Experiences of Students with Autism in Online Postsecondary Education: A Consensus Building Investigation Using the Nominal Group Technique

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is often characterized in existing literature by deficits in social skills and communication. Due to COVID-19, a new issue has presented itself for many students--learning effectively in online education. Despite evidence suggesting many college students with autism prefer online courses, research specifically investigating the challenges these students face in emergency remote instruction is limited. Using a virtually adapted nominal group technique (NGT), this project examined the challenges students with and without autism face in emergency remote and hybrid postsecondary education and inquired about resources available to them. Themes such as struggling to form relationships, poor communication, and a need for increased accessibility emerged from the participants with (n = 8) and without (n = 11) autism. Ultimately, these findings highlight challenges that postsecondary students with and without autism are facing in emergency remote instruction and supports that would be helpful in these educational experiences.