Personal: Receiving Accommodations as an Adult with ASD

When children are diagnosed with autism, there are supports available through their school system including special education and social work services. However, the transition to adulthood and independence can be especially difficult for people who struggle with changes and meeting society’s expectations. To make it a bit easier, here are some tips for getting accommodations as an adult, even if you are undiagnosed.

If you received accommodations (IEP or 504) while in school, you are given access to the services for disabled students at your school. Legally, schools that receive money from the government have to follow government laws and regulations, including the Americans with Disabilities Act. To access these services, you can ask your academic advisor to connect you or reach out to their office directly. They usually require documentation of your condition(s) and/or evidence of your previous accommodations. 

If you are in higher education and did not have accommodations during your public education, you have a few options. You can: 1) reach out to the students with disabilities office anyway and see if they will take you without a diagnosis 2) seek a diagnosis from the school’s student health system or other outside specialist or 3) ask your instructors to honor your requested accommodations without the documentation. 

The path for adults who are employed is similar to that of students. If you had accommodations as a child, you have a legal right to request those accommodations of your employer. If you did not, you can seek a diagnosis or ask your employer to honor your accommodations anyway. Here are some tips for getting your accommodations approved:

• Prepare a list of the accommodations you’re asking for ahead of time. Do you need preferential seating in class? Do you need increased breaks during the work day? Do you need to work in a hybrid in-person/remote position? Do you need access to fidgets?

• Practice how you are going to ask for accommodations. If you have previous accommodations or diagnosis, gather that paperwork ahead of time. If you are asking via email, you could ask someone to proofread it for you.

• Research disability laws in your state. Some states might have different requirements about what accommodations are acceptable.

If you decide to talk to your employer or boss about creating an accessible environment, but you have not disclosed your (self)diagnosis you can try framing it as a general concern you have for accessibility. For example, if you want to ask for captions during Zoom meetings, you can request them anonymously through the app or say something like “Could we turn on the captions for anyone who may be hard of hearing?” that does not disclose the exact reason for you asking. 

If you continue to run into barriers or need support gathering the documentation for a diagnosis, check out our group classes and individual consultation services where someone can work with you more one-on-one to get you the assistance you need.