Running head: NEURODIVERSE EDUCATIONAL TRAINING

Neurodiverse Educational Training

Helping Students with Autism Reach Their Academic Goals
Elizabeth Kunreuther
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

NEURODIVERSE EDUCATIONAL TRAINING

Issue
Overview:

The prevalence of autism in the United States is on the rise.

One in 88 children is diagnosed with autism spectrum
disorder and one in 70 children in North Carolina (Center
for Disease Control (CDC; 2012). For the sake of brevity,

HFASD will refer to individuals with autism
but without a concurrent intellectual disability
This includes: High Functioning Autism,
Aspergers Disorder and Pervasive
Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise
Specified.

Like many people with disabilities, the

strengths of people with HFASD may go
unnoticed. People with autism can be direct
and honest. Many will focus in on a subject
with intense concentration and focus. In a
commentary piece for Nature, Mottron (2011)
noted that having autism can actually be an
advantage in some fields and sees it as a
variant within the human species, comparing
it to other non-dominant phenotypes such as
left-handedness or homosexuality. Adults
with HFASD are often misunderstood. It is
assumed they prefer to be alone, but in most
cases they want social connections but lack
the ability to advance social networks (Jobe &
White, 2006). The famous adage regarding
people with autism is: if you met one person
with autism, youve met one person with
autism. But uneven social and daily living
skills are something individuals with HFASD
have in common and they can be affected in
different ways: writing a brilliant essay, then
forgetting to hand it in or wanting to try new
foods but not knowing how to use a knife.
Skills that neurotypical individuals take for
granted such as nodding when we agree, or
how to open a milk carton or wetting ones
hair before washing it, often have to be
taught to a person with autism (Autisim
Society, 2012).

In college, I fell apart.

Classes on alternating days,

struggling to live on my own- laundry,

dishes, cooking, etc

learning to drive in a huge city

never having enough money to eat or for
gas to get to school,

huge, 500+ class sizes where the teacher

didn't know anyone's name
everyone already seemed to know each
other, or made friends quickly, I felt
invisible

everyone seemed to talk to one another,
except no one talked to me

I didn't know how to truly study

because high school had never required
the slightest bit of effort

I ended up flunking out of my 4 year

college because I couldn't stand going to
class and being in huge crowds of
people with no friends

I'm back in school at a community
college now, but still face the same
issues- a lack of accountability that
living with one's parents provides, and
incredible social isolation.
- Valentine W., April 1, 2012. Forums,
WrongPlanet.net, The online resource
and community for autism & Aspergers

The majority of autism interventions are geared toward children (VanBergeijk, Klin &
Volmar, 2008). Early interventions have proven to be effective but do not guarantee
success in adulthood (Geller & Greenberg, 2009). Autism, no matter how severe, is a
lifelong disability that has no cure. The needs of college students with HFASD are often
not addressed (Prince-Hughes, 2003). These individuals are academically and
vocationally capable, but their lack of social skills, executive functioning and daily living
skills can make life extremely challenging. According to the United States Department of

