Meaningful inclusion for autistic students in secondary education: Exploring definitions and experiences

Background. Inclusive education has become a central policy goal nationally and internationally, but the definition and implementation remains in question. While some definitions focus on placing students with disabilities in mainstream classrooms, broader perspectives emphasise belonging, participation, and achievement for all students. Booth and Ainscow’s (2011) framework has been particularly influential in conceptualising these dimensions. For autistic adolescents, however, inclusion remains complex. Despite legal commitments, many continue to experience stigma, camouflaging, and inconsistent support within a dual system of special and mainstream provision. Research has shown that the school community, including students, educators, and families, plays a crucial role in shaping whether inclusion is experienced as meaningful. Yet, autistic adolescents themselves, and often the wider school community, are rarely consulted in the design of inclusion programmes and policies, and are seldom asked how they understand or would like inclusion to be promoted. Aim. The overall aim of this thesis was to explore how inclusion is conceptualised and experienced by autistic adolescents in secondary education. In doing so, the thesis had two complementary objectives. First, it sought to review and synthesise the existing literature on interventions designed to promote inclusion for autistic adolescents, with particular attention to whether these strategies supported presence, participation, and achievement, and to what extent autistic voices were represented in their design. Second, it aimed to generate new empirical insights by exploring how autistic adolescents themselves, together with families, educators, and non-autistic peers, understand and define inclusion, and what practices they believe can foster more meaningful and equitable educational experiences. By combining a systematic review with qualitative studies, the thesis aimed to address the lack of a shared definition of inclusion and to foreground the perspectives of those most directly involved in school life. Methods. The thesis adopted a multi-study, qualitative design complemented by systematic review. Study 1 comprised a systematic review of 52 peer-reviewed studies published between 2001 and 2021 that evaluated strategies and interventions to promote the inclusion of autistic adolescents. Booth and Ainscow’s (2011) framework of presence, participation, and achievement was used to assess the scope and focus of interventions, and attention was given to whether autistic adolescents were actively involved in their design and evaluation. Study 2 involved semi-structured interviews with 19 autistic adolescents aged 13–18 in the Republic of Ireland. Interviews explored their understandings of inclusion, school experiences, and recommendations for supportive practices, and were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Study 3 comprised seven focus groups (N=23) with parents, teachers, Special Needs Assistants (SNAs), and non-autistic peers, capturing wider school community perspectives on the same issues investigated in Study 2, such as understandings of inclusion, school experiences, and strategies to support autistic adolescents. These data were also analysed using reflexive thematic analysis to explore how members of the school community conceptualise, experience and promote the inclusion of autistic adolescents. Findings. Across studies, inclusion was understood not simply as access to mainstream classrooms, but as a dynamic and relational process shaped by daily practices, cultural values, and systemic structures. The systematic review showed that most interventions targeted individual skill acquisition, with relatively few addressing environmental adaptations or involving autistic adolescents in design. Presence and participation were more frequently supported than academic achievement, and there was little consensus on how inclusion should be defined. Interviews with autistic adolescents highlighted that inclusion meant being respected and understood, forming meaningful friendships, and having safe spaces and individualised supports. However, they also reported barriers such as stigma, camouflaging, and rigid reliance on diagnostic labels. Focus groups with parents, educators, and non-autistic peers reinforced these perspectives, describing inclusion as a continual, values-driven process built through small, everyday relational practices and low-cost adaptations, but constrained by misconceptions, rigid policies, and segregated classroom arrangements. Together, the findings suggest that meaningful inclusion requires moving beyond symbolic provision toward culturally embedded practices co-produced with autistic students and the wider school community. Conclusion. This thesis contributes to advancing theoretical, practical, and policy understandings of inclusion by showing that autistic adolescents and their communities conceptualise it as a relational and cultural process, that extends beyond placement in mainstream classrooms. The research points to the value of whole-school approaches that combine inclusive ethos, experiential teacher training, peer-awareness initiatives, curriculum reform, and systematic review of structural supports. Ultimately, the thesis shows that meaningful inclusion is possible when autistic adolescents are not only present in schools, but are actively recognised, supported, and enabled to thrive alongside their peers.

Funder

Mutua Madrileña Foundation
University of Galway

Publisher

University of Galway

Rights

CC BY-NC-ND

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Collections

University of Galway Theses (PhD Theses)