[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":3,"doc-seo-621129-105":59,"doc-detail-621129-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,13,18,23,28,33,38,43,48,51,55],{"id":8,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":10,"show_sort_weight":11,"slug":12},1,"Document","Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":14,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":15,"show_sort_weight":16,"slug":17},2,"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":19,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":20,"show_sort_weight":21,"slug":22},4,"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":24,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":25,"show_sort_weight":26,"slug":27},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":29,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":30,"show_sort_weight":31,"slug":32},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":34,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":35,"show_sort_weight":36,"slug":37},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":39,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":40,"show_sort_weight":41,"slug":42},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":44,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":45,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":47},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":46,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":49,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":50},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":52,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":53,"show_sort_weight":52,"slug":54},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":56,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":57,"show_sort_weight":24,"slug":58},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":60,"data":61},"ok",{"site_id":62,"language":63,"slug":64,"title":65,"keywords":66,"description":67,"schema_data":68,"social_meta":123,"head_meta":125,"extra_data":127,"updated_unix":129},105,"en","accessibility-in-exams-for-students-on-the-autism-spectrum-research-and-innovation","Accessibility in exams for students on the autism spectrum - Research and Innovation","","Accessibility in examinations for students on the autism spectrum is reviewed through rapid evidence synthesis tied to Ofqual’s consultation on designing accessible assessments. The review explains autism as a lifelong developmental condition affecting communication and interaction, notes variation across the spectrum and common co-occurring disabilities, and summarizes reported exam-specific barriers. It outlines current JCQ access arrangements, such as extra time, supervised rest breaks, readers or read-aloud tools, scribes, and language-modified papers, and highlights gaps between in-school support and exam readiness.",{"@graph":69,"@context":122},[70,84,105],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":20,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/exam/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/accessibility-in-exams-for-students-on-the-autism-spectrum-research-and-innovation/621129/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/accessibility-in-exams-for-students-on-the-autism-spectrum-research-and-innovation/621129.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"Fahsai","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-30","2026-10-20",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":24},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",{"@type":106,"mainEntity":107},"FAQPage",[108,114,118],{"name":109,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":111},"How does the document define autism and what does it imply for assessment support?","Question",{"text":112,"@type":113},"Autism is described as a lifelong developmental disability that affects communication and interaction, and as a spectrum condition affecting people in different ways. The review stresses that students share some characteristics but are all different, so exam accessibility needs can vary greatly.","Answer",{"name":115,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":116},"Which access arrangements for exam accessibility are listed in the document?",{"text":117,"@type":113},"The document lists arrangements set out by JCQ, including supervised rest breaks, extra time, reader or computer reader, read aloud/read-aloud tools, scribes and word processors, prompter, and language modifier or language-modified papers.",{"name":119,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":120},"What exam-related challenges do students on the autism spectrum face according to the review?",{"text":121,"@type":113},"Key challenges include difficulty understanding the wording of exam questions, sensory difficulties, issues related to motor-skill actions, and struggling to focus during exams.