NEURODIVERSE EDUCATIONAL TRAINING

Education (USDE, 2010) in 2010, 44% of high school students diagnosed with HFASD
pursued a postsecondary education (PSE) and only 51% graduated. Young adults may
be intellectually able to attend college but drop out due to social isolation, lack of
executive skills and problems with independent living (Jobe & White, 2007). More
troubling is 25% of adults with HFASD are currently employed and only seven percent
live independently (USDE, 2010). In addition, co-morbidity for young adults with ASD is
high; 70% have had at least one episode of depression while 50% suffer repeated
episodes of depression and 50% also have anxiety disorders (Lugnegrd, Hallerbck &
Gillberg, 2011). The statistics combined with a dearth of programs for young adults with
autism is a serious problem. Though there are no reported figures, the potential outlay
of money for disability, counseling and vocational services for this population combined
with the loss of tax revenue due to high unemployment makes this problem a costly one
(Kunreuther, 2012).
Recent research suggests that females with autism display different profiles than males
(Wang, 2013). Because fewer girls are diagnosed with autism, less research and
services are tailored to them (Lai, Lombardo, Ruigrok, Chakrabarti,
Wheelwright,Baron-Cohen, 2012). Recent reports cite 19% of undergraduate women
say they have experienced sexual assault or an attempted sexual assault on campus
Prez-Pea, 2014). Though an all female college does not guarantee safety, it can
reduce the odds of sexual assault. Meredith College has a diverse female student body
and easily accessible campus in Raleigh, North Carolina, making it a viable option for a
variety of students. The schools focus on social sciences, education and specifically
autism education combined with its commitment to public service make it a good fit for
students with HFASD (Meredith College Website, 2013). Merediths Office of Student
Leadership and Service has a commitment to: design and implement programs to
enhance social, intellectual, recreational, community service and campus governance
involvement. The office offers programs and services that: participate in civic
engagement and activities that focus on affecting
positive change. (Meredith Student Leadership and College was the first time
Service, 2013). It is clear that Meredith College has people accepted me as I was. It
a commitment to promoting diversity. Meredith is was a Godsend for me.
already open to enrolling and accommodating
students with HFASD and its Disability Services is -Self-advocate, Xenia Kathy
available for support, with specific guidelines and Grant, 2012. Drexel Autism
materials in place to serve students with autism. Support Program
Tapping into Meredith Colleges Student Leadership
and Services department to offer a hybrid of programming for this population would not
only be helpful for the participants but the college community would profit by raising
awareness (Welkowitz & Baker, 2005; Drexel Autism Support Program, 2010).
Neurodiverse Educational Training (NET) is a program for female students with HFASD
to join the Meredith College Community in a structured and inclusive format. The NET
program could be implemented through Merediths office of Student Leadership and
Service. A part-time director and project manager would need to be added to the staff to
run the program and act as liaisons to the schools Psychology, Social Work and
Education departments. Students from those departments would be recruited to assist
with the program and faculty would also be asked to help supervise the student hires.

NEURODIVERSE EDUCATIONAL TRAINING

Outcome objectives:
Short-term outcomes objectives:
v NET participants social inclusion will increase due to a 10% growth of their social
network by the end of the academic year.
v NET participants will have mastered at least three daily living skills (eg: proper
hygiene, doing laundry, keeping room clean) by the end of the academic year.
v NET participants will have talked directly to a professor requesting
accommodations at least once each semester.
v At lease 3% of the Meredith College community will have had direct contact with
an adult with autism by the end of the academic year.
v 7% of the Meredith College community will have a better understanding of what
autism is by the end of the academic year.
Long-term outcomes objectives:
v NET participants graduation rates will be at least 10% higher than the national
average for people with HFASD.
v NET participants will be 5% more likely to find employment after graduation than
people with HFASD who did not participate.
v By the time NET participants graduate, the Meredith College community will have
a 10% increase in understanding of what autism is.

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Description
of NET

Neurodiverse Education Training (NET) is a nonprofit

direct service for female students with autism spectrum
disorders to provide a more fulfilling college experience
both academically and emotionally. The NET program

endorses a cross-cultural approach that promotes neurodiversity on the Meredith

College campus. Ultimately, NET is an intervention to assist participants to live
independently and to assist the college community to develop tolerance toward those
with developmental disabilities.
In 2008, Congress amended and passed the Higher Education Opportunity Act.
This legislation allows students in special programs within a postsecondary educational
institution (PSE) to be eligible for federal student assistance (USDE, 2008). This shift
makes it feasible for institutions to invest in PSE programs for people with disabilities
(ThinkCollege!, 2012). Neurodiverse Education Training provides students with HFASD
social support, coaching and self-advocacy skills. NET will also offer training materials,
workshops and other resources to the college community in promote an understanding
of autism.
Implementing NET will require collaboration with area agencies and consultation
with staff from already established postsecondary programs similar to NETs. Adults
with an HFASD diagnosis in the community will also be asked for their input in order to
insure a strong foundation as well as guidance as the program develops (J. Caye,
Personal Communication, March 12, 2012).
NET will initially recruit participants via area high school case managers, The
North Carolina Autism Society, TEACCH and other area service providers for
individuals with autism. All participants must meet the standard Meredith College
requirements for acceptance. Participants will be counseled to contact Vocational
Rehabilitation Services (VR) in order to set up an Individual Plan of Employment (IPE)
but also get additional assistance with the transition to college and tuition assistance
(North Carolina Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services, 2011). VR can also serve
as an independent consultant to the program to insure the students needs are being
met.
The program is a combination of on-line and classroom training as well as oneto-one coaching. First-year students enrolled in NET attend a summer session prior to

