This short review introduces a neuro-normative perspective of Autism in education, with consideration of current teaching and learning pedagogy. At present, there is substantial research confirming that autism diagnosis and its prevalence are increasing, especially within higher education (HE). Despite this, it is apparent that many higher education institutions (HEIs) are unable to appropriately accommodate and adjust to the needs of learners, leaving several autistic individuals with inaccessible education. Objectives: This paper outlines the complex contradictions and paradoxes for autistic students in the education system, including barriers such as specialist support with appropriate accommodations and adjustments. Another component of this paper is to provide an alternative perspective for neuro-normative individuals to develop their teaching and learning practices better. Methods: A micro survey of the literature was conducted to analyze the main themes within the autism community about higher education experiences and education. A critique of the current landscape is offered, with discussion and deliberation for alternative approaches and considerations. Results: It appears that there is difficulty in understanding the need for and how to provide tailored support and interventions from specialist staff, as so many autistic individuals remain without the adequate support they require. Compounding this attitude is the common misconception surrounding autism, such as the generalizability of the disorder and open minimalization of how it can impact an individual. Conclusion: Several contemporary debates and contradictions still underscore how autism and education affect the teaching and learning of autistic students in HE. A call to change and inform attitudes, perceptions, and biases toward autism in education is urgently required. Without this, many autistic students face inaccessible education, in parallel to stunted staff perspectives and teaching pedagogies. Furthermore, more resources are needed within special education in HE settings to ensure there are enough staff to accommodate the increasing number of autism diagnoses, as seen in recent years.
References
[1]
Atherton, G., Edisbury, E., Piovesan, A., & Cross, L. (2022). Autism through the Ages: A Mixed Methods Approach to Understanding How Age and Age of Diagnosis Affect Quality of Life. JournalofAutismandDevelopmentalDisorders,52, 3639-3654. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-021-05235-x
[2]
Bailey, J., Ullery, M. A., Futterer, J., Mullins, C., Delgado, C., Custode, S. et al. (2024). Direct and Interactive Effects of Attendance Rates on Growth in Language, Literacy and Mathematics Skills for Children Enrolled in Voluntary Preschool Programs. EarlyChildhoodResearchQuarterly,68, 112-122. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2024.04.009
[3]
Ballantine, J., Rocheleau, J., Macarios, J., Ross, G., & Artemeva, N. (2023). “Change Isn’t Exactly Easy”: Autistic University Students’ Lived Learning Experiences during the COVID-19 Pandemic. AutisminAdulthood,5, 325-334. https://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2022.0032
[4]
Bargiela, S., Steward, R., & Mandy, W. (2016). The Experiences of Late-Diagnosed Women with Autism Spectrum Conditions: An Investigation of the Female Autism Phenotype. JournalofAutismandDevelopmentalDisorders,46, 3281-3294. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-016-2872-8
[5]
Bowden, N., Gibb, S., Audas, R., Clendon, S., Dacombe, J., Kokaua, J. et al. (2022). Association between High-Need Education-Based Funding and School Suspension Rates for Autistic Students in New Zealand. JAMAPediatrics,176, 664-671. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2022.1296
[6]
Buck, A., Hurewitz, S., & Franklin, M. S. (2024). Workforce Perspective on Racial and Ethnic Equity in Early Childhood Autism Evaluation and Treatment: “The Cornerstone of Everything We Do”. Autism,28, 2598-2611. https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613241235522
[7]
