Conference Agenda

Parallel to the global development towards inclusive education in the last two decades, autism as a phenomenon has reached increased attention in educational research. The diversity and individuality of students on the spectrum has an impact on all spheres of life as is reflected in the increase of research literature on the topic (Fletcher-Watson et al., 2019; Happé & Frith, 2020).

While some European countries, such as the UK, have a relatively long tradition of educational research on autism, others, such as Germany, have only begun to look at the subject more closely in recent years. They are inspired by and can benefit from the previous work conducted in the anglophone regions. The existing research literature as well as the proposed symposium show, that the European countries face similar challenges regarding inclusive education in the context of autism and deal with similar questions despite the differences in the respective national school systems.

The proposed symposium consists of three presentations from three different countries on three different questions concerning autistic children and teenagers. It aims to show a variety of complex situations that autistic students, their families, their teachers and other involved persons face in educational contexts and how research responds to it. The three research projects were conducted independently from each other. However, this symposium aims to bring them together to discuss them as they show the cross-sectional character of autism spectrum research.

Autistic students face a disproportionately high risk of being partially or completely excluded from school and this has been reported in different countries (Brede et al., 2017; Guldberg et al., 2021; Lilley, 2015). Karen Guldberg will present an investigation on the causes and impacts of school exclusion in England.

The high rate of school exclusion despite obligatory school attendance in Germany (Grummt et al., 2021) has led to the second symposium contribution on flexible education of autistic students. Mechthild Richter will present a literature review on flexi-schooling and discuss the extent to which flexible education provision could be a solution to meeting the needs of autistic students and as a way of preventing school exclusion.

One of the main reasons for the exclusion of autistic students is distress behaviour. A long school day with academic, social and emotional demands can be exhausting for any young person, but especially for autistic students who may to deal with an overwhelming sensory environment, decoding social interactions and following learning strategies that are not adapted to their own thinking and learning (Goodall, 2015). Paola Molteni presents research on an Italian social-skill-training including autistic and non-autistic teenagers in order to enable peer-to-peer-coaching.

Raised awareness of autism, neurodiversity and inclusion in schools may lead to better understanding of good educational practice for autistic children and teenagers in schools. This could reduce distress behaviour and lead to more flexibility in schools, and in turn prevent school exclusion.

These three research objectives and perspectives are intertwined and may enrich one another. They also provide important pointers for future research.

Background Official data for from the Department for Education (DfE, 21-22) in England show a figure of 2.2% of pupils classified as autistic in English schools. Educational exclusion is a growing problem that is affecting these pupils disproportionately. DfE data highlights that autistic pupils are approximately twice as likely as other pupils without special educational needs to receive a fixed-term exclusion (suspension) from school. One of the striking issues, which is hidden from DfE figures, is the use of unofficial or unlawful exclusion practices in English schools. Methods Our research investigated the causes and impacts of excluding autistic children and young people in England. We conducted a literature review; examined DfE data; asked autistic adults (n=22), parents (n=203) and educational leaders (n=91) to complete a questionnaire; ran four focus groups with the Autism Education Trust Young Person’s Panel (n=10) and interviewed members of the Communication and Autism Team from Birmingham City Council (n=8) on challenges and best practice related to exclusions. Findings The reasons schools give for permanently excluding an autistic pupil often centre on the behaviour of the pupil. However, parents and autistic adults in our research emphasised that the exclusion of autistic pupils is the result of a failure of staff to make reasonable adjustments, inadequate systems and policies, or budgets being cut in the areas of pastoral and mental health support. There was tension between the perspectives of educators on the one side and autistic pupils and their families on the other. The impact of exclusion on autistic CYP is profound and lifelong, leaving a sense of injustice, anger and feeling let down by the education system. Exclusion places additional demands on families as managing reduced timetables is complex. Many families need to give up work, leading to financial pressures. Exclusion also leads to isolation and stigma for the whole family. This in turn impacts on family relationships and dynamics, including siblings. Conclusions The implementation of appropriate educational support for these pupils is vital to reduce school exclusions and ensure positive educational experiences. There is urgent need for: • More support for the pupil and their family during exclusion. • Training for education staff. • Better funding to make required environmental changes. • Improved resources to provide safe spaces. • Systemic changes, including policies on reasonable adjustments and individualised behaviour policies in schools.

Guldberg, K., Wallace, S., Bradley, R., Perepa, P., Ellis, L., and MacLeod, A. (2021) Investigation of the causes and implications of exclusion for autistic children and young people, University of Birmingham. House of Commons Education Committee. (2018). Forgotten children: Alternative provision and the scandal of ever-increasing exclusions. London: House of Commons. https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmeduc/342/342.pdf Justice (2019). Challenging School Exclusions. https://justice.org.uk/wp- content/uploads/2019/12/Challenging-School-Exclusions.pdf Office of the Children’s Commissioner (2013). Report on illegal exclusions. Always Someone Else’s Problem. https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/wp- content/uploads/2017/07/Always_Someone_Elses_Problem.pdf Paget, A., Parker, C., Heron, J., Logan, S., Henley, W., Emond, A., & Ford, T. (2018). Which children and young people are excluded from school? Findings from a large British birth cohort study, the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Child: care, health and development, 44 (2), 285-296. Pirrie, A., Macleod, G., Cullen, M. A., & McCluskey, G. (2011). What happens to pupils permanently excluded from special schools and pupil referral units in England? British Educational Research Journal, 37(3), 519-538. Timpson Review of School Exclusion (2019). Dandy Booksellers Limited. Trotman, D., Tucker, S., & Martyn, M. (2015). Understanding problematic pupil behaviour: perceptions of pupils and behaviour coordinators on secondary school exclusion in an English city. Educational Research, 57(3), 237-253.

