"Getting Autism": Educators, Parents, and Autistic Adults and Teens Reflect on the Importance of Teachers Who Understand.

Purpose: To explore the perspectives of educators, parents, and individuals on the autism spectrum regarding the qualities of teachers best equipped to support autistic students.

Methods: In qualitative interviews parents of autistic adults (n = 35) discussed experiences they and their child faced during the school years, as did young autistic adults (n = 12) and teens (n = 11). Nineteen educators were also interviewed regarding how autistic students and their teachers were faring in public schools as well as what qualities and skills teachers needed to best support these students.

Young Adults on the Autism Spectrum and Early Employment-Related Experiences: Aspirations and Obstacles.

In the United States, employment outcomes for young adults with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are poor, with many unemployed, underemployed, or otherwise unable to achieve their potential regardless of cognitive ability. To explore employment expectations and experiences, qualitative interviews were conducted with 12 young adults with ASD and 28 parents. Transcripts were analyzed using the constant comparative method associated with a grounded theory approach.