NEURODIVERSE EDUCATIONAL TRAINING

matriculation where they will participate in on-line classes and classroom discussions of
the material. The training will continue into the students freshman year when they will
be introduced to their coach (a senior or graduate student intern from the schools of:
education, psychology or social work) who will meet with the student to provide
modeling as well as friendship opportunities. NET students will pay the school tuition as
well as an additional fee to help cover expenses (Drexel Autism Support Program,
2010).
NET will share staff and be overseen by Meredith Colleges Office of Student
Leadership and Service, which already offers public service opportunities and Peer
Mentor Programs such as the Big Sister-Little Sister Classes. NET will create alliances
with Merediths psychology, Social Work and Education departments in order to recruit
faculty and peer coaches. NET will create a position for a faculty member to create and
implement the curriculum for the incoming NET participants as well as the training and
supervision of the peer coaches (Welkowitz & Baker, 2005). NET plans to start out
slowly, accepting as few as three participants the first year and serving no more than
seven. After the first year, NET hopes to have no less than five participants and no
more than ten. If the program proves successful and it is in demand, the program can
continue to expand on the Meredith College campus or expand to other campuses in
the area. All participants of NET and the coaches will receive college credit for
participating. The faculty position could be split between two professors that would
collaborate: one focusing on the students with HFASD and the other overseeing the
coaches. Recruitment for these positions will be via direct contact with the Social Work,
Psychology and Education Departments and through Merediths department of Human
Resources.
Once faculty has been selected, NET will plan its curriculum. The curriculum will
primarily draw from Drexel Universitys Autism Support Program, the UCLA PEERS
program and Keene State Universitys Experiment in Living (Drexel Autism Support
Program, 2010; Laugeson, Frankel, Gantman, Dillon & Mogil, 2011; Welkowitz & Baker,
2005). There will be three basic components to the NET program: on-line classes,
classes in the classroom and peer training and supervision. Before the program begins,
a questionnaire will be sent to each participant and their family to find out if there are
any particular deficits they would like to address. After the questionnaires are returned,

NEURODIVERSE EDUCATIONAL TRAINING

faculty can tailor the lesson plan to the individual needs of the students. NET will cover
the following areas:

Self-Advocacy: Teaching participants to know their rights under the ADA and to
learn how to identify and gain access to the necessary accommodations services
for classes, personal life and dorm life (Drexel Autism Support Program, 2010).

Executive functioning skills: Participants will learn how to organize and plan for
classes and assignments, study skills and time and money management,
appropriate hygiene and dress (Drexel Autism Support Program, 2010).

Social skills and how to interact with peers including negotiating friendships,
managing electronic communication, sexual encounters and alcohol consumption,
appropriately. Knowing how to participate in group social activities and learning to
judge social situations (Laugeson et al., 2011).

