Beyond the Blueprint: Navigating Higher Education for Students with Autism and Co-Occurring Disabilities

Although research on autistic college student success is growing, less is known about those who navigate both autism and co-occurring disabilities during college. This mixed-methods study employs a rigorous proposition testing approach to address critical gaps in the literature. Drawing on national survey and interview data, we identify two key challenges to these students’ success: academic barriers shaped by intersecting disabilities and reduced accommodation access for students with self-diagnosed conditions. While quantitative findings indicate modest effects, qualitative data reveal more substantial difficulties. Findings underscore the urgent need for disability-informed supports that reflect the complex realities of this student population. Specifically, our findings point to the limitations of relying on discrete diagnostic categories to understand students’ support needs and call for more flexible approaches to disability research and practice. By considering how disabilities operate together rather than as separate conditions, institutions can better address the complex and individualized challenges students encounter during college.