Cage, E., & Howes, J. (2020). Dropping Out and Moving On: A Qualitative Study of Autistic People’s Experiences of University. Autism,24, 1664-1675. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361320918750
[8]
Cheriyan, C., Shevchuk-Hill, S., Riccio, A., Vincent, J., Kapp, S. K., Cage, E. et al. (2021). Exploring the Career Motivations, Strengths, and Challenges of Autistic and Non-Autistic University Students: Insights from a Participatory Study. FrontiersinPsychology,12, Article 719827. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.719827
[9]
Cleary, M., West, S., Johnston-Devin, C., Kornhaber, R., McLean, L., & Hungerford, C. (2024). Collateral Damage: The Impacts of School Exclusion on the Mental Health of Parents Caring for Autistic Children. IssuesinMentalHealthNursing,45, 3-8. https://doi.org/10.1080/01612840.2023.2280718
[10]
Conner, C. M., White, S. W., Scahill, L., & Mazefsky, C. A. (2020). The Role of Emotion Regulation and Core Autism Symptoms in the Experience of Anxiety in Autism. Autism,24, 931-940. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361320904217
[11]
Dekhil, O., Ali, M., Haweel, R., Elnakib, Y., Ghazal, M., Hajjdiab, H. et al. (2020). A Comprehensive Framework for Differentiating Autism Spectrum Disorder from Neurotypicals by Fusing Structural MRI and Resting State Functional MRI. SeminarsinPediatricNeurology,34, Article 100805. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spen.2020.100805
[12]
Dexter, S., Grace, K., Quinnell, S., Surrey, A., & Crane, L. (2024). Towards ‘A Level Playing Field’: A Participatory Study of Autistic University Students’ Experiences with Academic Support in England. InternationalJournalofDisability,DevelopmentandEducation. https://doi.org/10.1080/1034912x.2024.2317475
[13]
Dickter, C. L., & Burk, J. A. (2021). The Effects of Contact and Labeling on Attitudes Towards Individuals with Autism. JournalofAutismandDevelopmentalDisorders,51, 3929-3936. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-020-04840-6
[14]
Dinishak, J. (2022). The Deficit View and Its Critics. DisabilityStudiesQuarterly,36, Article 5236. https://doi.org/10.18061/dsq.v36i4.5236
[15]
Donelson, L. V. (2020). AlternativestoOut-of-SchoolSuspensionsandExpulsionsandZeroToleranceDisciplines:ACaseStudy. Doctoral Dissertation, Northcentral University.
[16]
Gillespie-Lynch, K., Bisson, J. B., Saade, S., Obeid, R., Kofner, B., Harrison, A. J. et al. (2022). If You Want to Develop an Effective Autism Training, Ask Autistic Students to Help You. Autism,26, 1082-1094. https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613211041006
[17]
Gini, S., Knowland, V., Thomas, M. S. C., & Van Herwegen, J. (2021). Neuromyths about Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Misconceptions by Educators and the General Public. Mind,Brain,andEducation,15, 289-298. https://doi.org/10.1111/mbe.12303
[18]
Goddard, H., & Cook, A. (2021). “I Spent Most of Freshers in My Room” —A Qualitative Study of the Social Experiences of University Students on the Autistic Spectrum. JournalofAutismandDevelopmentalDisorders,52, 2701-2716. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-021-05125-2
[19]
Gołaska, P. (2013). The Aetiology of Autism Spectrum Disorders. An Overview of Current Approaches. JournalofPsychiatryandClinicalPsychology,13, 8-14.
[20]
Grinker, R. R. (2020). Autism, “Stigma,” Disability: A Shifting Historical Terrain. CurrentAnthropology,61, S55-S67. https://doi.org/10.1086/705748
[21]
Grove, R., Hoekstra, R. A., Wierda, M., & Begeer, S. (2017). Exploring Sex Differences in Autistic Traits: A Factor Analytic Study of Adults with Autism. Autism,21, 760-768. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361316667283
[22]
Gurbuz, E., Hanley, M., & Riby, D. M. (2019). University Students with Autism: The Social and Academic Experiences of University in the UK. JournalofAutismandDevelopmentalDisorders,49, 617-631. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-018-3741-4
[23]
Hall, L. J., & Pavez, B. A. (2023). Retaining Special Educators with Autism Expertise in Schools. JournaloftheAmericanAcademyofSpecialEducationProfessionals,50, 60.
