Listening to the Perspectives of Autistic Adolescents on Inclusive Education: a Systematic Literature Review

Autistic adolescents are increasingly educated in inclusive settings. This likely affects their education and experiences in a variety of ways, yet their opinions on their inclusive educational experiences are rarely sought. Autistic adolescents should be given the opportunity to share their opinions on their inclusive experiences to help identify structural issues that limit their success, as well as the school supports they desire. This literature review synthesizes the opinions of autistic adolescents on their experiences in inclusive education. After identifying 23 eligible studies in a systematic search, five overarching themes were identified relating to (1) negotiating identity, (2) peer interactions, (3) teacher characteristics, (4) instructional practices, and (5) classroom and school environment. Limitations and implications for future research and practice are discussed, including the need to conduct studies on this topic in the USA and to solicit the perspectives of female autistic adolescents more actively.