**Acknowledgements**

*Autism Spectrum Disorders - Advances at the End of the Second Decade of the 21st Century*

forward to new social opportunities (55.7%).

being examined for their efficacy. For example, Lei and colleagues [73] implemented a 3-day, overnight summer school program in the UK for youth with ASD, ages 16 or older, who are preparing for university life. The curriculum included lessons on 'work' (i.e., experiencing a typical lecture, appropriate socialization between students and faculty/staff, and disclosure of diagnosis), 'rest' (i.e., stress reduction, management of anxiety, and the importance of physical wellbeing), and 'play' (i.e., on-campus clubs and societies, social outings, and informal social experiences). The program was facilitated by staff from the university's psychology department, disability office, and career services office; one session was facilitated by a current or recently graduated student with ASD. The program also offered the support of a 'student ambassador' or current typically-developing university student trained to provide broader support in inclusion activities. Findings from a satisfaction survey of 125 participating students revealed promising results. For example, pre- and post-program data showed significant changes on endorsed concerns associated with the transition to university, including in the areas of socialization, independence, and academic functioning. Moreover, on average, participants rated the program to be very enjoyable and helpful, and viewed going to university somewhat positively. With regard to the program components, students found psychoeducation (14.6%) and information on clubs and societies (11.5%) to be most helpful. With regard to their future at the university, students were most enthusiastic in their response about looking

Mentoring has also been examined in the context of social-emotional supports

Existing preparation programs for school administrators provide little knowledge considered necessary to understand the behaviors of students with ASD and implement inclusion programs [20, 76]. Teachers at the K-12 levels show wide variability in their ASD-specific knowledge and self-efficacy, with large numbers reporting a lack of training or readiness to teach students with ASD [72, 77]. However, the high incidence of ASD indicates that educators across the nation will inevitably encounter a student with ASD [78], underscoring the need to prepare special educators in evidence-based approaches that enhance the academic and social learning opportunities for these children [79]. With regard to the professional development of *university faculty* on ASD, research is still limited as to how to best help support faculty in accommodating students with ASD in their classrooms. It is clear that the development of a faculty training may be beneficial, as the volume of information available for how to best support these students may be overwhelming

for students with ASD in postsecondary environments. Lucas and James [74] tested the effect of a mentoring program for three undergraduate students with ASD and two with mental health conditions. After the first term, mentees with ASD expressed that mentors had been helpful for exam support, maintenance and development of social relationships, and promotion of positive well-being, while mentees with mental health issues did not find mentors as helpful in these areas. Other identified suggestions for social-emotional support include disability support groups, access to counseling, and private living spaces. However, isolation in private living spaces may also contribute to mental health issues. Thus, individualizing these supports is highly recommended and may consist of coupling accommodations (e.g., private living space and participation in mentorship

**30**

program; [75]).

**9. Conclusion: looking forward**

for professors to sift through themselves.

This paper was based on the activities of the Smooth Sailing Study, supported by the Institute of Education Sciences, Grant number R324A110086. We also appreciate the support from the SEARCH Family Autism Resource Center at UC Riverside and the UCR Vice Chancellor for Research.
