My DD has an autistic almost 10 yr old. Zach has seen an episode of Blue's Clues where Steve explains his absence from the show as he is going to go back to college(which he did in real life) So Zach has been going around talking about sending his mom to College! LOL But he has also said he wants to go to college but Mom has to go with him! He thinks right now that College is a city. We have been explaining it is more school. He pretty much understands it now somewhat.

My DD discovered this morning that Iowa University in Iowa City Iowa ( 60 miles from us) has started a program for autistic students to stay in a group home (on campus)situation with mentors who will help them stay on task and help them through their college life experience. It is an opportunity for high functioning autistics to get more out of life!! My DD is quite excited thinking Zach might benefit from this when he turns 18. He is a high functioning autistic and is always reaching to learn new things. He may now have an opportunity she thought was beyond his reach. That is if the program succeeds and is still available when Zach is 18.

We can only hope!! It is so inspiring to see that people are working to provide opportunities for autistic people.

She has been considering taking him to the local junior college (When he is old enough) and sitting in on some classes with him to give him the chance to experience some college courses. Of course online classes are an alternative also but she is wanting him to expand his social abilities also. Zach is in the happy position he is now as far as learning and being a happy child because she is a vigilant mother who researches opportunities for him all the time. They love to take the kids on trips and have taken them to a Buffalo ranch and in Louisiana they go to the alligator farms and other such learning experiences. He loves to go camping and loves loves to fish. He was fishing when he still had to be confined to a stroller(he would run and run if not contained)
She would put him in the stroller when he was 3 and 4( he didn't talk at that age yet but talks nonstop now!) and they would give him a child's pole and help him fish.

I am very proud of my daughter and her husband for the way they are raising Zach and the other two kids Joey 11 and Rachel 8.

Thank you for this post. I have a DGS that is Autistic. I sent this post to my DD. :-D

This is wonderful. I have studied much about Autisim and will definitly pass this along!

I also hope that this pilot program is successful!! And that it spreads out to more colleges too :D:D:D

It sounds like a wonderful program!

I LOVE to hear stories like this. Your family has done a great job in supporting him and helping him be all that he can be. If we aren't advocates for our special kids, who will be?

mmmm how far is Iowa from Toronto????

This sounds like a wonderful program.

Kyle is planning to go to the Canadian Military... let's see what the story is in 4 years when he finished high school.

Stephen has no idea what he wants to do, but I am going to look into this program more and see if there are any universities up here that are doing anything similar.

It's called The Reach program at University of Iowa in Iowa City Iowa

Hope can overcome many things. Zach is blessed to have a supporting famiy.

This is an interesting article on autistic kids and college.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/educati...-college_N.htm

http://www.momlogic.com/2009/05/aust...to_college.php