Accomodations at university and office jobs?

[vergil96]

Do you know what kind of accomodations someone can even ask for as an autistic person at university or in an office job? Do you know any guides about it?

 

[VictorR]

Adaptations come down to what help you with doing your work, and do will vary from person to person, and even gor a given person nay change over time.

If you already have a list of things that are challenging for you perhaps members here may be able to offer some suggestions.

 

[Bolletje]

The accommodations you need are very personal, and I guess it varies per country what accommodations are required from employers or universities. And what accommodations are possible will vary as well.

But an example of common accommodations:
A quiet workplace (for instance, an office to yourself)
One direct supervisor to report to, rather than having to deal with several supervisors or a chain of command
Having full control over your own schedule (or, if that is something you struggle with, having an assistant to take care of your schedule for you)
Receiving all your instructions in written, rather than oral form.

 

[zenemu]

At university:

Extended time: Especially relevant if you have any form of processing issue or get overwhelmed while studying.

Quiet testing space: it is important to have an environment that reduces distractions and limits any sensory issues you might have.

Note taking assistance: If you struggle with multi-tasking, a note taker, a recording device, access to lecturers slides etc would be reasonable.

Alternative assignment formats: You might be more comfortable orally rather than written or vice versa. It is something to consider.

Access to clear written explicit instructions: Always insist on this - it will save any confusion or misunderstanding around assignments.

Regular check-in’s with a mentor or academic advisor: A regular meeting with a supportive staff member or mentor to bounce ideas off, and discuss any areas in which you are struggling.

At work:

Flexible schedule: From a practical perspective, a flexible start time or the ability to take regular small breaks where you can just unwind for a second is a really good thing. Masking at work all day is exhausting.

A quiet workspace: Somewhere away from high traffic areas. If that isn’t practical, some people find noise cancelling headphones are helpful.

Clear written instructions: Again, it’s helpful to have expectations written down to avoid any misunderstandings and limits the need for awkward what am I meant to do here type conversations.

Regular Feedback and mentorship: Approach feedback in a constructive way. Make sure it is a two-way conversation. If there is something specific you are struggling with, make sure you explain why.

Those are just some general ideas I hope you find helpful.

 

[vergil96]

I struggle to understand why I'm so exhausted with university, to be honest.

One of the few things that come to my mind is that it's unfair that I can't be diagnosed with some type of dyslexia. Some teachers really don't get it that I'm trying my best but I can read a plus as a minus and minus as a plus, switch places of letters and digits, misread a letter or a digit as another that looks similar etc. I read fast, but in reading language, you can miaread letters and still guess the word. I study computer science and have to read quite random strings of letters and numbers, every detail matters. I confuse them and then take a long time to correct all the mistakes. I would be okay with it taking me more time than most people, but some teachers criticise me a lot for it as if it depended on how much effort I put in. It doesn't. I can't "just be more attentive". I'm as attentive as I can. At the same time, I'm very good at programming. I had one of the best grades this year, at grad level. Idk, it's tough. I had psychological testing in the past and my IQ was very high - it means that I might process in a distracted manner, but it's fast and effective. So I read text faster than most people, and I highly suspect I wouldn't be diagnosed with ADHD either, having heard about what the testing entails. My attention jumps but I remember well what I was doing or I multitask. I would be taken more seriously if I had a paper for it - but maybe I'm wrong.

Another problem is task switching. But I don't think I can skip part of the syllabus in favour of learning some subjects more deeply. This is very much what I prefer and what I'm better at. Fewer tasks in more depth rather than many tasks in a shallow manner.

And very scattered schedule, which I have no control over, but I want to take part in lectures online rather than go to campus. I prefer to read the lectures alone anyway, at my own pace, usually faster than how they take place.

Receiving all your instructions in written, rather than oral form.

I always ask for important information in written form and materials in pdf files. *nods*

And nobody has told me anything yet about headphones and earplugs.

My therapist suggested to take "bathroom breaks" during class and it helps. To go to the bathroom or not and just walk or eat or grab a drink.

 

[Judge]

Do you know what kind of accomodations someone can even ask for as an autistic person at university or in an office job? Do you know any guides about it?

Assuming you're American, I'd start here for a formal, official explanation.

https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/persons-intellectual-disabilities-workplace-and-ada

 

[DaisyRose]

When I attended high school and college, I had a 504 accommodation for my classes. I was able to have extended time because I always needed extra time for my test and quizzes. It takes my brain time to process information, so this was helpful.

https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/504-plans.html

 

[VictorR]

But I don't think I can skip part of the syllabus in favour of learning some subjects more deeply. This is very much what I prefer and what I'm better at

I prefer to read the lectures alone anyway, at my own pace, usually faster than how they take place.

If it's a core course in a program, I agree that skipping a part is probably not an option, as there is a certain broad base of knowledge that everyone is expected to have.

Something you could consider, if there are areas you want to do a "deep dive" into but for which there aren't any specific courses for, is to ask about the possibility of doing a "directed studies" course, where is conjuction with a prof you design your own custom course that you'd be mostly doing on your own.

 

[autism-and-autotune]

I'm unsure if this may be adding to the conversation, but in my current retail job I applied for accommodations...three months ago? and they haven't gone through :/

All I want is to wear a pin displaying my selective mutism. How hard can it be to approve that?

 

[vergil96]

If it's a core course in a program, I agree that skipping a part is probably not an option, as there is a certain broad base of knowledge that everyone is expected to have.

Something you could consider, if there are areas you want to do a "deep dive" into but for which there aren't any specific courses for, is to ask about the possibility of doing a "directed studies" course, where is conjuction with a prof you design your own custom course that you'd be mostly doing on your own.

Tbh I'll look into that, I didn't know there were such possibilities. Of course, my university might not offer directed studies at all, but it came to my mind that I could replace a subject or two with another, better suited. I have a couple of classes that you get to pick from a range of subjects.

 

[VictorR]

Tbh I'll look into that, I didn't know there were such possibilities. Of course, my university might not offer directed studies at all, but it came to my mind that I could replace a subject or two with another, better suited. I have a couple of classes that you get to pick from a range of subjects.

Something else to consider is whether there are other universities in your area that might offer a course in a field you're interested in, and if so, and your university grants permission to take it for credit towards your program (very important to get approval first), to then apply for visiting student status at the other university to take it.

Note that visiting students are usually low on registration priority, so if the course is popular, you might not actually he able to enroll.

 

[Dadamen]

I'm at university and thinking about requesting accomodations at lab works.

 

[Mr. Stevens]

Do you know what kind of accomodations someone can even ask for as an autistic person at university or in an office job? Do you know any guides about it?

They should be reasonable and--as Victor said--help you do your job.

At my job I have a lamp in my office with auburn bulbs. I don't use the overhead lights and covered the sensor. My employer payed for the lamp and bulbs.

I also wear sunglasses most of the day when I'm in areas with typical lighting. I'm allowed to take as many breaks as I want or go spend time in a dark, unused room if I need to. I can wear earplugs or headphones on a noisy work floor if need be.

Could I have a private bathroom? No, because that's not really an issue. But, I can do things to deal with light and noise.