Summary: The research study seeks to gain insight into the experiences of adult students with autism who take online courses. By using tenants of participatory and phenomenological research methods, the study recognizes participants as an authority on their lived experiences and provides an opportunity for participants to communicate and participate using personalized methods matched to their strengths.
Criteria: Potential participants must meet the following criteria: 1) be over the age of 25 2) have a confirmed or self-suspected diagnosis of ASD.
Participation: Participants in the study will complete an online course provided by the researcher that will run over a two-week time span. For this first stage of the research, participants can expect to invest up to 6 hours to complete the course. After completing the online course, participants will complete an interview with the researcher. The interviews may last up to 1 hour. The study has been structured in a way to provide accommodations as needed for participants during both stages of the study. The researcher will work with guardians, caregivers and participants to determine what accommodations will be needed.
Goal: The goal of the research is to provide insight into the experiences of students who are over the age of 25, diagnosed with ASD and who take college courses online. By completing this research, future students may benefit from the creation of best practices for online course design. By better understanding the unique qualities of learners, courses can be designed to support student success for all learners.
email: madelyn.kempen@cuw.edu
Published on: Nov 7, 2022 at 17:58