Celebrating World Autism Awareness Day 2023

Collaboration and co-production in autism research

Student perspective

Sam, a PhD student studying for a doctorate in autism education, collaborated with UCL students to create change within the university. He said:

“Having the opportunity to work with autistic students and staff on a project to improve their university experience has without doubt been the most interesting thing I’ve been involved with. I met and worked with some really interesting and inspiring people."

• Seven Questions with... Sam Dexter

Making educational materials more inclusive

IOE's Centre for Inclusive Education (CIE) has worked with the the Bank of England to review and recommend adaptations to its resources for schools, so they are as accessible as possible to children with special education needs. One example related to the headline 'Money Makes The World Go Round'. Dr Amelia Roberts, Deputy Director of CIE, explains: "if you are autistic that could be very discombobulating because money doesn't literally make the world go round. It was a creative approach, which was beautifully illustrated, but it's not inclusive". 

Student perspective

“While at IOE, the visit to the autism school in the “Autism: Theory and Practice” elective [module] was a specific highlight for me. It was a great opportunity to see how the theoretical background we had gained on autism can be reflected in a school environment." - Nazli (Special and Inclusive Education MA, 2020)

• Q&A with Nazli El Leithy
• See also: Special and Inclusive Education (Autism) MA

Improving employment prospects for autistic adults

Dr Anna Melissa Romualdez, a lecturer in Psychology, says:

“My research is focused on employment for autistic people, particularly on identifying the barriers to employment that autistic people face. Of course, the ultimate goal of my research would be to improve employment outcomes for autistic people, and that will only happen if we get employers and work cultures to change and become more inclusive."

And IOE academics are working on exactly that. Professors Anna Remington and Liz Pellicano have been working with autism research charity Autistica, and Deutsche Bank on a internship programme that hires autistic graduates and raises awareness of steps to improve inclusivity in the workplace.

Student perspective

David is a doctoral student researching new technologies to assist autistic adolescents and adults. He said: 

“Autism is a lifelong condition. It does not evaporate when your child turns 18 years of age. Researching potential supports for later life opportunities is what I find most motivating and what gets me up at 4am most mornings... Most importantly, the UK’s advanced approach to neurodiversity (both in research and in community thought/support) is vastly different from what we experience here in the US. To my way of thinking, I much prefer European discourse and theory embedded in neurodiverse supports; it speaks to a considerably more respectful, ethical and humanistic approach."

• Q&A with David Ruttenberg

Explore more autism research happening at IOE

• The experiences of autistic young people and their parents of lockdown and the reopening of schools - key messages for policymakers, schools and families.
• ECHOES Project: Supporting autistic children in learning of social interaction skills through intelligent technology.
• Centre for Research in Autism and Education
• UCL Centre for Inclusive Education
• Group for Research in Relationships And Neuro-Diversity GRRAND
• Department of Psychology and Human Development