The main objective of this study is to provide an appropriate theoretical framework for the integration of noise-cancelling technology into everyday school life for autistic students with auditory sensory difficulties. Research in this area is sporadic and lacks integration of research from the traditionally distinct fields of special needs education and noise- cancelling technology (Kulawiak, 2021). This study aims to address this research gap and answer the research question:

‘What is an appropriate theoretical framework for the integration of noise- cancelling technology in the everyday school life of autistic students with auditory sensory difficulties?’

There is a broad international consensus that inclusion in education should be both a guiding principle and an aspirational goal for all students (UNESCO, 1994, 2005). The UN-aligned 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development emphasises the need for a continued global commitment to ensure inclusive and equitable education for all (United Nations, 2023). In addition, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is important to ensure that children with disabilities are not excluded from education because of their disability, that they receive the necessary support within the mainstream education system and that reasonable accommodation is provided (United Nations, 2007). An important contribution to promoting inclusive education is the design of technology-rich learning environments that are flexible and meet the needs of diverse learners, often defined as digital inclusive education (European Commission et al., 2021). Digital inclusive education should consider how digital tools, such as noise- cancelling technology, can benefit marginalised groups from the outset, rather than as an afterthought. (UNESCO, 2021).

Autism is a heterogeneous, lifelong neurodevelopmental condition. Sensory difficulties have recently been added to the diagnostic criteria and are now considered a core feature of the condition (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Atypical sensory experiences can manifest in all modalities, with auditory sensory difficulties reported to be the most common in autistic individuals (Neave- DiToro et al., 2020; O’Connor, 2012; Williams et al., 2021).

As a result, everyday sounds are often perceived as overwhelming, intense, and frightening and can become a source of distress that affects school participation for autistic students (Tyler et al., 2014). Such strong physiological responses lead to reduced concentration, distractibility and increased off-task behaviour, which affects cognition and learning in school (Howe and Stagg, 2016). Studies have shown that autistic students with auditory difficulties are at higher risk of experiencing challenges in school, such as increased stress and anxiety, decreased concentration, learning difficulties, social challenges and general distress (Hall et al., 2016; Howe & Stagg, 2016; Neave- DiToro et al., 2020).

Given these significant challenges and the risk of being excluded or denied equal learning opportunities because of their disability, it is important to focus on how the school environment can be adapted to compensate for the potential challenges that autistic students with auditory difficulties may experience in school. Noise- cancelling technology holds great promise in this context. To reduce potential negative experiences with auditory stimuli, studies (Neave- DiToro, 2020; Pfeiffer et al., 2019) show that the use of noise-cancelling technology is beneficial for autistic students with auditory difficulties in school, helping to reduce auditory distraction and distress and improve their learning potential. Noise-cancelling headphones are often used for this purpose and can be divided into two main categories, passive and active. Both provide basic sound insulation, but in addition active noise- cancelling headphones can often reproduce sound and fade in ambient noise. Both active and passive noise- cancellation do not provide complete noise isolation, but they do attenuate the intensity of sound to some degree (Kulawiak, 2021).

This is a scoping review study that aims to provide an appropriate theoretical framework for the integration of noise-cancelling technology in the everyday school life of autistic students with auditory sensory difficulties. There is a paucity of research in this area, especially research that integrates both special need education and noise- cancelling technology research on autistic students. It is therefore crucial to gain an overview of the research field and to synthesise research from traditionally different fields. This is considered important in its own right, but also to provide a solid basis for ensuring high quality in the crucial decision of designing future studies, and to ground them in well-documented research gaps. In the longer term, gaining knowledge in this field is particularly important as it can contribute to increased awareness and discussion on how to best facilitate for autistic students with auditory difficulties in school, and potentially to more inclusive education in practice. In this scoping review, the focus will be on five overarching aspects relevant to the research question: (1) autism, (2) noise- cancelling technology, (3) auditory sensory difficulties, (4) school settings, and (5) effects of interventions. A range of databases both general and across different fields, including grey literature will be searched and will be included or excluded on the grounds of set criteria. Both qualitative and quantitative (mainly descriptive statistics) will make up the basis for the analyses. This review will be conducted in accordance with the PRISMA framework (Tricco et al., 2018).

The expected outcome of this study is a review of relevant empirical research and the state of the art in integrating the two traditionally disparate research fields of special education and audio technology. It is expected that this review will provide evidence on a range of conditions that may be relevant to the appropriateness of using noise cancelling technology in schools for autistic students with auditory difficulties. The conditions that are expected to be important include, but may not be limited to, different noise conditions, the type of academic task, individual differences between students and different types of noise-cancelling technology. In addition, the results are expected to provide evidence about the impact of the use of noise cancelling technology on students in the school, both in terms of academic, social and emotional aspects. In this context, it is important to focus on both possible advantages and disadvantages. It is also expected that this research will help to identify potential research gaps in the existing research on the integration of noise cancelling technology into the everyday school life of autistic students with auditory difficulties. It will also provide a sound basis for where further research in this area should focus. The outcome of this research is expected to contribute to increased awareness of the standards of evidence-based practice for good adaptations in the use of noise- cancelling technology in schools for autistic students with auditory difficulties. And what further implications this may have for educational practice and further research.

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