‘I Don’t Mind if You Ask Me’: Methodological Insights From Conducting Inclusive Interviews With Autistic Students About Their School Experiences

In this study, we reflect on our experiences of planning for and implementing a large qualitative study of the lived experiences of autistic children and adolescents, a historically marginalised population. While there is a growing recognition of the need to amplify the voices of under-served populations, inclusive and participatory research is still rare, and even rarer with autistic children. Working within a neurodiversity paradigm, and drawing upon our qualitative study exploring the school experiences of autistic students aged 5 to 19 years (N = 51) in Ireland, we offer a real-world example of a flexible, person-centred research protocol involving photovoice and adapted interviews. We describe how we individualised our protocol for the autistic students who participated in this study, supporting a wide range of ages and communication profiles. Reflecting on the successes and challenges of this approach from an ethical and methodological standpoint, we highlight the importance of sensitivity, flexibility, and the value of small actions. Finally, we argue that embracing inclusivity for fully participatory research with younger children is necessary and achievable, and is needed in the wider culture of academic research.