General overviews of these issues will take place during NETs two-week summer
orientation. During orientation, NET participants will be expected to access a bi-weekly
on-line training. They will also meet in groups with a facilitator after viewing the on-line
training to discuss the content and to participate in group exercises and role playing
(Laugeson et al., 2011). NET participants earn college credit for attending and
participating. Peer coaches will be expected to attend and help facilitate throughout the
two-week orientation. Coaches will be expected to spend time in the dorms with the
participants, tour the campus and help acclimate them to college life. By the end of
orientation, participants will be sufficiently prepared to assimilate into a dormitory in the
fall semester along with the rest of their freshman peers. Students have the choice to
have a roommate or live in a single room for an additional fee (Meredith College Office
of Disability Services, 2013).
Before the fall semester begins, participants will be matched with a coach. During
the fall semester, the on-line training will continue but will be once a week. Participants
will also meet once a week to go over the material. Participants and their coaches will
commit to meet at least twice a week to practice the material as they socialize. Coaches
will also be available via phone or email. (Kunreuther, 2012; Laugenson, et al., 2011).
Coaches will also make an effort to extend the social network of their trainee.
(Welkowitz & Baker, 2005). Both the coach and trainee will work together to draw up a
contract to insure that both parties stick to a schedule of meetings and activities. This
will also serve as an exercise in organizational skills as well as working through

NEURODIVERSE EDUCATIONAL TRAINING

conflicted feelings both parties may have about being in the program (Welkowitz &
Baker, 2005).
Coaches will receive credit for their participation in the NET program. During the
school year they will meet independently with their field instructor once a week for
supervision and in a group meeting with a field instructor once every other week for
informal discussion and case presentations. Coaches will take an inventory of their
successes and setbacks and discuss them in class. By the end of the school year,
coaches will have a thorough understanding of autism and will be able to identify and
address the strengths and deficits of their mentee (Welkowitz & Baker, 2005).
By the end of fall semester, the online training and classroom component of NET
will be complete. For the spring semester, participants will continue to meet with
coaches to socialize at least twice a week. Coaches will also continue to be available
via email and phone. Participants will no longer earn credit for this portion of the
program but coaches will. Coaches will also continue to meet weekly as a group and
also receive individual supervision (Welkowitz & Baker, 2005). By the end of their
freshman year, NET participants should meet their goals and transition to the Meredith
College community. If they find they need additional support after the program has
concluded, they may reapply to be matched with a peer coach from a pool of trained
volunteer mentors.
In order to insure the program is running smoothly, NET will have bi-weekly
Team Meetings that will include the director, program manager and NET faculty. These
meetings will cover everything from campus protocol to case studies to research
findings (Pecora, 2009). NET will conduct evaluations prior to orientation, at the end of
first semester and at the end of the second semester to see if it is achieving its desired
outcomes. Evaluations will also provide accountability and transparency (Martin, 2009;
Roberts-Degennaro & Fogel, 2011). Follow-up evaluations of participants will be
conducted annually in order to assess potential long-term gains (Rubin & Babbie, 2010).
Limitations:
Enlisting enough female young adults with HFASD who are willing to self-identify on
a college campus. Though the evidence is anecdotal, often college-aged individuals
with HFASD view college as a time to shed their Individual Education Plans and
start fresh without assistance (Camerena & Saragiani, 2010).

Autism is an equal opportunity disability in terms of socioeconomic status and

ethnicity (CDC, 2012). It is surprising that many view autism as a white upper
middle class disability (G. Cuddeback, personal communication, February 27, 2012).

NEURODIVERSE EDUCATIONAL TRAINING

This stereotype needs to change. NET will implement broad outreach as well as
offer financial planning, scholarships and counseling to insure that the program is
both ethnically and socioeconomically diverse.

NET may not be able to recruit and retain enough coaches to mentor participants.

Currently, the office of Student Leadership and Service, where NET is hoping to set
up shop, is not prepared to support people with disabilities and NETs presence
may instigate mission drift (Jones, 2007).

The NET program is not evidence-based. It is difficult to ask for funding and tuitions
without having the evidence to back the program up.

Strengths:
NETs volunteer and in-kind peer base of support provides hands-on educational
enrichment as well as keeping costs low.

NETs commitment to diversity and outreach. Working with VR during its

recruitment should open the program up to more students from lower
socioeconomic households than many similar programs researched for this
proposal.

Culling best practices and best available research from other programs, especially
UCLAs PEERS evidence-based program, makes NET an evidence-informed
practice (Roberts-Degennaro & Fogel, 2011).

