Academic profile of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder enrolled in Higher Education

Abstract

This paper aims to map the academic profile of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder enrolled in Higher Education in 2016, and the proportion of admissions, temporary suspensions and cancellation of enrollments from 2011 to 2016, through micro-data from the Higher Education Census of the Anísio Teixeira National Educational Studies and Research Institute (INEP). Using a quantitative approach, the study is configured as a descriptive data survey. Students with ASD who can access Higher Education have a similar age of admission as do neurotypics (the age of admission in 2016 is 18 years for both); the majority enter through the college entrance examination (58%, n = 359, without imputation, 55%, n = 817, with imputation), in private higher education institutions (59%, n = 362, without imputation, 75%, n = 1,033, with imputation); in face-to-face courses (89%, n = 546, without imputation, 84%, n = 1,149, with imputation); mainly in the fields of Social Sciences, Business and Law (25%, n = 155, without imputation, 32%, n = 431, with imputation). Between 2011 and 2016, the number of students with ASD increased until 2013, with further reduction and stabilization through 2016. The proportion of temporarily suspended or canceled enrollments of these students was relatively lower than among neurotypical students. When presenting the socio-academic profile of these individuals in Higher Education, we sought to reflect on the barriers and facilitators to their access and permanence in the undergraduate coursework, thus contributing to the improvement of actions and public policies so this group can increasingly be a part of the quality academic educational context.