National Guidance to create inclusive classrooms for autistic students
Autism CRC is delighted to announce the release of the National Guidance for best practice in inclusive education for autistic students (National Guidance). The National Guidance focuses on supporting inclusive education for autistic students in mainstream settings, from early childhood through to primary and secondary schooling.
Independent autistic reviewer and psychologist, Dr Wenn Lawson, said “At last, a national framework hosting guidance for inclusive education allowing all of Australia to be on the same page. This initiative opens doors paving the way to positively impact practice like never before."
The National Guidance provides a clear, evidence-informed foundation for transforming school cultures and practices so that autistic students experience safety, belonging, engagement and success.
Developed for both early childhood and school systems, the National Guidance will also help school leaders, teachers, parents, and professionals working with autistic students.
The Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO) stated, "If applied as intended, the Guidance has strong potential to support more consistent and evidence-informed approaches to inclusive education across schools."
Co-produced with the community
The National Guidance was co-produced with the stakeholder community and developed with researchers from Queensland University of Technology, La Trobe University and Griffith University. It is grounded in a rigorous methodology, informed by formal guideline development processes, and draws on:
- seven systematic literature reviews (64,434 articles screened; 507 included)
- a national community consultation involving more than 800 participants (including autistic youth)
- a Delphi study with experienced school leaders
- input and endorsement from a Guidance Development Group and Reference Group including autistic people, educators, parents, allied health professionals, First Nations representatives, and leaders from across Australian school systems.
Shaped by nine Guiding Principles, the National Guidance addresses four key areas: student wellbeing, belonging and relationships; pedagogy and teaching practices; collaboration, connections and leadership; and the physical environment.
Autism CRC would like to thank everyone involved shaping this historic guidance, which brought together not only federal, state and territory departments of education, but also the insights of autistic youth, school leaders, allied health professionals, teachers, parents and autistic adults.
Independent reviewer Sue Fletcher-Watson, Professor of Developmental Psychology at the University of Edinburgh said, “If schools implement this guidance, I have no doubt a positive difference would result.”
Get your copy
This resource is available free of charge as a downloadable PDF. To access the National Guidance, including Recommendations and Ways the Recommendations could be applied, supporting documents and resources, register through the the Autism CRC Best Practice Portal.