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Despite an increasing number of autistic children entering and graduating from high school, there remains limited research in this area. This study surveyed 162 autistic and nonautistic high school students. Participants were asked about their perceptions regarding their compensatory strategies, everyday hindrances, and areas of perceived strength. In controlling for background characteristics of gender, minority status, and age, results revealed that autistic and nonautistic students identified similar compensatory strategies, experienced similar obstacles, and drew on similar sources of strength to remain academically successful. Differences between autistic and nonautistic students are discussed along with differences between male and female respondents.

Despite a growing number of autistic children completing high school and venturing into college and vocational settings, their rates of postsecondary attendance, graduation, and vocational success still lag behind those of their nonautistic counterparts. This study surveyed 162 autistic and nonautistic high school students about internal and external factors that may increase or decrease their motivation to succeed academically. Results of this study suggest that autistic students rated neither internal nor external factors as significantly contributing to their academic success when compared to their nonautistic peers. Moreover, when compared to their nonautistic peers, autistic high school students were less likely to endorse motivators to their academic success that were future-oriented toward college and career success and more likely to favor factors related to seeking approval from others and validating their own capability for success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Responses from 62 of 95 students with disabilities and 323 of 683 other college students showed the majority of both groups knew little about the cooperative education program; about 50% of both intended to do an internship; students with disabilities were more likely to use co-op services; and both groups had used similar sources for getting a job or internship in the past. (SK)