What would you want your teachers to know about ASD?

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Hi All,
I am a Learning Disability Specialist at a community college in California. I am creating an online presentation designed to educate the faculty about ASD. It will include a section of best practices for working with students with ASD in the classroom. Since I am not ASD, I am soliciting advise from you, the experts. Please answer any of the questions following, or one of your own:
What do you think I should include under this section? What do you wish your instructors knew about ASD? What ways could they accommodate you in the classroom that would be helpful to you? What tips do you have that would make them more effective teachers for you or anyone else in the class?
My intent is to include any of your responses verbatim in my presentation. Please be aware that, by providing a response, you are giving me your consent to do so. Of course, I will not be including any identifying information about you.
On behalf of myself, the faculty, and the students with ASD, I thank you for your time and consideration.

Hello! I almost skipped a few grades to enter a cc! I even took the entrance exams (on which I scored quite well). Sadly, I was too young and neither GCC nor PCC would take me.


I think it would be helpful for any instructors to know that this stuff is not "Mind over matter" and we can't simply "Snap out of it/get over it" because "everyone else is doing fine".

Sensory issues are also big. Noise is a big one of mine.

Also, maybe assign groups for group work. When I took my summer courses at UCLA, there was one time where the students had to get into small groups. I was the youngest by far, and the smallest, and the one wearing what I call "sensory friendly clothing", which means I was dressed like a wierdo- kindergartener. I had a really hard time finding a group. I didn't know a single person, and I was much too anxious to approach anyone. Eventually, a group of three of four college juniors came up to me and asked if I wanted to be in their group. I'm not sure how that might have gone had I looked like I should have been able to fend for myself, like a typical college kid with an ASD might. I almost bolted from the classroom, I was so scared about finding a group. I imagine it would be worse for someone who doesn't have the "advantage" of looking out of place, if that makes any sense.

Nice to see someone from the area on here.

Teachers could directly ask if the kid has any questions instead of expecting them to raise hand/initiate question. It can be hard to say something in class, especially if the class is a competitive one.

I think it would be helpful for professors to know that the student may have social problems and it'd be best to not randomly call on them and also to assign groups, rather than having the student fend for themselves. I think this is more social anxiety based rather than ASD-based.

I take all online classes in college and I wish my professors would understand that I'm not intentionally trying to come off as a smart-ass or intentionally trying to "get a reaction" out of people. It's driving me insane how many times my professors have called me "too honest" or "blunt" (in a bad way), insulting, insensitive, offensive, etc... Then again, I've not signed up for disability/accommodations so they don't know about my social problems, but saying anything just seems like an excuse...

I understand people who don't have these mental problems can never understand what it's like to have problems, so I feel like it's best to just let the student be... I'd rather be alone than have to work with people.