NET will be meeting a need in North Carolinas Research Triangle area. Many
people move to the area because of the research and services for children with
autism, but find there are few resources available as their children age. By
collaborating with local agencies and schools NET will provide a much-needed
service for the community. The collaboration could also be a boon for NET in terms
of monitoring and evaluating the program (Hayes, 2005).

Meredith Colleges size is a major asset. With less than 2,000 students enrolled
and a manageable campus to navigate, there is less of a chance that incoming
students with HFASD will be overwhelmed (Meredith Quick Facts, 2013).
Merediths size and academic focus make it an ideal campus to instigate a pilot
program.

Though there are numerous programs for students with HFASD, currently there
are no programs in the country specifically for females. College life is a particularly
difficult time for many young women but women with HFSAD have specific social
challenges that a co-ed institution might only add to. Meredith can offer a safer
setting for these young women who may be leaving home for the first time.

NET can be adapted to serve different sized campuses with different student
demographics.

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Human resources,
supervision and
management

10

NETs staffing will, in part, be based on similar

established programs already hosted by the
Office of Student Leadership and Service on
Merediths campus. Like many of these
programs, NET will need a mix of paid and

volunteer staff to keep it running (Meredith College Student Leadership and Service,
2013). NET intends to have three paid positions (four if faculty split the teaching
component of the program.) Given the recruitment, planning, implementation and
coordination that will be necessary throughout the year, NET will require one full-time
director, one half-time project manager and one two-thirds time professor (or two onethird time professors.) Additional part-time office staff may be necessary. NET will make
an effort to employ at least one NET participant for a work-study position. It will be to
NETs advantage to have a person with HFASD involved with the programs everyday
operations (Weil & Gamble, 2005). Often people with HFASD have excellent technology
and mathematical skills and could be used for updating the website, tallying research
results or budget oversight.
Given NETs program design, all employees will be expected to work as a team,
understanding that there will need to be two-way communication, flexibility and an
atmosphere of mutual respect (Pecora, 2009).
If NET is to be housed in the Office of Student Leadership and Service, it will be
overseen by the Director, Cheryl Jenkins (see appendix A). NET will plan to access The
Student Leadership and Service in-house Budget & Finance, Technology Services and
Assessment departments when necessary. There are already Student Leadership &
Engagement programs that share staff and NET is hoping to do the same. This could
keep costs down and maintain diversity (Bridgespan, 2008). Meredith College appears
to have a hierarchical management system. NET will structure its organization to follow
the established protocol (Weil & Gamble, 2005) (see appendix B). That said, the staff
within the NET program will work closely with one another to create a horizontal culture
of collaboration and support (J. Caye, April 2, 2012).
Director: The search for the Director will tap into agencies that work with people
with autism or academic institutions that have autism programs. The Director will have
to have experience with this population as well as experience in an academic setting,

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11

preferably in a management position. Though research experience is not a requirement

for the job, a potential candidate who would eventually implement some research
regarding the efficacy of NET for this population would be a good choice since the
program is not evidence-based. No specific ethnicity would be required but if possible,
NET will make an effort to recruit someone of color in order to gain a different
perspective, address disparities that exist for people of color with autism and perhaps
visually and vocally counter the misconception that autism is a white persons problem
(Watson, 2007; Bridgespan, 2008; Shattuck, Wagner, Narendorf, Sterzing & Hensley,
2011). Though this program is gender specific, the gender of the director will not be
considered as part of the criteria for the position. To access broader funding
opportunities, it would be preferable if the candidate has a Ph.D. but the professors on
staff can lend their name and educational accomplishments to funding projects if
necessary (Simmons Foundation for Autism Research (SFARI), 2012). The job
description for the director of NET will have several components: The director will be
expected to promote the program throughout the area as well as represent NET at
national trainings and conferences. NET will join the Association on Higher Education
and Disability (AHEAD), the North Carolina Postsecondary Education Alliance (PSEA)
and other organizations that advocate for postsecondary opportunities for individuals
with disabilities.
NETs director will also be a liaison between NET and the Merediths office of
Student Leadership and Service and will oversee budgets, staffing and assessments
that go between the two departments (J. Caye, April 2, 2012). The director will also
initiate and maintain connections with the Psychology, Social Work and Education
Departments at Meredith and work closely with the faculty component of the program to
insure the curriculum addresses the three skill sets to be covered for the student
participants and that the coaches receive proper training and supervision. Close
coordination with disability services will be another component of the directors position.
Both services will collaborate and align their agendas to promote autism awareness on
campus with activities, classes, workshops and materials regarding the potential
strengths and limitations of students with autism.
Lastly, the director will provide both management and supervision. Though NETs
staff will be a team working closely together and all its members input will be
considered and valued, major program decisions and supervision will ultimately be