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":124,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":126,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":128,"site_id":62},621129,1792694222,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":131},{"doc_id":128,"user_id":132,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":19,"category_name":20,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":24,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":52,"language":139,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":143,"read_time":144,"preview_page_count":4},549768702563,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/8000c4aa63b76e948b?x-image-process=image/resize,m_fixed,w_180,h_180&k=1786536092046926083","Accessibility in exams for students on the autism spectrum  \nResearch and Innovation  \nCorina Balaban and Khalid Ahmed  \n\n| Terminology used in this document: abbreviations and definitions |\n| --- |\n| Abbreviations\u003Cbr>• Autistic spectrum disorder/condition (ASD/ASC) |\n| Definition of autism\u003Cbr>According to the National Autistic Society (NAS; n.d. ), autism is ‘a lifelong developmental disability which affects how people communicate and interact with the world’(‘What is autism?’section) . The NAS also states that ‘autism is a spectrum condition and affects people in different ways’ (‘Being autistic’ section) .\u003Cbr>There is no single universally accepted way of describing autism (Autism Education Trust [AET], n.d.-b) . The AET (2021a) avoids the term ASD, due to its negative connotations , and uses the descriptor ‘autistic students’. The current review adopts a similar approach and uses the term‘autistic person’ or ‘person on the autism spectrum’. |\n\nExecutive summary  \nAutism is characterised by unique brain functioning and it affects how people communicate and interact with the world. Autistic people share certain characteristics but are all different, with many having a co-occurring disability or condition; the needs of autistic students can therefore vary greatly. This review summarises the key findings around exam accessibility for students on the autism spectrum and identifies areas for future exploration. It is part of a series of rapid evidence reviews shaped by Ofqual’s consultation on designing and developing accessible assessments. Other reviews focus on D/deaf students, students with learning difficulties, students with visual impairment, students with different cultural backgrounds , and students with English as an additional language.  \nIntroduction  \nAutism is characterised by unique brain functioning; it is not an illness (Autism Education Trust [AET], n.d.-a) . Autistic people share certain characteristics but are all different because autism is considered a spectrum (AET, n.d.-a) . Although autism itself is not a learning disability, around half of autistic people also have a co-occurring disability (Mencap, n.d. ) . Other conditions that may present alongside autism include deafness and visual impairment (National Autistic Society [NAS], 2020) .  \nVarious access arrangements, set out by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ, 2023), are currently available for students with communication and interaction difficulties. These include:  \n• supervised rest breaks  \n•  extra time  \n•  reader or computer reader  \n•  read aloud or exam reading pen  \n•  scribes and word processors  \n•  prompter  \n• language modifier  \n• language modified papers.  \nResearch has shown that people on the autism spectrum exhibit a wide range of cognitive abilities. In fact, some studies suggest that people on the autism spectrum fall within the average or above average intelligence range (e.g. Crespi, 2016) . However, findings relating to intelligence and cognitive skills among this population are mixed, underscoring how people experience autism in very different ways (Wolff et al. , 2022) . According to the National Health Service (n.d. ) , autistic people can have any level of intelligence. Nevertheless, the educational outcomes of students on the autism spectrum are characterised by low attainment and inconsistent participation in standardised assessment (Wood & Happé, 2023 ; Department for Education [DfE], 2019a, 2019b; Keen et al. , 2016; Fleury et al. , 2014) . This is despite national provisions that stipulate parity of access and equality of opportunity (Douglas et al. , 2012; Children and Families Act, 2014) .  \nA report by the NAS (2021) revealed significant challenges for autistic children in English schools , which may contribute to these low attainment outcomes. Parents reported facing long delays, often over a year, to get support for their children. Furthermore, most parents felt their child's school was not equipped to ha","cbCaib6DyPbWrwGy","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaib6DyPbWrwGy","pdf",238532,"English","# Terminology used in this document\n## Definition of autism\n# Executive summary\n# Introduction\n# Current access arrangements\n## Supervised rest breaks","[{\"question\":\"How does the document define autism and what does it imply for assessment support?\",\"answer\":\"Autism is described as a lifelong developmental disability that affects communication and interaction, and as a spectrum condition affecting people in different ways. The review stresses that students share some characteristics but are all different, so exam accessibility needs can vary greatly.\"},{\"question\":\"Which access arrangements for exam accessibility are listed in the document?\",\"answer\":\"The document lists arrangements set out by JCQ, including supervised rest breaks, extra time, reader or computer reader, read aloud/read-aloud tools, scribes and word processors, prompter, and language modifier or language-modified papers.\"},{\"question\":\"What exam-related challenges do students on the autism spectrum face according to the review?\",\"answer\":\"Key challenges include difficulty understanding the wording of exam questions, sensory difficulties, issues related to motor-skill actions, and struggling to focus during exams.\"}]","Accessibility in exams for students on the autism spectrum - Research and Innovation | PDF",1792464987,25]