1st Edition

Enhancing the Well-Being of Students on the Autism Spectrum Learning from Students, Parents, and Teachers

By Joanne Danker Copyright 2020
    226 Pages 11 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    226 Pages 11 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    The importance of enhancing students’ well-being is recognised around the world, yet the well-being of autistic students remains largely unexplored. With the increasing enrolment of autistic students in mainstream schools, it is imperative to develop a comprehensive understanding of the well-being of autistic students to facilitate their sense of well-being in school.

    Enhancing the Well-Being of Students on the Autism Spectrum offers an in-depth understanding of the well-being of students on the autism spectrum using the innovative research methodology, Photovoice. Throughout the text, the author incorporates photographs taken by students on the autism spectrum, as well as interviews with the students, their teachers, and parents, to bring the authentic experiences of these students to the fore. The book also covers:

    • An overview of the well-being of autistic students;
    • Barriers to the well-being of autistic students and ways to overcome them;
    • Protective factors of the well-being of autistic students and ways to develop these within the school context.

    This book is a necessary companion for postgraduate students in the field of education and special education, practitioners within the school context, and researchers interested in the area of autism spectrum condition or student well-being.

    List of Figures

    List of Tables

    Acknowledgements

    Section 1: Setting the Context

    Chapter 1: Introduction

    Chapter 2: Autism Spectrum Disorder or Autism Spectrum Condition

    Chapter 3: Giving a Voice to Autistic Students in Research Through Photovoice

    Chapter 4: Research Study Underpinning this Book

    Section 2: What Makes Up Student Well-Being

    Chapter 5: Positive Emotions

    Chapter 6: Negative Emotions

    Chapter 7: Engagement

    Chapter 8: Relationships

    Chapter 9: Accomplishment

    Section 3: Barriers to Student Well-Being

    Chapter 10: Barriers associated with Developing Relationships

    Chapter 11: Environmental Barriers

    Chapter 12: Barriers associated with Autism Spectrum Condition

    Chapter 13: Barriers associated with Learning

    Section 4: Barriers to Student Well-Being

    Chapter 14: Internal Protective Factors

    Chapter 15: External Protective Factors

    Section 5: Moving Forward

    Chapter 16: Conclusions and Recommendations

    Biography

    Joanne Danker is a lecturer in Special Education at the University of New South Wales. Prior to her work at UNSW, Joanne was a mainstream primary school teacher and has taught students with various disabilities. Her research interests include the well-being of students with developmental disabilities, and participatory research approaches.