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12

relegated to what Blanchard, Hersey & Johnson (2001) would call a supporting/
participating leader (J. Caye, April 2, 2012).
Program Manager: The program manager (PM) is a part-time position that could
be a full-time shared position with another program under Student Leadership and
Services so that the PM could receive benefits. If NET expands as planned, the
program manager may become a full-time position within one to two years. The
program managers hours will not be a consistent 20 per week, but will vary according
to the academic year. The program manager might work 40 hours a week August
through October and then less than ten in the late spring and early summer (Pecora,
2009) (See appendix C).
The PM will be a liaison between NET participants and their families, the NET
program and Meredith College. The job will entail fielding telephone, email and mail
inquiries regarding the program, providing informational materials to potential applicants
and to area high schools. The PM will also be expected to help build (along with
Merediths technology support) and maintain a comprehensive website and also keep
up NETs presence on the internet with links and social media pages, accounts and
posts. Once admissions are complete, it will be the PMs job to insure a smooth
transition for participants into the Meredith community, maintaining contact with coaches,
faculty, dormitory staff and the Disabilities Office as necessary. The job will require a
calm, reassuring style. During moments of confusion or crisis the PM will need to be
assertive, efficient and composed. The PM should have at minimum a high school
education and some management experience but it is the PMs manner that will be
most important for the job. Though it is not necessary that the PM have prior experience
with people with autism, it is important that they know how to be flexible and to
communicate clearly with a wide variety of people (Pecora, 2009).
The PM will be in charge of NETs daily operations to insure the program is
running smoothly. The yearly budget will be drawn up by the PM but will be approved by
the director. The two-week orientation will be organized by the PM with minimal
supervision by the director. During the spring and summer months, the PM will be on
call when services, supplies or support are needed (Pecora, 2009). The PM will be
expected to schedule, organize and attend NETs biweekly Team Meetings (Gibelman &
Furman, 2008).

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13

Faculty: NET will hire a psychology, education and/or social work professor to
help plan and implement the curriculum for participants and coaches (Welkowitz &
Baker, 2005). The faculty member will also be responsible for recruiting, training and
supervising coaches. An associate professor at Meredith teaches three courses each
semester. Thus, NET will need to fund a professor for two thirds of their time or two
professors for one third of their time (Meredith, 2013). The professor will be expected to
have experience working with people with autism and significant interest in
postsecondary educational opportunities for people with developmental disabilities. Part
of the job description will be to work directly with NETs director to help conduct
evaluation and research regarding NETs program outcomes (Hayes, 2005). Faculty will
also be expected to help apply and implement potential research grants and to help
plan and oversee NETs evaluation process.
Coaches: Volunteers from Merediths Social Work, Education and/or Psychology
programs will receive course credit to serve as one-to-one coaches for participants.
NETs faculty will oversee the matching process, training and supervision of these
volunteers (Gibelman & Furman, 2008). NET can also tap into existing Meredith Service
Programs if they have difficulty recruiting a sufficient number of volunteers (J. Caye,
personal communication, April 22, 2012). Volunteers will be expected to make a
commitment to NET for the full academic year and will be responsible and accountable
for their time and actions with NET participants.
Net also hopes to tap into Merediths recruitment, outreach and publicity services
and buy out a small portion of their time in order to achieve the proper number of
applicants.
Other established programs similar to NET are predominately staffed by white
women (Autism Training Center at Marshall University, 2012; Drexel Autism Support
Program, 2012; et al.). While recruiting, NET will make a concerted effort to focus on
Watson (2007) and Bridgespans (2008) recommendations to actively address diversity.

