What Autistic Students Tell Us About Secondary School and How They Want us to Respond
In 2025, over 50 autistic secondary students from nine schools contributed their perspectives on school experiences through a statewide roundtable and pre-engagement activities. Teachers and support staff in the pilot schools received professional development and expert advice aimed at strengthening inclusive transition practices and everyday supports for autistic students entering secondary school. Specifically focusing on neurodiversity affirming practices, inclusive adjustments and autism-informed transition supports.
From the student voice activities, five key themes emerged: Inclusion culture, school organisation, teaching and learning, physical environment, and understanding neurodiversity. Of these, teaching and learning stood out as the most significant, with students emphasising the need for clear instructions, predictable routines, chunked tasks, and deeper teacher understanding of autism as essential to their wellbeing and engagement.
This presentation will share insights into the importance of authentic student voice in shaping support for Autistic students, clarifying what is important and what is not from their experiences. Participants will gain practical insights into priority adjustments, transition strategies grounded in student perspectives and how these can be adapted within their own systems. These insights support school leaders and educators to identify concrete, neuro‑affirming actions that strengthen inclusive practice and improve outcomes for all students.
Anna Noble is Assistant Director, Inclusive Teaching and Learning – Reform at the South Australian Department for Education. A former teacher and Flinders University academic specialising in inclusive education, Anna has led system reform, policy, and practice to support inclusive practices in schools. She has driven initiatives such as the Autism Inclusion Teacher (AIT) and Autism Inclusion in Secondary Schools (AISS), translating research and lived experience into sustainable change.
Anna’s work is grounded in inclusive education as a system design responsibility, drawing on national and international evidence to influence policy, leadership, and teaching, in partnership with senior education leaders and fostering strong partnerships with students and families.
Joanna Zeitz is the Project Lead for the Autism Inclusion in Public High Schools program, a 2026 Labor SA election commitment, she is driving system, school, and classroom-level change to strengthen inclusive practice and improve outcomes for autistic students in South Australian public secondary schools.
She is an experienced university academic and developmental educator with senior leadership roles across government and community. Her expertise spans policy, workforce development, and professional learning, underpinned by evidence-based, strengths-based, and trauma-informed approaches. Jo has presented nationally and internationally and contributed to publications and advisory panels, bridging research, policy, lived experience, and frontline practice.