College student with Asperger's?

happyviolet

Ok, I could be getting my hopes up high here, but if you are in college and have Asperger's or Autism, can you be exempt from doing projects like presentations and anything involving public speaking? It just that I am signing up for the disabilty help or claim (forget what it is called) next week, and as far as I know, in my college as well as getting extra help with work, apparently if you miss a couple of lectures, lecturers won't comment on it or mark you absent which makes sense to me as I am mentally exhausted from these long days.
So it just got me thinking that could Aspies be exempt from anything to do with presentations or public speaking? It's just that I have heard of a couple of people with Asperger's going to college and they would be on the more stronger scale, but are intelligent enough to come to college, but with the public speaking skills, I actually think some would not survive it at all (some find it hard to just greet people they meet loads of times) and as for me, even though my communication skills are good, I really think I might become too overwhelmed and skip it altogether, even though it is 5mins long and worth a lot of marks, because when I did have to speak up for things for a few seconds in class just sitting down at my desk, I just got too mortified and stuttered because I can't fit in with people in my class and I remember some of them frowning at me as if to say "WTF?" and looking uncomfortable too. I do try to practise because I want to improve but it does not help, and I have to up to the conclusion now that I can only do a presentation in a room of either complete strangers who would not judge me or who I wont have to see again, or a room full of people I am comfortable with. I did one last year in my PLC and I get on good with the people in there so it was fine, but I just feel like a black sheep in my class this year in college, so I feel sick at the thought doing my presentation in front of them because this is having to stand in front of the class and not just talk but having to make it sound interesting.

I might know myself next week, but I would rather know if anyone else has any idea themselves coz I just don't want my hopes getting too high by next week if it turns out that you can't be exempted.

RobbingBandit

Hey I am a 31 year old mature student with Aspergers, luckily I haven't really had to do any presentations as such in my subjects so far as when I tried to do them in previous courses I bombed on them, talk to the lecturer and your tutor of the classes in question, talk to the disability officer you are assigned to to see if they can offer some guidance, try not to think too much on this as it will put you off, if you do have to do it see if they will give you a topic you are interested in. Remember you are doing this for yourself not for the people in your class don't think about them. Hope it goes well for you.

happyviolet

RobbingBandit wrote: »

Hey I am a 31 year old mature student with Aspergers, luckily I haven't really had to do any presentations as such in my subjects so far as when I tried to do them in previous courses I bombed on them, talk to the lecturer and your tutor of the classes in question, talk to the disability officer you are assigned to to see if they can offer some guidance, try not to think too much on this as it will put you off, if you do have to do it see if they will give you a topic you are interested in. Remember you are doing this for yourself not for the people in your class don't think about them. Hope it goes well for you.

Thanks, but the thing is even when it is a topic I like, I am still uncomfortable talking about it in public. It's having to really talk about it like you fully know about it, and not try and just read from the powerpoint is the problem.

I think it is a bit unfair though that every course involves presentations, because the job I am hoping for obviously would involve communicating with people, but not in the sense of doing public speaking a lot (I hope), so it is a bit unfair that me and probably a few others on my course could be held back in our studies over something we might not even need in future careers, and it's embaressing when classmates can see what you are really like when put on the spot.

RobbingBandit

I understand fully I have been a student here now for the past six years but due to illnesses, my difficulties due to the AS and lots of other issues I am still only in second year, as I previously said don't be bothered about what the people in your class think, in ten years when you are in a good job they will be stuck at home with kids or working in Dunnes or Tesco. Think of it as one day out of the year when you have to do something annoying and you will get through it.

danidanu

RobbingBandit wrote: »

in ten years when you are in a good job they will be stuck at home with kids or working in Dunnes or Tesco.

Come on Rob, no need to be an ass. A good job is one that pays you enough to reach your goals and hopefully feed a family. Working in Dunnes or Tesco is nothing to be ashamed of.

As for Aspies and public speaking @Happyviolet, I get that public speaking in any scenario is difficult for you and some of your class mates and you can argue that this puts you in an unfair position. But are you better at certain part of your course, than others? I am sure that there are various parts of assessment that suit some people and other parts that suit others, so sometimes you must accept that you can't get an A in everything. Hopefully after you college you will never need to speak publicly again!!

In the mean time, you are entitled to reasonable accommodations, so try and think of ways this task could be made easier for you, could you speak to a room of strangers as suggested instead of your class? Or do this portion with a smaller group? Try and help your college out, think of a way that you can compromise so you make it as pain/stress free as possible for yourself and the college still get the outcomes they need.

Hope it all works out for you!!! Keep your chin up it will be worth it in the end!

happyviolet

danidanu wrote: »

As for Aspies and public speaking @Happyviolet, I get that public speaking in any scenario is difficult for you and some of your class mates and you can argue that this puts you in an unfair position. But are you better at certain part of your course, than others? I am sure that there are various parts of assessment that suit some people and other parts that suit others, so sometimes you must accept that you can't get an A in everything. Hopefully after you college you will never need to speak publicly again!!

Oh believe me at this rate for first year I just want to pass, because I am hoping to transfer to a college not at home exactly, but a bit closer to home like maybe Dublin or Athlone since my home county is closer to them, since the one I am in at the moment is hours away, and at this rate it is not worth the travelling and hassle particulary since I just cannot fit in.

I would love to just skip this entirely if I got good enough marks in my other CAs, but she really marks hard, I think. I poured sweat and blood into some essays and projects and only came away with 40 or 42 per cent.

danidanu

Happyviolet,

That really sux that you are struggling, also being so far from home. Ask the college for any accommodations they can give you, and don't be afraid to speak up for what you need.

Can you ask for extra support? If you feel strongly you can request that you be exempt from speaking, however you may lose marks because you need to complete this part for the course. Either way find out where you stand rather than stressing about not knowing. Then you can look at ways of coping no matter the outcome.

Dani

fatalll

Hey,
I think you should talk to someone in student services in whatever college you are in.
They are usually very good in 99% of cases and are good listeners and understand a lot of different areas better than we think.
i work in a college and had a friend with aspergers and he was deliughted with the help he got.
Talk and ask someone, all they can say is no at worst.
And as for your classmates, dont worry about them, im sure they giggle at a lot of stuff and they dont intend it as you see it(I hope), Im crap at presenting and talking too by the way and I dont have autism, so dont worry about small things and maybe even try and give it a go with just your lecturer on the presentation see what they think, Lecturers are usually accomodating too.
Hope all goes well for you.

xo.mary

Definitely get in contact with the student services/access office if you haven't already.

Don't be afraid to talk to your lecturers about any problems you have. Chances you're not going to be the first person who has come to them with that problem. I was exempt from fieldtrips during my 4 years at college, and got stick from my classmates about 'being lazy' etc, but I didn't really care, it's their problem for getting so bothered about it tbh. I know people in my class who couldn't do their presentations and sometimes the lecturers would just let them do it one-to-one, although I'd find that scarier than in front of 30 haha.