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Financial
management

14

NET will Implement what Martin (2009) calls bottom-up

program planning by seeking funds to support its
projected budget (see appendix D).
NETs Budget: As Despard (2009) notes,
personnel dominate the budget. Staff and faculty

salaries were calculated by comparing them to existing salaries for Meredith employees
(Meredith HR Website, 2013). The Universitys Technology Support, Human Resources,
Accounting and Recruitment & Outreach departments were also calculated into the
budget. Though the Division of Student Affairs has some in-house support, NET is
assuming they would be charged for it. Human Resources is slated for a .01 full-time
equivalent (FTE) because NET will only have three paid employees. Given that
outreach is part of the directors job description, NET will only be paying .03 FTE to the
schools outreach and recruitment services so that they can offer the director occasional
support. NET will be paying technical support slightly more since it may well be getting a
donation of some of Merediths older computers assuming computer upgrades happen
regularly on campus. Though part of the office managers job is to keep up with
accounts, the Student Leadership and Service accountant will be used for annual fiscal
updates mandated by the university and to oversee NETs tuitions, grants, contracts
and donations.
NETs non-personnel expenses are dominated by trainings and conferences
along with travel to these events. It is assumed that the director will join PSEA and
AHEAD and attend their annual conferences and trainings which are an excellent
opportunity to network with others in the field of postsecondary opportunities for
individuals with disabilities both locally and nationally (PSEA, 2012; AHEAD, 2013). The
faculty member and project manager will each attend at least one training in order to
know more about this population in a postsecondary setting. This year AHEADs
conference is in Baltimore and travel, accommodations and meals have been calculated
into the budget (Travelocity, 2013).
Assuming NET will have five participants its first year, the two week orientation
has been calculated based on weekly housing and meal costs per student during the
school year ($250/student). In addition, welcoming parties, trips to the local movie
theater, bowling alley, student center and other various parties and events throughout
the year have been accounted for.

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15

Manuals, flipcharts, whiteboards and other supplies have been calculated into
the training portion of the budget as well as miscellaneous office supplies. People with
autism tend to respond well to technology so NET has budgeted for software and apps
to help students implement NETs core curriculum, such as how to plan and organize
time, assist with social skills, manage money, etc. It is assumed students will purchase
their own computers or ipads but NET will look for donations if necessary.
NETs Resource Development Plan: Ideally NET would be a free additional
service to participants who enroll and pay tuition at Meredith College, and if all
applications to potential funding sources are successful, then NET could be provided
free of charge. Lower fees would fit in well with NETs commitment to serve students
from lower socio-economic households. If NET is unable to receive all the funding it
applies for then additional NET tuition fees of $2,000 - $3,000 per semester will be
charged to students enrolling into the NET program. The federal student assistance
program could cover the charge of the extra tuition and the extra tuition can be tax
decuctible (Think College, 2012; Landmark College, 2013). If a candidate qualifies for
Vocational Rehabilitation in North Carolina, VR will cover a portion of the students
tuition, housing (if they qualify) and book fees as long as the student maintains a GPA
over two point five. In some cases VR will also provide computers (North Carolina
Vocational Rehabilitation Manual, 2012).
NET will be dependent on its volunteer workforce. Student coaches are key to
NETs success and though they get credit, their time of four to ten hours a week is worth
approximately $2,500/volunteer. With an estimated five volunteers on staff, NET will
receive $7,500/year in services (J. Caye, personal communication, March 26, 2012).
Though NET wants to raise awareness of neurodiversity on the Meredith College
campus, the participants should not be singled out and made to feel like a cause for
fundraising events. For the first year, NET will rely on contracts, grants and in-kind
services. After NET has a feel for its participants, NET will consider expanding and
forming a campus employment service, based on a supportive employment model,
training participants to offer: Tech support, math tutors, statistical assistance and other
services to raise money for the program and for themselves. Though it could create
mission drift, this service might augment NETs program and add a useful vocational
component.

