Unmet Educational Needs of Edinburgh's Over 16 Year Olds with Autism

What are the unmet educational needs of
Edinburghs over 16 years old with autism

ABSTRACT
The present study highlights the unmet educational needs of Edinburg over a 16 years old with
Autism and for that qualitative research method used that clearly reflected that there is a need to
make changes within an education needs. Through the secondary data it has been reflected that
number of autism children in UK keep increases and by analysing their need, teachers and centre
keep implement new technique and change their existing strategies to improve student’s
learning. On the other side, by conducting interview from 3 parents and 3 professionals, it has
been reflected that they provide proper support to learning that helps students to understand the
things effectively. Also, it can be state that with the help of implement new techniques within a
school will help to create a better outcome and make students involves within a social activity.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT....................................................................................................................................2
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................3
Background..................................................................................................................................3
Aim and objectives......................................................................................................................3
Rationale......................................................................................................................................4
Scope............................................................................................................................................4
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW.........................................................................................5
Concept of autism........................................................................................................................5
Children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)..............................................8
Students with autism have unique needs.....................................................................................9
CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY...........................................................................11
CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS.............................................................................................................16
CHAPTER 5: ANALYSIS............................................................................................................19
Discussion..................................................................................................................................19
CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS...................................................24
Summary....................................................................................................................................24
Recommendations......................................................................................................................25
REFERENCESS............................................................................................................................26

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
Background
In the current time, education system offers equal opportunities to those students who
suffered from any disabilities like autism. It is one of that situation which includes a problem
with communication and behaviour and that is why, it is considered as a minor problem.
However, autism is found common in teenagers because of their more frequent mood change that
increase the problem among them (Roddy and O’Neill, 2020). Generally, a child who suffered
from autism faces difficulties in developing language skills and understanding what others say
like lack of facial expression, eye contact, hand gesture etc. Similarly, it also affects children
learning and this in turn causes a negative impact because of lack of focus on information.
Moreover, there are many therapies offered to students that assist to reduce the negative impact
over body and as a result they live a normal life.
A person who suffer from autism faces an issue in speech and language disorders in
which they cannot be express their words easily and this lead to lack of communication. Thus, in
school this is considered one of the major issue because it affects the children learning and does
not meet the educational need as well. Hence, the present research also shed a light upon how a
16 year old autism student who recently enrolled in a school faces difficulties to education in
which thematic data analysis will be used to present the findings in more appropriate manner.
Aim and objectives
The aim of the research is to investigate the unmet educational needs of Edinburgh’s over
16 years olds with autism who are currently enrolled in a school.
Objectives:
 To understand the concept of autism and types related to it.
 To assess children with special education needs and disabilities
 To ascertain students with autism who have unique need of education.

Rationale
The reason for conducting the study on this topic is such that it will assist to determine
unmet educational needs among students and describe the ways through which the met can be
solved. Further, it assists scholar to gain knowledge regarding autism in Edinburgh’s so that will
be helpful in the future. Also, secondary research prove that students with autism might face
difficulties to focus on information and that is why, the present study will help to identify how
autism affected the student’s education need.
Scope
The present research will be beneficial to other scholars who want to study on this topic
so that they can use the content as a secondary source. Also, the University also get benefits from
the current study because determine the ways through which the students can improve their
learning. Overall, it can be stated that with the present research, different autism students and
their parents also got an advantage to deal with a situation in order to determine the better
outcome. As, the research provide ways through which autism students can be easily gain
attention and met their education needs as well.

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
Literature review is a piece of academic writing that demonstrate knowledge as well as
help to understand academic literature for a specific topic. In this, different themes will be
formulated on the basis of research objectives and different authors point of view will be used
which in turn assist to meet the defined aim of a study.
Concept of autism
Present-day understanding of autism has moved autism awareness from the shadows of
shame and ignorance to the centre of study and education, as an increasing number of children
and adults with ASD. Traditional diagnostic systems have relied heavily on categorical
approaches to defining autism. For example, the definition of "social dysfunction" has included
various dichotomous criteria such as a "qualitative impairment in social interaction" (Poletti and
Raballo, 2020, p.54). Despite widespread agreement about the central features of autism,
categorical systems differ markedly in patterns of diagnosis. (Volkmar, Carter, Sparrow and
Cicchetti, 1993).
Genetics and neuroscience have identified intriguing patterns of risk, but without much
practical benefit yet (Reader 2022). ASD is a complex and multifaceted neurological disorder.
No single cause or biomarker has been identified, and the increasing prevalence has brought
significant attention to efforts aimed at gaining a better understanding of ASD (Baio, 2012). A
major complication of both research and clinical practice continues to be the varied presentation
of this disorder (Anagnostou et al., 2014), including mixed levels of social interactions, patterns
of verbal and nonverbal communication, repetitive behaviours, sensory processing deficits,
restricted interests and rigidity, and severity of impairment (American Psychiatric Association,
2013).
Autism (including Asperger syndrome) is a lifelong disability, and the concept of a cure
is controversial for many autistic people and their families. It is therefore vital that autistic
people and parents/carers can access reliable information and advice both after diagnosis and on
an ongoing basis. Autism is complex and what helps one person may not help others, so it is vital
that each person is supported as an individual and that any interventions are adapted to their
specific needs (Strategies and interventions, 2022). The diagnosis for Asperger Syndrome is