Inclusive Assessment and Autistic students in Third Level Education in Ireland

The current third level education system requires a square peg to fit into a round hole when it comes to assessment.Assessments are designed for the majority where students who are autistic or neurodiverse are only provided accommodations to "fit in".These accommodations are usually not fit for purpose e.g.providing a student extra time to complete an assessment could compound their challenges as it increases burden.If we consider a wheelchair user being provided more time to climb the steps compared to others, would this be considered a reasonable accommodation?In our current education system, we expect students with dyslexia to be able to provide written reports to the same level as students without dyslexia.Autistic people account for approximately 1-2% of the general population, however they form 16% of the student population.Unfortunately, their graduation rates compared to their neurotypical peers is much lower.Success rates at graduation are not solely linked to a student's level of knowledge or understanding but also their ability to demonstrate this knowledge or understanding through assessments.Accommodations are put in place for neurodiverse and autistic students to help them to demonstrate their knowledge within assessments, but as mentioned these accommodations are not always fit for purpose.Supports need to be integrated at the subject/module level ranging from employing technology aides to techniques such as Universal Design Learning and Inclusive Assessments to assist in achieving positive outcomes.