Project A+ Serving Students with Autsm Spectrum Disorder in the Academic Library This project was made possible in part by the Insttute of Museum and Library Services [RE-31-16-0129- 16] Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program, Category 2 Research and Florida State University ©2018 Introducton Introducton Project A+ is a research study that discovered solutons to serving academic library users with autsm spectrum disorder (ASD). The research protocol included working with three diverse academic libraries, librarians, disability services personnel, and students on the autsm spectrum to gather data on the types of library setngs, actvites, services, and materials that students with ASD prefer. This resultng manual for academic librarians is intended to assist them in reducing library anxiety and supportng success in students with ASD and their use of the library. This manual from Project A+ also builds on the successful Florida State IMLS-funded Project PALS (Panhandle Autsm Library Services) a set of four online self-paced professional development chapters, available on WebJuncton, that provide practcal strategies for librarians in all types of libraries to implement. The PALS exit survey revealed further informaton – that training, strategies, and real-world models are needed in order for librarians to fully support patrons with ASD at the highest levels, partcularly in college and university libraries. 2 Introducton A Note on Approaches Used The research leading to the development of this training manual used the social model of disability studies, allowing for voices of students with ASD to be presented in their own words, not as mediated by parents, caregivers, or the perceptons of faculty and staf of their lived experiences. The social model also provides the framework for librarians and libraries to adapt services, not students, with ASD adaptng to suit neurotypical-centric services. Though the social model advocates for ability frst language (e.g. “autstc person”), this manual is presented using person frst language (“person with autsm”) to place the person before the disability. The study authors acknowledge that this is an ongoing debate, and that there will be disagreement over the correct terms to use. Please understand that this was a thoughtul choice, made afer much discussion between study authors and stakeholders. A good resource to learn more about identty frst language can be found on the Autstc Self Advocacy Network. Similarly, the study authors acknowledge that there are many esteemed sources of informaton about autsm and seek to cite these sources widely. While all sources cited within this document contain, what the authors believe to be valuable informaton, we also acknowledge the controversy that surrounds involvement of informaton not created by self- advocates or those who identfy as having autsm. As such, the authors strive to include all points of view and include frst person accounts when possible. Informaton on People First Language can be further explained at htps://www.cdc.gov/ ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/disability-strategies.html How to Use the Manual This training manual was developed with busy librarians and library staf in mind, so you are able to access each chapter as needed. For those who are interested in digging deeper into partcular topics, a bibliography is provided at the end of each chapter, as well as a comprehensive bibliography at the conclusion of the manual. We suggest that you open this manual in sofware such as Adobe Reader. You also have the opton to print and view it at your convenience. Many of the templates and tools throughout might be helpful to print and have available as ready reference for staf at the front desk. Throughout this document, you will fnd empty boxes like the one to the lef. These are fllable blanks that you may use to type responses to the refecton and brainstorming actvites. If you are using a supported pdf reader, then you just need to click inside the box to begin typing. 3 Introducton Chapters at a Glance These six chapters have been designed to provide helpful informaton and strategies for academic librarians and library staf interactng with individuals with autsm. The chapters include objectves, content informaton, videos, checklists, examples, and links to additonal resources. The following is a descripton of each of the chapters: 1. About Autsm: provides informaton about ASD, life with ASD on college campuses, and why understanding it is important for librarians and library staf. 2. The Library Environment: explores the importance of the library environment and how, by understanding and organizing the environment, you can support students with autsm. 3. Communicaton: describes common social communicaton behaviors of students with ASD. 4. Social Interacton: explains opportunites librarians can create for social interacton among students with ASD, as well as difusion techniques for negatve interactons. 5. Technology: examines how libraries can enhance the social and vocatonal independence of individuals with ASD by harnessing the power of technology. 6. Employment: discusses employing students with ASD in the library in various roles, as well as improving hiring practces for all members of this populaton. Project A+ Team Project A+ is a research study led by Dr. Nancy Everhart of Florida State University’s School of Informaton and Dr. Juliann Woods of FSU’s School of Communicaton Sciences and Disorders, and managed by Dr. Amelia Anderson, also of the School of Informaton. This project was made possible through the IMLS Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program Category 2 – Research. Dr. Nancy Everhart Dr. Juliann Woods Dr. Amelia Anderson Co-Principal Investgator Co-Principal Investgator Project Coordinator Curt Fulwider Kriste Escobar Graduate Assistant Research Assistant 4 Introducton Advisory Board The Project A+ Board of Advisors provided virtual feedback on the research results. They assisted in the research process and interpretng results from their unique perspectves as those on the autsm spectrum, librarians, autsm experts, researchers and librarians with autsm. This feedback was necessary in designing an implementaton guide that is valuable to librarians as well as impactul to those on the autsm spectrum. Melissa is a researcher at the Blake is the Florida Collecton and Florida State University School of Outreach Librarian at the State Informaton. Her research focuses Library of Florida. Blake also served on the role academic libraries as a valued advisory board member play in neurotypical high school for Project PALS and is on the students’ transiton to college. autsm spectrum. Dr. Melissa Gross Blake Robinson Lisa is a professor and coordinator Suzanne is PI, Targetng Autsm for Informaton Literacy Services IMLS LB21 Grant Project and and Instructon at the University of Associate Director, Library Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus Automaton & Technology for the library. Illinois State Library Dr. Lisa Hinchlife Suzanne Schriar Adria is an ASD self-advocate and Paul is the Distance Educaton founder of Adria’s Village, which Librarian at the University of provides training to those who Minnesota, Mankato and is on the work or interact with individuals autsm spectrum. with disabilites. Adria Nassim Dr. Paul Wyss Charlie is the Electronic Resources and Serials Librarian at the University of Tennessee at Chatanooga and is on the autsm spectrum. Charlie Remy 5 About Autsm on Campus 1 About Autsm on Campus "In truth, I am accustomed to spaces that were clearly designed without someone like me in mind. My sensory integraton difcultes, my spatal confusion, my social anxiety: all are consttutve of neurological atypicality that puts me at a systematc disadvantage in a society structured around a rather specifc human ideal. Yet while I generally antcipate that most of the places I go will be less than accommodatng, this is not the case for libraries. Throughout my life and into the early stages of my library career, I have come Emily Lawrence, to expect more of these insttutons. My expectatons are ted up with a concept of the librarian and autsm library as “safe space,” as well as with the core principals of the feld. So, when the library self-advocate fails to live up to such expectatons – grounded as they are in our stated commitments as librarians – it is important to ask what has gone wrong and how we might go about fxing it" (Lawrence, 2013, p. 98). 6 About Autsm on Campus Over the past two decades the prevalence of ASD has risen signifcantly and is currently the fastest growing disability in the United States. A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Preventon (2018) confrms that ASD is present in approximately 1 child in every 59. Prevalence of ASD within the general populaton is refected in the growing number of college and university students with this disability (Barnhill, 2014; Gelbar, Smith, & Reichow, 2014; Pinder-Amaker, 2014) and their challenges. Many adolescents and adults with autsm report dependence on their families, no close friends, and few recreatonal actvites (Howlin & Magiat, 2017). More students with ASD are registering for support services than ever before, but that does not account for those who either do not see themselves as in need of disability services or do not have a formal diagnosis and atempt to forge the academic journey alone. College atriton rates are higher for college students with ASD than for neurotypical college students due to the lack of supports that were available K-12 and other