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16

Available grants NET is qualified to apply for:

Simmons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI) Pilot Project

Grant. $125,000/year for up to two years. SFARI is looking for innovative,
high-impact proposals for small-scale projects or early-stage experiments
in the field of autism (SFARI, 2012).
Doug Flutie Foundation awards annual grants from $10,000-$20,000 to
improve the quality of life for people and families affected by autism
including educational opportunities (Flutie Foundation, 2012).
Autism Speaks Family Community Service Grants, $5,000-$25,000.
Recipients must enhance the lives of those affected by autism, expand
capacity to serve the community and increase the field of service
providers (Autism Speaks, 2012).
North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities (NCCDD):
Allocating federal funds to various organizations throughout the state that
offer services to individuals with developmental disabilities (NCCDD,
2012). No dollar amounts provided.

Available Grants NET may be qualified for:

Catherine B. Reynolds Foundation: extensive funding for a variety of

projects including postsecondary education initiatives for underserved
populations (Catherine B. Reynolds Foundation, 2012).
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation offers funding to postsecondary
initiativesmostly policy-basedthough there appears to be some
funding for postsecondary programs (Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation,
2012).

Possible contracts NET is qualified/or could be qualified to apply for:

Demonstration Projects to Ensure that Students with Disabilities

Receive a Quality Higher Education - 84.333A $120,000-$365,000,
government contracts to support programs that will provide development
to faculty and staff to help them teach and work with people with
developmental disabilities on campus. Though this does not fit exactly with
NETs mission, it does mesh with certain components of NETs program
(U.S. Department of Education, 2012)
Psychosocial/Behavioral Interventions and Services Research in
Autism Spectrum Disorders (R34) $675,000. This contract is a stretch
since NET is not a research initiative, but given how few evidence-based
interventions exist for adults with autism, it is possible to make a case for
NET to implement a stringent research component to their program,
possibly including other programs similar to it (US Department of Health
and Human Services, 2012).

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17

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22

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NEURODIVERSE EDUCATIONAL TRAINING

Appendix A

President of the
College: Jo Allen

Senior Vice President

and Provost: Matthew
Poslusny

Vice President for

Busness and Finance:
Craig BarCield

Vice President for

College Programs:
Jean Jackson
Director, Student
Leadership and
Services: Cheryl
Jenkins

Vice President for

Institutional
Advancement: Charles
L. "Lennie" Barton

24

NEURODIVERSE EDUCATIONAL TRAINING

Appendix B

NET Director

Project Manager

Faculty

Coach
Coach

Coach

Coach
Coach
Coach

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NEURODIVERSE EDUCATIONAL TRAINING

Appendix C

Home > Office of Human Resources > Employment

Job Details NET Project Manager
Title:

Project Manager

Category:

Part-Time

Location:

Meredith College

Description:

The Mission of Neurodiverse Education Training

(NET) is to provide social and independent living skills to
individuals on campus with autism spectrum disorders (ASD).
The goal of NET is to provide students with ASD a rewarding and
successful college experience and to raise awareness of the
benefits of neurodiversity on college campuses.
The Project Manager will be a liaison between NET participants
and their families, the NET program and Meredith College.

Duties:

Qualifications:

To provide program and administrative support to NETs director,

faculty and students. To Help plan and implement NETs
orientation and subsequent training program.Will be responsible
for arranging social events for participants. Assist Director with
budget planning. To serve as administrative liaison to Merediths
office of Student Leadership and Service. Implement and
maintain NETs internet presence via websites and social media.
Qualified applicants should a BA or equivalent.
The successful candidate will have experience in development for
programs. Further, the applicant must have the ability to
effectively assist a small but diverse team of professionals and
students and must be comfortable around individuals with
special needs.

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Appendix D

Appendix D cont

26

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27