Inclusion or illusion? Why neurodiverse students deserve better?

Over the years, I’ve seen many interpretations of what “inclusion” looks like in the classroom, particularly when it comes to neurodiverse students, often those with autism or ASD. In mainstream schools, inclusion typically involves a neurodiverse student being supported by a one-to-one teaching assistant (TA), also known as a shadow teacher. This TA accompanies the student throughout the day, assisting with tasks and supporting lessons delivered by the main teacher. This arrangement is often labeled as “inclusion” or “shadow teaching.”

However, there’s a significant gap between what this role often becomes and what it should be. Too often, the TA’s role is reduced to that of a protector—making sure the student is not hurt, doesn’t harm others, or isn’t disruptive to the class. While these are important tasks, they fall short of the true purpose of inclusion. A real inclusion TA should be actively engaged in the lesson and the student’s learning. This means not only being present but being prepared, informed, and fully aware of the lesson’s content, rather than simply overseeing behaviour.

What Should Real Inclusion Look Like?

Inclusion is more than just being physically present in the classroom. It’s about giving neurodiverse students the same opportunity to learn and engage with the curriculum as their peers. To achieve this, there needs to be an element of pre-teaching. The TA should work closely with the school, not as a separate entity but as part of the educational team. They need to have knowledge of the subject matter ahead of time so they can introduce the child to key concepts before the lesson.

For example, if an early years class is learning about autumn, the TA should expose the student to vocabulary related to the topic—words like “pumpkins,” “harvest,” or “Bonfire Night.” This way, when the student encounters these concepts in the lesson, they’re not completely unfamiliar. Pre-teaching is crucial for bridging the gap between the student’s learning pace and the demands of the curriculum.

Differentiation Is Key

Another essential aspect of inclusion is differentiation. The material must be adapted to the student’s specific needs and abilities. For instance, if a math lesson is about fractions, but the student struggles with math due to autism or dyscalculia, the TA should work with the class teacher to provide a modified version of the lesson. If the rest of the class is working on advanced fractions, the TA might use visual aids like a cake or a pizza to introduce simpler concepts, such as quarters.

This is real inclusion: the student participates in the same lesson as their peers, but the work is tailored to their ability level.

Playtime as a Learning Opportunity

Playtime offers another key opportunity for inclusion, which is often missed if the TA isn’t proactive. I once observed a neurodiverse student in a playground setting, socially disconnected from his peers. He engaged in self-stimulatory behaviour, running around, making noises, and flapping his hands. His classmates noticed and made comments like, “He’s weird,” which only served to isolate him further.

The TA was present but simply observed, ensuring no incidents occurred. However, this was a missed opportunity. Instead of just supervising, the TA could have initiated structured games like tag or Uno, helping the student engage with his peers in a more meaningful way.

The Role of TAs Beyond School

Often, the role of a TA is very much confined to the school setting—it’s something that happens at school and stays at school. But this should not be the case. The importance of generalising the skills learned in school or in a therapeutic center cannot be underestimated. These skills must be carried forward and practiced across all environments.

Childcare is an essential element in supporting a neurodiverse child, and selecting the right person for this role is crucial. In the early years, this could be a nanny or childminder. However, as the child reaches junior school and especially high school, their role evolves into more of a personal assistant or companionship role. This person should be part of a multidisciplinary approach. Every therapeutic and academic service the child receives should be amalgamated and the skills generalised and maintained across all settings.

Too often, we see fantastic results in a therapeutic center, but those same skills are not carried over into real-life settings. Generalisation, maintenance, and exposure to the natural environment are key. Natural environment teaching allows a child to apply their skills across various situations, reinforcing their learning and helping them thrive outside of controlled, academic settings.

The Power of Knowledgeable Support

When inclusion and shadow teaching are approached with the right knowledge and preparation, the outcomes can be phenomenal. Neurotypical students often thrive in busy, social environments, but for neurodiverse students, these environments can be overstimulating and difficult to navigate. Without proper support, valuable learning time is lost, and both the child’s and the parents’ resources are wasted.

For neurodiverse students, particularly during the early years when the brain is most adaptable, the right support is crucial. Missing this critical window due to inadequate support is a huge disservice to the child.

Inclusion Is More Than Just Acceptance

Inclusion isn’t just about saying, “We accept neurodiverse students in our school.” It’s about making sure these students are genuinely integrated into the learning environment in a way that meets their unique needs. It’s more than just assigning a TA—it’s about preparing, engaging, and understanding what the student requires to succeed both academically and socially.

Conclusion: Real Inclusion Has the Power to Transform

When done right, when a neurodiverse student is placed in a mainstream school with the correct inclusion support, the outcomes can be truly amazing. These students can thrive, learning alongside their peers and participating in every aspect of the school day. However, when done incorrectly, the opposite can happen. We often see children struggling to take direction from the teacher in a crowded room, unable to follow the lesson due to background noise and overstimulation. In these situations, the child is frequently removed from the classroom. Instead of receiving differentiated support that allows them to engage with the subject matter, they may be given tasks like colouring or being read to—labeled as wellness or therapeutic activities. But in such cases, we have to ask ourselves: is this inclusion, or is it disclusion? Are we truly meeting the needs of that individual child?

The learning challenges that neurodiverse children face do not reflect an inability to learn. The fault doesn’t lie with the child, but with us as educators, TAs, and therapists. If a child isn’t succeeding, it’s because we haven’t yet found the right approach. There’s a critical window in a child’s development when the brain is like a sponge, ready to absorb new information. Failing to fully utilize this time due to inadequate support is a failure on our part, and the cost of that failure is the child’s missed opportunities.

True inclusion also means collaboration beyond the classroom, extending into the home. New skills taught in an educational or therapeutic setting need to be generalised across all environments—school, home, and the community. Natural environment teaching must occur, and natural environment maintenance is crucial to ensure the child can use those skills in real-life settings. Parents, caregivers, and educators all play a role in making sure that learning isn’t limited to one environment but is integrated into everyday life, creating a holistic support system for the child.

Inclusion means working together—teachers, TAs, therapists, and parents—to ensure the child has the tools to succeed not just in the classroom, but in all areas of life. It’s about providing neurodiverse students with the support they need to thrive, both academically and socially.

Inclusion matters. It’s not just a buzzword or a checkbox; it’s a commitment to ensuring every child has the opportunity to learn and thrive, regardless of their neurodiversity. Anything less than that is a disservice to their potential, and to the responsibility we hold in shaping their future.