[24]
Happé, F., & Frith, U. (2020). Annual Research Review: Looking Back to Look forward—Changes in the Concept of Autism and Implications for Future Research. JournalofChildPsychologyandPsychiatry,61, 218-232. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13176
[25]
Hasson, L., Keville, S., Gallagher, J., Onagbesan, D., & Ludlow, A. K. (2024). Inclusivity in Education for Autism Spectrum Disorders: Experiences of Support from the Perspective of Parent/Carers, School Teaching Staff and Young People on the Autism Spectrum. InternationalJournalofDevelopmentalDisabilities,70, 201-212. https://doi.org/10.1080/20473869.2022.2070418
[26]
Hernández-Saca, D. I., Martin, J., & Meacham, S. (2020). The Hidden Elephant Is Oppression: Shaming, Mobbing, and Institutional Betrayals within the Academy—Finding Strength in Collaborative Self-Study. StudyingTeacherEducation,16, 26-47. https://doi.org/10.1080/17425964.2020.1727430
[27]
Hill, A. (2024). What’s Behind theUK’s Increase in Autism Diagnoses? The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/mar/04/uk-increase-autism-diagnoses-neurodiversity
[28]
Holmqvist, D., Fejes, A., & Nylander, E. (2021). Auctioning Out Education: On Exogenous Privatisation through Public Procurement. EuropeanEducationalResearchJournal,20, 102-117. https://doi.org/10.1177/1474904120953281
[29]
Jarrett, S. (2023). AHistoryofDisabilityinEngland: From the Medieval Period to the Present Day. Liverpool University Press. https://doi.org/10.2307/jj.9345421
[30]
Jones, D. R., DeBrabander, K. M., & Sasson, N. J. (2021). Effects of Autism Acceptance Training on Explicit and Implicit Biases toward Autism. Autism,25, 1246-1261. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361320984896
[31]
Kapp, S. K., Gillespie-Lynch, K., Sherman, L. E., & Hutman, T. (2013). Deficit, Difference, or Both? Autism and Neurodiversity. DevelopmentalPsychology,49, 59-71. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0028353
[32]
Kennedy, D. M., & Banks, R. S. (2011). Brightnot Broken:Gifted Kids,ADHD,and Autism. John Wiley & Sons.
[33]
Kentrou, V., Livingston, L. A., Grove, R., Hoekstra, R. A., & Begeer, S. (2024). Perceived Misdiagnosis of Psychiatric Conditions in Autistic Adults. eClinicalMedicine, 71, 102586. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2024.102586
[34]
Kim, S. Y., & Crowley, S. (2021). Understanding Perceptions and Experiences of Autistic Undergraduate Students toward Disability Support Offices of Their Higher Education Institutions. ResearchinDevelopmentalDisabilities,113, Article 103956. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2021.103956
[35]
Lawson, W. B. (2020). Adaptive Morphing and Coping with Social Threat in Autism: An Autistic Perspective. JournalofIntellectualDisability—DiagnosisandTreatment,8, 519-526. https://doi.org/10.6000/2292-2598.2020.08.03.29
[36]
Lord, C., Elsabbagh, M., Baird, G., & Veenstra-Vanderweele, J. (2018). Autism Spectrum Disorder. TheLancet,392, 508-520. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(18)31129-2
[37]
McPeake, E., Lamore, K., Boujut, E., El Khoury, J., Pellenq, C., Plumet, M. et al. (2023). “I Just Need a Little More Support”: A Thematic Analysis of Autistic Students’ Experience of University in France. ResearchinAutismSpectrumDisorders,105, Article 102172. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2023.102172
[38]
Mediaofficer (2024). How We’re Improving Support for Children and Young People with Special Education Needs. The Education Hub. https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2024/03/26/improving-support-children-young-people-special-education-needs-send/?_rt=MnwxfGNvbWJpbmVkIHNlYXJjaCBlbmdpbmV8MTcyNzc1NDk5Ng&_rt_nonce=e255dc895c
[39]
Miller, J. R. (2023). “Don’tBeinYourOwnHeadTooMuch”:HowAutisticFirst-YearStudentsBuildAcademicandSocialSupport. Doctoral Dissertation, Northern Arizona University.
