108 Michelle L. Bonati
remove transportation barriers for adults with ASD and improve the experience
of mainstream riders. Some examples include increasing the number of quiet train
cars, clear symbol support for information communication, and visual alerts for
routes during travel.
Tertiary education. For many young adults, the next step after high school is
to enrol in a tertiary education program to earn a degree or qualification (Muller
and Cannon, 2016). Attending university confers additional benefits for develop-
ing social capital through access to social opportunities, employment, and valued
social roles (Senate Standing Committee on Education and Employment, 2016).
Unfortunately, few adults with ASD attend university to be able to accrue these
benefits (Muller and Cannon, 2016). For adults with ASD who can meet academic
standards, many will struggle with the transition to the less structured environment
of a university (Volkmar and Wolf, 2013).
Under the DDA (1992), the Disability Standards for Education 2005 were enacted
to address issues related to discrimination and harassment in education and training,
including at the tertiary level. The key focus of the legislation is on ensuring students
with disabilities can engage in education “on the same basis as” all other students
(Commonwealth Attorney General’s Department, 2005). In the most recent DSE
review (Commonwealth Department of Education and Training, 2015), one of the
identified barriers to tertiary education for adults with disabilities concerns the lack
of explicit focus on transition periods for students. The 2010-2020 National Disability
Strategy describes supporting students’ transition to further education and employ-
ment as a current commitment priority (Commonwealth Council of Australian
Governments, 2011). Young adults with ASD leaving high school are often unpre-
pared for tertiary education due to a lack of transition planning (Cai and Richdale,
2016). Seamless transition to tertiary education requires a collaborative effort between
high schools, outside agencies, and tertiary educational institutions. Two programs
in Australia seek to support the transition process. The Commonwealth’s National
Disability Coordination Officer Programme has regional centres throughout Australia
to facilitate connections between students, support agencies, and educational insti-
tutions in the transition to tertiary education (Commonwealth Department of
Education and Training, 2015). The Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education
and Training provides online resources to support the transition to tertiary education
for adults with ASD, such as advice for obtaining needed adjustments (ADCET, n.d.).
Employment. The adage holds true, “It is not what you know, but whom
you know” when adults with ASD search for employment. Granovetter’s (1973)
seminal paper described the importance of social networks for employment, in
particular, those of acquaintances or so-called weak ties, to provide important infor-
mation leading to job opportunities. The influence of social capital from family
connections and status is also evident, as adults with ASD, who come from families
with higher socioeconomic backgrounds, are more likely than families with lower
socio-economic status to gain employment (Roux et al., 2013). Too few adults with
ASD can access and maintain open employment. Those that are employed tend to
be in menial, low wage jobs (Howlin and Moss, 2012).