Year: 2024
Author: Diana Tan, Marion Rabuka, Lara Hardy, Tori Haar, Elizabeth Pellicano
Type of paper: Individual Paper
Abstract:
In recent years, the number of autistic people entering university has doubled. While a promising trend, the latest census data show that autistic people are significantly less likely to hold a bachelor’s degree or higher compared to people with other disabilities and those without disabilities (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2018). This disparity underscores the need to understand the factors contributing to the poor educational outcomes of autistic university students.
Existing research has made some progress in identifying these factors. Studies have shown that autistic students often feel misunderstood by other non-autistic people, including their peers and university staff (Tan et al., 2024). This lack of understanding and awareness about autism and autistic people often results in a lack of appropriate support and accommodation that could truly level the playing field for autistic students (Cage & Howes, 2020).
Therefore, in this project, we aimed to address two research questions:
How do autistic students approach university?
How can universities better support autistic students?
In this co-produced project, our team of autistic and non-autistic researchers were involved in all stages of this research, from conceptualisation to dissemination. Employing a qualitative research design, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 21 autistic people who had either completed at least one university course, were currently enrolled, or had discontinued their studies in Australia. Interview questions explored various aspects of the university experience, including transitioning into university life, social interactions, relationships with teaching and professional staff, and navigating university systems and physical environments.
Using Braun and Clarke’s (2019) reflexive thematic analysis, we identified four themes:
“Fighting really hard to get through”
“Taking a lot longer to make sense of the system”
Fostering an enabling environment
Building a sense of belonging
The findings from this study have several important implications for universities seeking to improve outcomes for autistic students. First, we recommend implementing Universal Design for Learning which may alleviate administrative burdens of autistic students and university staff. This could serve as a cost-effective measure to allocate staff resource to students requiring more individualised support. Second, universities should invest in providing continuous support throughout the academic journey of autistic students. Third, universities should harness the practical wisdom of autistic students to develop and implement university policies and support services to ensure that their unique perspectives and needs are adequately addressed.
Existing research has made some progress in identifying these factors. Studies have shown that autistic students often feel misunderstood by other non-autistic people, including their peers and university staff (Tan et al., 2024). This lack of understanding and awareness about autism and autistic people often results in a lack of appropriate support and accommodation that could truly level the playing field for autistic students (Cage & Howes, 2020).
Therefore, in this project, we aimed to address two research questions:
How do autistic students approach university?
How can universities better support autistic students?
In this co-produced project, our team of autistic and non-autistic researchers were involved in all stages of this research, from conceptualisation to dissemination. Employing a qualitative research design, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 21 autistic people who had either completed at least one university course, were currently enrolled, or had discontinued their studies in Australia. Interview questions explored various aspects of the university experience, including transitioning into university life, social interactions, relationships with teaching and professional staff, and navigating university systems and physical environments.
Using Braun and Clarke’s (2019) reflexive thematic analysis, we identified four themes:
“Fighting really hard to get through”
“Taking a lot longer to make sense of the system”
Fostering an enabling environment
Building a sense of belonging
The findings from this study have several important implications for universities seeking to improve outcomes for autistic students. First, we recommend implementing Universal Design for Learning which may alleviate administrative burdens of autistic students and university staff. This could serve as a cost-effective measure to allocate staff resource to students requiring more individualised support. Second, universities should invest in providing continuous support throughout the academic journey of autistic students. Third, universities should harness the practical wisdom of autistic students to develop and implement university policies and support services to ensure that their unique perspectives and needs are adequately addressed.