Autistic adults face various psychological and physical health conditions which often require ongoing medical attention. Despite a greater likelihood of health conditions, autistic adults face many systemic barriers in accessing healthcare services. It is important to identify facilitators to healthcare access and recognize the impact of…

Given that self-knowledge is recognized as a key component of self-determined behavior, intentionally teaching students with learning disabilities (LD) about their identified disability can create conditions needed for future self-determined behavior. In the following article, action steps are provided that are useful for fostering development of…

Since 2011, increased responsibility has been placed on English mainstream schools to provide appropriate careers guidance and support to their students to prepare them for a successful transition from school. Disabled students are likely to encounter many barriers in their transitions from formal education settings, and they are less likely to be…

Autistic people are more likely to experience physical and mental health difficulties across the lifespan, leading to an increased risk of premature mortality likely due to health disparities. At present, little is known about the healthcare experiences of autistic older adults. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 autistic adults…

Receiving an autism diagnosis in adulthood can be profoundly transformative, yet many newly diagnosed autistic adults experience a lack of accessible, affirming post-diagnostic support. This study explores how a self-guided, neurodiversity-affirming resource--the "Welcome Pack"--supports newly diagnosed autistic adults in navigating…

Noncompliance is a frequently reported challenging behavior for young children. However, many interventions that address noncompliance fail to consider crucial self-advocacy skills that may be jeopardized when compliance is taught in isolation. We examined the noncompliance literature in the context of ethical considerations for young children:…

This study examined how faculty who teach in specialized undergraduate programs for autistic college students approach self-advocacy teaching. Test et al.'s (2005) conceptual framework of self-advocacy was used as a lens to investigate this topic. Through ten semistructured interviews, seven themes emerged to address two research questions: (a)…

Successful partnerships between families and schools can substantially improve children's success in and out of school. Yet parents of autistic children often report considerable challenges with their children's education. Almost no research, however, has examined autistic parents' own experiences. We, therefore, sought the views and experiences…

The importance of using new technologies for learner engagement throughout COVID-19 pandemic cannot be overemphasized. This study examined the challenges faced by adult learners with visual impairment, whose studies were significantly affected by the implementation of lockdown and social distancing, which caused them to stop learning in Eswatini.…

Background: Autonomy is a crucial component of self-determination, yet it is limited for Autistic individuals, especially those with co-occurring intellectual disabilities. We explored how professionals supported Autistic people with intellectual disabilities' autonomy. Materials and Methods: This qualitative study used a community-based…

Background: People with intellectual disability have higher rates of cancer mortality than the general population. Cancer prevention programmes and screenings are recommended in adults, including those with intellectual disability. The opinions of relevant parties are important to ensure that people with intellectual disability can achieve equity…

Purpose: This qualitative study investigated the lived experience of school-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs) who self-identify as overwhelmed. The goal was to devise a formal explanation of the reasons for such overwhelm. Method: Seven elementary and five secondary school SLPs in two separate focus groups discussed the following…

Emerging adults with autism encounter a series of complex systems with different protections under existing legal frameworks. As this occurs, the responsibility for advocating for their rights and needs transfers from educators and families to students themselves. The demands present in higher education settings increase exponentially as students…

Much attention has been given to the academic performance of "disrupted learners," children whose schooling was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic (Turner & Carillo, 2024). An area in need of further research is the impact this disruption had on student behavior and the implications for early childhood educators so they can…

In the competitive and achievement-driven world of higher education, the mental health and neurodiversity of faculty and staff often remain overlooked or misunderstood. While institutions increasingly prioritize student mental health, the challenges faced by educators are frequently ignored, leaving them to navigate a culture that values…