How do I know if a student in my class has autism?

Generally speaking, knowing whether or not a student has autism in your class is not necessary in order to implement supportive communication and teaching strategies that could potentially benefit all students in your course. Examples of such strategies can include designing a course syllabus that is structured with explicit information about course objectives, assignment breakdowns, office hours, and further opportunities for progress monitoring support.  Offering visual content such as powerpoint presentations to all students and/or recordings of direct instruction can make a classroom environment more accessible for all students.  For more information on universal design for learning (UDL) principles in higher education, please refer to the faculty resources page on this site. 

If you suspect that a student may have an autism diagnosis, you may include the Disabled Students’ Program as one of the available services that you offer to the student for further connection and support on campus.  Disability disclosure is protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA); please avoid asking any student directly if they identify with having a disability.