Collaborative partnerships in action

This project involved collecting qualitative data from multidisciplinary partner perspectives. The aim was to illustrate how challenges experienced in supporting students on the spectrum are navigated through authentic collaborative partnerships with relevant partners (e.g., the family, student, external partners) and to help identify key elements that are critical to the establishment and sustainability of authentic partnerships.

Data was collected from a real-life, autism specific context with a focus on supporting adolescent learners. The single case study involved five participants and included semi-structured interviews conducted face to face or online at four different time points across a school year. Observations of collaborations in action and archival evidence from participants were also collected. This data generated three main themes and 16 key sub themes which identify several essential elements to successfully actioning collaborative partnerships that support learners on the autism spectrum.

Data from this study was used to inform the development of multimedia professional resources, which are now available on inclusionED, to support teachers and school communities in developing student-centred collaborative partnerships.