LAURETTA NWAKA, MA SPECIAL AND INCLUSIVE EDUCATION, UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM, UK
This case study describes the design and ongoing evaluation of an inclusionAn approach where a school aims to ensure that all children are educated together, with support for those who require it to access the full curriculum and contribute to and participate in all aspects of school life and intervention plan for an autistic adolescent who was recorded as a child absent from education due to severe school-related anxiety and persistent anxiety-driven absence. The student currently accesses home-based education. Their profile includes selective mutism, social communication differences, sensory processing challenges and executive functioning difficulties, which restrict participation in learning and social interaction.
The case study shows how a person-centred inclusion plan, structured using the Positive Partnerships Planning Matrix, can support re-engagement in education (Positive Partnerships, n.d.). The integration of Social Stories, alongside predictable routines, sensory accommodations and executive functioning scaffolds, was associated with improved communication and engagement with mathematics and practical science activities.
1. Context and rationale
School-related anxiety is a significant factor affecting attendance and participation among autistic learners. Sensory sensitivities, social communication differences, uncertainty and unmet support needs can make school environments overwhelming.
Research highlights a strong association between autism and emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA). O’Hagan et al. (2024) emphasise the importance of understanding attendance difficulties through a neurodiversity-affirming lens that recognises the interaction between individual needs and environmental demands.
Increases in EBSA following the COVID-19 pandemic have been particularly evident among neurodivergent learners. Attendance difficulties should be viewed not as behavioural problems but as responses to unmet needs within school environments – a view supported by Hamilton (2024).
2. Planning approach: Positive Partnerships Planning (PPP) Matrix
The PPP Matrix was selected because it supports collaborative reflection on strengths, needs and effective strategies, tailored to the student’s priorities and anxieties rather than focusing on deficits (Positive Partnerships, n.d., see Table 1). Progress was monitored through weekly reviews and a shared parent–teacher communication log to ensure ongoing adaptation to the student’s needs.
Table 1: An overview of the inclusion plan developed using the PPP Matrix, illustrating how identified strengths, barriers and impacts informed targeted adjustments
| Area | Strengths and difficulties | Impacts | Strategies and adjustments |
| Repetitive behaviours and restrictive interests | Strengths:
Difficulties:
| Helpful:
Unhelpful:
|
|
| Communication skills | Strengths:
Difficulties:
| Helpful:
Unhelpful:
|
|
| Social interaction | Strengths:
Difficulties:
| Helpful:
Unhelpful:
|
|
| Sensory processing | Strengths:
Difficulties:
| Helpful:
Unhelpful:
|
|
| Self-care and independence skills | Strengths:
Difficulties:
| Helpful:
Unhelpful:
|
|
| Executive functioning skills | Strengths:
Difficulties:
| Helpful:
Unhelpful:
|
|
Social Stories as an anxiety-attuned intervention
Social Stories are short, personalised narratives written in a descriptive, affirming style to clarify routines, expectations and coping options, supporting predictability and reducing anxiety triggered by uncertainty (Gray, 2010; Kokina and Kern, 2010). Evidence suggests that Social Stories can improve social understanding and participation when stories are individualised, implemented with fidelity and integrated with wider supports (Reynhout and Carter, 2006; Kokina and Kern, 2010).
In this case, Social Stories were positioned as empowerment tools rather than compliance tools, reflecting ethical concerns about interventions that prioritise conformity over autonomy and wellbeing (Milton, 2014). Stories were designed to: (1) increase predictability (what will happen, in what order and why); (2) support low-pressure communication options that aligned with selective mutism; and (3) embed coping strategies, including breaks, sensory tools and help-seeking scripts (Oerbeck et al., 2014; Gray, 2010). Function-based approaches were prioritised by linking stories to specific anxiety triggers and participation barriers (Pane et al., 2015).
Application in science and mathematics
Social Stories were used to preview lesson routines, sequence tasks and clarify expectations. In mathematics, they supported task initiation and persistence by modelling help-seeking and normalising breaks. In science, they prepared the student for practical activities by explaining procedures, safety routines and sensory coping strategies, reducing uncertainty surrounding participation.
Examples in lessons
Mathematics
When I do a maths problem, I can look at the steps on my sheet. If I feel worried, I can show my feelings card. My teacher will help me. It is okay to take a short break.
Biology: Dissecting a plant
Today in biology, we will look inside a plant. First, I will see the plant on the table. My teacher will show me how to cut the stem safely. I will wear gloves and use scissors carefully. If I feel worried, I can take a break or ask for help. It is okay to feel nervous. When I finish, I can wash my hands and put the tools away.
Physics: Measuring speed with a ramp
In physics, we will measure how fast a ball rolls down a ramp. First, I will see the ramp and ball. My teacher will explain what to do. I will watch the ball roll and write down the time. If the classroom feels noisy, I can use my headphones or ask for a quiet space. When the experiment is finished, I will help tidy up.
Chemistry: Mixing solutions safely
In chemistry, we will mix two liquids to see what happens. First, I will wear goggles and gloves. My teacher will show me how to pour the liquids slowly. If I feel worried or the smell is too strong, I can tell my teacher and take a break. When the experiment is finished, I will wash my hands and put the goggles away.
Transition story
When I feel worried at school, I can use my feelings card to show my teacher. It is okay to feel worried. My teacher will help me find a quiet space if I need it. When I am ready, I can join the group again.
3. Impact: Evidence from formative and summative assessments
Impact was evaluated through: (a) formative assessment embedded in lessons (engagement indicators, work samples, task completion with scaffolds and observed use of coping strategies); and (b) adapted summative checks that were designed to reduce performance anxiety while enabling demonstration of understanding through accessible modes.
Evidence snapshot 1: Communication and participation
At the start of tuition, the student exhibited selective mutism and communicated primarily through a mini whiteboard. Over time, they began offering verbal responses to structured questions with the use of preparatory Social Stories, suggesting increased communicative participation within a low-pressure, predictable interaction pattern – consistent with anxiety-informed approaches for selective mutism.
Evidence snapshot 2: Practical science engagement
At the start of tuition, practical lessons conducted without a Social Story appeared challenging, and the student preferred to observe rather than actively participate. As Social Stories were used to preview task steps, clarify sensory and safety expectations and embed coping options, the student began to participate in practical work more actively.
4. Reflection, limitations and implications for practice
Predictability functioned as a participation scaffold. Explicit sequencing and routine clarity reduced anxiety and supported engagement in communication and task completion. Social Stories appeared most effective when embedded within a wider package of adjustments, rather than used in isolation (Ali and Frederickson, 2006; Reynhout and Carter, 2006). Limitations included the single-case design, and while these outcomes are promising, it is not possible to infer causality from a single case study. Progress likely reflects the interaction of multiple plan elements: predictable routines, relationship safety, sensory adjustments and executive scaffoldingProgressively introducing students to new concepts to support their learning.
This article is based on coursework completed by the author as part of a master’s degree at the University of Nottingham.