[40]
Mitchell, P., Sheppard, E., & Cassidy, S. (2021). Autism and the Double Empathy Problem: Implications for Development and Mental Health. BritishJournalofDevelopmentalPsychology,39, 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjdp.12350
[41]
Morgan, B. (2022). NHS Staffing Shortages. Why Do Politicians Struggle to Give the NHS the Staff it Needs. https://assets.kingsfund.org.uk/f/256914/x/151509726c/nhs_staffing_shortages_engage_britain_2022.pdf
[42]
Mouzourou, C., Santos, R. M., & Gaffney, J. S. (2011). At Home with Disability: One Family’s Three Generations Narrate Autism. InternationalJournalofQualitativeStudiesinEducation,24, 693-715. https://doi.org/10.1080/09518398.2010.529841
[43]
Nadeem, M. S., Murtaza, B. N., Al-Ghamdi, M. A., Ali, A., Zamzami, M. A., Khan, J. A. et al. (2021). Autism—A Comprehensive Array of Prominent Signs and Symptoms. CurrentPharmaceuticalDesign,27, 1418-1433. https://doi.org/10.2174/1381612827666210120095829
[44]
NHS England (2023). A National Framework to Deliver Improved Outcomes in All-Age Autism Assessment Pathways: Guidance for Integrated Care Boards. https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/a-national-framework-to-deliver-improved-outcomes-in-all-age-autism-assessment-pathways-guidance-for-integrated-care-boards/
[45]
O’Nions, E., Petersen, I., Buckman, J. E. J., Charlton, R., Cooper, C., Corbett, A. et al. (2023). Autism in England: Assessing Underdiagnosis in a Population-Based Cohort Study of Prospectively Collected Primary Care Data. TheLancetRegionalHealth—Europe,29, Article 100626. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanepe.2023.100626
[46]
Oredipe, T., Kofner, B., Riccio, A., Cage, E., Vincent, J., Kapp, S. K. et al. (2023). Does Learning You Are Autistic at a Younger Age Lead to Better Adult Outcomes? A Participatory Exploration of the Perspectives of Autistic University Students. Autism,27, 200-212. https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613221086700
[47]
Park, M., & Chitiyo, M. (2011). An Examination of Teacher Attitudes towards Children with Autism. JournalofResearchinSpecialEducationalNeeds,11, 70-78. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-3802.2010.01181.x
[48]
Parsloe, S. M., & Babrow, A. S. (2016). Removal of Asperger’s Syndrome from the DSM V: Community Response to Uncertainty. HealthCommunication,31, 485-494. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2014.968828
[49]
Pearson, A., & Rose, K. (2021). A Conceptual Analysis of Autistic Masking: Understanding the Narrative of Stigma and the Illusion of Choice. AutisminAdulthood,3, 52-60. https://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2020.0043
[50]
Petitions—UK Government and Parliament (2023). Petition:RequireUniversitiestoTrainStaffonNeurodiversity. https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/634354
[51]
Pickles, J., Parsons, S., & Kovshoff, H. (2023). Knowledgeable but Not Specialist: Virtual School Heads’ Experiences of Supporting Autistic Children in Care. OxfordReviewofEducation,49, 190-208. https://doi.org/10.1080/03054985.2022.2039609
[52]
Plueckebaum, H., Meyer, L., Beck, A., & Menn, K. H. (2023). The Developmental Trajectory of Functional Excitation‐Inhibition Balance Relates to Language Abilities in Autistic and Allistic Children. AutismResearch,16, 1681-1692. https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.2992
[53]
Punton, G., Dodd, A. L., & McNeill, A. (2022). ‘You’re on the Waiting List’: An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis of Young Adults’ Experiences of Waiting Lists within Mental Health Services in the UK. PLOSONE,17, e0265542. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0265542
[54]
Radulski, E. M. (2022). Conceptualising Autistic Masking, Camouflaging, and Neurotypical Privilege: Towards a Minority Group Model of Neurodiversity. HumanDevelopment,66, 113-127. https://doi.org/10.1159/000524122
[55]
Rynkiewicz, A., Lassalle, A., King, B., Smith, R., Mazur, A., Podgórska-Bednarz, J. et al. (2016). Females and Autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders,46, 3281-3294.
[56]
See, B. H., & Gorard, S. (2019). Why Don’t We Have Enough Teachers? A Reconsideration of the Available Evidence. ResearchPapersinEducation,35, 416-442. https://doi.org/10.1080/02671522.2019.1568535
[57]
Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center (SARRC) (2021). NewAutismPrevalenceRateReleasedbyCDC. https://autismcenter.org/new-autism-prevalence-rate-released-cdc/
[58]
Topple, S. (2023). TheUK’s Education System IS failing Neurodiverse People from Start to Finish. Canary. https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2023/03/29/the-uks-education-system-is-failing-neurodiverse-people-from-start-to-finish/
[59]
Turnock, A., Langley, K., & Jones, C. R. G. (2022). Understanding Stigma in Autism: A Narrative Review and Theoretical Model. AutisminAdulthood,4, 76-91. https://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2021.0005
[60]
Vogindroukas, I., Stankova, M., Chelas, E., & Proedrou, A. (2022). Language and Speech Characteristics in Autism. NeuropsychiatricDiseaseandTreatment,18, 2367-2377. https://doi.org/10.2147/ndt.s331987
[61]
Waltz, M. (2023). Autism:A Social and Medical History. Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-31015-7