This research study investigates the experiences and views of autistic teachers towards the inclusive education practices and policies for autistic teachers around the world. The purpose of the research is to explore the autistic teachers’ perspectives regarding how inclusive the school environment is for them in terms of inclusive education practices and inclusion policies in their countries. The sample of the study consists of nine autistic teachers who are working or used to work in mainstream primary and secondary schools in the UK, the USA, the Republic of Ireland, and Australia. In-depth interviews have been undertaken with the participants to explore their experiences and views.  

The number of autistic students attending mainstream schools has increased considerably in order to promote social inclusion in the last few decades. However, school is a place which autistic students find to be stressful and anxiety-provoking (Humphrey and Lewis, 2008). More than half of the autistic students in mainstream schools are not feeling happy (National Autistic Society, 2021), and most autistic children’s experiences are marked by bullying, social isolation, anxiety, depression, and loneliness (Bauminger, Shulman and Agam, 2003). Most of the autistic students think one of the reasons that school is not a welcoming place for them is because of the teachers’ lack of understanding of autism, so these students suggested that school would be a better place if the teachers understood them more (National Autistic Society, 2021). Engaging with teachers who have different needs and backgrounds will support both the development of the students and the education (Education Commission, 2019); autistic teachers constitute great importance in this case to support autistic students.

Teachers with diverse backgrounds and needs are encouraged to attend the workforce in education globally, but inclusive education has been mostly discussed in terms of understanding students’ experiences and supporting their needs (Ware, Singal and Groce, 2020). There are very limited research studies to explore teachers’ experiences of inclusive education. Teachers have mostly included research as data sources to obtain information about the students or to implement support mechanisms for students. Some other research has focused on the experiences of teachers regarding the issues of race, ethnicity, and gender (ibid). So, the voices of disabled teachers remained silent in educational research, especially the autistic teachers. Creating an inclusive school is only possible by creating an inclusive environment for not only the students but as much so for the teachers. Therefore, teachers should not be seen only as people who send information for students, but also essential constituents of education system. So, it is important to include autistic teachers’ voices. The gap in the literature led me to understand the issue of inclusive education from a new perspective: perspectives of autistic teachers.

The main objective of this research study is to shift the direction from teachers being as data sources in the inclusion of autistic students, to raising the autistic teachers’ voices on the issue of their own inclusion in terms of their social and professional workplace experiences in mainstream schools. Therefore, I will be presenting the initial outcomes of my research study, consisting of analysis of the data collected from semi-structured in-depth interviews with nine autistic teachers around the world.

This research seeks to address the challenges autistic teachers experience, their views on the inclusive education practices in their schools and inclusion policies in their countries, and the changes needed to be implemented in policy and practice regarding the inclusion of autistic teachers. Today, the autism literature is led by the medical model; thus, most researches approach autism as a disease and focus on its biological factors (Pellicano, Dinsmore and Charman, 2013). This point-of-view leads to the exclusion of autistic people from certain type of education and workforce. This research works from within the socio-cultural framework (Shakespeare, 2006; Oliver, 2013) and refers to a socio-cultural understanding of autism, as opposed to the more typical medical understanding. The researcher is a critical realist within a social model that is based on the ontological belief that society has disabled people rather than the reverse (Shakespeare, 2006; Oliver, 2013). This study is phenomenological qualitative research that includes the elements of participatory research methods. This study is phenomenological qualitative research that includes the elements of participatory research methods. With the standpoint and the focuses mentioned above, the research questions evolved as follows: 1- How do autistic teachers experience inclusive education? 2- What are their views on changes needed to be done in terms of more inclusive schools? The sample of the research study is nine autistic teachers from the UK, the USA, the Republic of Ireland, and Australia. Participants were recruited through social media, mostly Twitter, by using hashtags autisticteacher and autisticteachers. Each participant was contacted separately by a message via social media or an e-mail, if possible, with the details of the research project. Data was collected through online semi-structured in-depth interviews via Zoom. 14 themes were identified to explore autistic teachers’ experiences and views in accordance with the research aims. These themes were shared with the participants beforehand and they were asked if they think that talking about these themes would cover their experiences. Additionally, they were asked to come up with the themes they prioritise talking about. Interview themes were updated in accordance with their suggestions and their suggestions were always prioritised to be talked about during the interviews. Initial data analysis was conducted using thematic analysis methods. Subsequently, further interviews in accordance with the emerging themes may be undertaken with some of the participants to explore further meaningful information.

The expected outcomes of the study mainly situated that inclusive education practices and policy should be reviewed and improved to be more inclusive for autistic teachers. The initial analysis of the interviews displayed four themes, these are: meaning of teaching, discrimination in workplace, recruitment process of teaching positions, being a role model for autistic students. Preliminary findings of this study suggest that social, political, and physical changes should be made in schools in order to create a more inclusive school environment for both autistic students and teachers; to encourage autistic adults to work in schools; and to support autistic teachers to remain in the profession. Also, more autistic teachers are needed to create more inclusive schools for autistic students. Regarding the views of autistic teachers, autistic people should be removed from the position of being seen as the object from where the information is collected. Rather, they should be the subject of the autism research in which they are included throughout different stages. The number of studies conducted with them, not on them, should be increased.

Bauminger, N., Shulman, C. and Agam, G., 2003. Peer Interaction and Loneliness in High-Functioning Children with Autism. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 33(5), pp. 489-507. Education Commission, 2019. Transforming the Education Workforce Report. Available from: https://educationcommission.org/transformingtheeducationworkforce/. Humphrey, N. and Lewis, S., 2008. Make me normal: The views and experiences of pupils on the autistic spectrum in mainstream secondary schools. Autism : the international journal of research and practice, 12(1), pp. 23-46. National Autistic Society, 2021. School report 2021. Available from: https://s2.chorus-mk.thirdlight.com/file/24/0HTGORW0HHJnx_c0HLZm0HWvpWc/NAS-Education-Report-2021-A4%20%281%29.pdf [Accessed 31 January 2022]. Oliver, M., 2013. The social model of disability: Thirty years on. Disability & society, 28(7), pp. 1024-1026. Pellicano, L., Dinsmore, A. and Charman, T., 2013. A Future Made Together: Shaping autism research in the UK. Shakespeare, T., 2006. The social model of disability. In: L.J. Davis, ed. The disability studies reader. Routledge, pp. 195-203. Ware, H., Singal, N. and Groce, N., 2020. The work lives of disabled teachers: revisiting inclusive education in English schools. Disability & Society, pp. 1-23.