School & learning

Autism and school: getting school right for your child

A practical Australian guide to working with schools on accommodations, communication, and managing transitions for autistic students through primary and secondary years.

Raising Children Network (Australia)

Autistic friendships in primary school — what they look like, what helps

Autistic friendships in the 5-to-12 age range often look different from neurotypical norms — and that\'s mostly fine. This piece walks through what autistic friendship tends to involve, what challenges to expect, and how parents and schools can support real connection.

Preschool transitions — getting an autistic child started well

Starting preschool is a major sensory and social transition for any child, and especially for autistic ones. This piece walks through what helps before day one, what to expect in the first few weeks, and what to do when settling takes longer than the brochure suggested.

IEP (Individualised Education Plan)

A written plan agreed between a school and a family that sets out the supports, goals, and accommodations for a child who needs them. Names differ by country (in Malaysia, similar plans exist in some inclusive-education settings).

Accommodation

A change to how a child accesses the same learning — extra time on tests, a quiet space for breaks, instructions in writing as well as out loud. Accommodations are about equity (giving each child what they need), not advantage.

Inclusion

Educating disabled and non-disabled children together with the supports each needs. Inclusion is a stance, not a single setting — done well it benefits both the autistic child and their classmates.

504 plan

A US accommodation plan under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act for students who need supports but not specialised instruction. A 504 plan is lighter-touch than an IEP — fewer goals, more about access (extra time, a quiet space, breaks). Names and rules differ by country.

EHCP (Education, Health and Care Plan)

A legal document in England for children and young people up to age 25 who need more support than a school can provide on its own. The EHCP sets out the child's needs, the agreed support, and outcomes. Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland have similar but different documents.

Shadow aide

A one-to-one support person who works alongside an autistic child in a mainstream classroom — common in parts of Southeast Asia. Done well, a shadow aide fades out support as the child gains skills; done poorly, the aide becomes a barrier between the child and peers. The match matters.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

An approach to teaching that builds in flexibility from the start — multiple ways to take in information, multiple ways to show what you know. UDL benefits autistic and non-autistic students alike; it is the opposite of accommodating one student at a time.