Background Germany’s obligatory school attendance means that homeschooling is no legal option for families. During the Covid-19-pandemic, however, schools had to close during lockdown-periods and instruction had to be provided at home. While there seemed to be a common agreement in media and society that the return to classroom education should be enabled as soon as possible, some students, among them autistic students, seem to benefit from learning at home (Bozkus-Genc & Sani-Bozkurt, 2022; Hornstra et al., 2022). Furthermore, school exclusion of autistic students is a widespread phenomenon, not only, but also in Germany – despite obligatory school attendance (Guldberg, 2021; Lilley, 2015, Grummt et al., 2021). A systematic international literature review was conducted in order to identify advantages and disadvantages of flexi-schooling, to understand why families or schools decide to flexi-school autistic students and how this can be implemented. Method 855 studies were screened, of which 8 finally met the search criteria and were included in the analysis. A thick description of the data set could be reached through thematic analysis. Results Flexi-schooling is rarely a first choice, but is often seen as a positive solution to a challenging and constantly changing situation (Kendall & Taylor, 2014; Lawrence, 2017; Parsons & Lewis, 2010; Smith et al., 2020). It may be a way to provide autistic students with an education that is constructed to meet their individual needs and is flexible enough to address changes in them. Nevertheless, it can also be a challenging process that requires commitment, tolerance and additional efforts from parents and teachers and may face legal, attitudinal, and financial barriers. Conclusions Flexi-schooling is an idea that has not yet been widely implemented in practice, and there is little information available about how it is put into action. The success of flexi-schooling depends on the needs and preferences of the individual student and the parental and school engagement. From a German perspective, flexi-schooling as it is presented in this review is no option to prevent school exclusions while fulfilling compulsory education requirements. However, a need for flexible education options is evident. Solutions like cyber schools or any other measure to establish parts of school at home (organized and monitored by the school) would be interesting to keep autistic students in school and at the same time offering them a space to learn in their own way.

Bozkus-Genc, G., & Sani-Bozkurt, S. (2022). How parents of children with autism spectrum disorder experience the COVID-19 pandemic: Perspectives and insights on the new normal. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 124, 104200. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2022.104200 Grummt, M., Lindmeier, C., & Semmler, R. (2021). Die Beschulungssituation autistischer SchülerInnen vor der Pandemie. Autismus, 92, 5–17. Guldberg, K., Wallace, S., Bradley, R., Perepa, P., Ellis, L., & MacLeod, A. (2021). Investigation of the causes and implications of exclusion for autistic children and young people. The Autism Education Trust. https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/documents/college-social-sciences/education/reports/causes-and-implications-of-exclusion-for-autistic-children-and-young-people.pdf Kendall, L., & Taylor, E. (2016). ‘We can’t make him fit into the system’: Parental reflections on the reasons why home education is the only option for their child who has special educational needs. Education 3-13, 44(3), 297–310. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004279.2014.974647 Lawrence, C. (2017). Can sharing education between home and school benefit the child with autism? [PhD, Sheffield Hallam University]. https://doi.org/10.7190/shu-thesis-00030 Smith, D. K., Dickerson, D. C., & Smith, J. (2020). Exploring the reasons why people home educate in Hertfordshire: Full Report (pp. 1–88) [Full Report]. University of Hertfordshire.

Background Recent research (Atwood, 2019; Fisher Bullivant, 2020; Travaglione, 2021) has highlighted the importance of involving non-autistic peers in social groups to develop peer-to-peer coaching experiences to practice the skills the pupil has developed in therapy sessions. Since 2008 the Autism Centre “Cascina San Vincenzo” NGO has supported individuals on the autism spectrum and their families in improving quality of life through therapy, consultancy, and social groups. In 2022 the Centre team developed a partnership with the Scholastic District involving high school students in conducting their PCTO (Training for Transversal Skills and Orientation a mandatory activity for high school students) through participating in social groups with peers on the Spectrum. CeDisMa Research Centre at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore has observed and measured the impact of this experience, and the findings are presented in this symposium. Methods Our research investigated the impacts of conducting three mixed social groups with teenage peers both on the autism spectrum and neurotypical. We undertook a literature review; conducted interviews with non-autistic students from high school involved in the PCTO training experience (n=6) and their professors (n=3); and asked parents (n=20), individuals on the spectrum (n=15) and professionals (n=8) to complete a questionnaire. The impact on social ability and cooperation was measured through the use of the Cooperation and Communication Observation Schedule (CCOS, Travaglione et al., 2021) in all three groups, with pre-assessment and follow-up after 9 months. Findings The strategy of involving neurotypical peers had a profound impact on the pupils supported at the centre and through this group experience. Findings highlighted that the students’ social skills and understanding improved in daily life experiences; the students strengthened their self-confidence and self-esteem in social capability and cooperation with others and other high school students raised their awareness about autism, neurodiversity and inclusion. Conclusions The implementation of social coaching groups mediated by specialists and educators can support the inclusion of teenagers on the autism spectrum and can enable the development of work and life skills. We recommend: • More group coaching support for students on the autism spectrum to help them develop social understanding and skills in daily life. • Training for education staff on social coaching and peer-to-peer group mediation. • Better links between rehabilitation/therapy centres and schools. • Improved resources to provide safe spaces.

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