather than lashing out physically. A high-tech company will not fire you for crying, but they will if you throw things or hit others. The authors of this book present clear strategies for families and students with autism to use starting as early as in middle school and going up to college graduation and on to employment. Hard work, the ability to work with others, and clear expectations will get young people where they want to be — Temple Grandin, PhD, author of Thinking in Pictures and The Way I See It""For parents whose adolescent with autism spectrum disorders is considering college, this practical book is an invaluable guide to evaluating college readiness, strengthening key skills, identifying the right match, ensuring the smoothest possible transition, and creating a safety net to maximize the chances of a successful college experience. The authors sage advice and strategies come from years of personal and professional experience. This is THE book our staff recommend to families and educators!""— Dania Jekel, MSW, executive director, Asperger s Association of New England ""This book is a true gift to the ASD community. The authors have combined their extensive knowledge and personal experiences to offer a road map to anyone supporting a college-bound student with ASD. The information is clear, ordered, and honest. Charts, tables, and scenarios illustrate possible challenges a student might encounter on campus and serve as checklists along the way. I recommend this book to parents, special education teachers, high school guidance counselors, psychologists, social workers, and the students themselves."" — Kari Dunn Buron, MS, autism education specialist, educator and author of The Incredible 5-Point Scale (co-author), A 5 Is Against the Law, and Learners on the Autism Spectrum: Preparing Highly Qualified Educators (co-editor)