‘Sea‐glass survivors’: Autistic testimonies about education experiences

This publication is included in the Autistic Autism Scholarship Project. three authors of this publication are identified as autistic in the project.

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Shepherd, J., Sutton, B. S., Smith, S., & Szlenkier, M. (2024). ‘Sea‐glass survivors’: Autistic testimonies about education experiences. British Journal of Special Education, 51(2), 142-155. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8578.12506

Journal or book title
British Journal of Special Education
Publisher
Wiley
Volume
51
Issue
2
Pages
142-155
Publication date: 5 Feb 2024 Added to AutiHub: 6 Jul 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
Publisher source (DOI) Full text OpenAlex source

This publication is integrated into AutiHub through:

Authors

Publication authors
4
Publication authors identified as autistic
3 / 4 (75.0%)
  1. Jacqui Shepherd
  2. Beth S. Sutton *
  3. Simon Smith *
  4. Marysia Szlenkier *

Abstract

Abstract This article is different. Original testimonies are reproduced, in full, from three autistic adults who reflect on their education experiences. These accounts evolved from a webinar which explored autistic ‘voice’ through research presentations and lived experiences, and this co‐authored article seeks to communicate these reflections to a wider audience. The testimonies are brought together, interpreted and analysed through the lens of the social model of disability exposing the ableist systems in which these adults had to operate. All share the challenge of trying to fit in to a socially, neuronormatively constructed education system, experiencing marginalisation, lack of understanding and lack of appropriate support. However, all three writers emerge as more than ‘sea‐glass survivors’, weathered and worn, having developed survival strategies, but demonstrate their determination to improve lives for those who follow in their wake. This article draws attention to the need to listen to autistic people more frequently, but more importantly to involve them as architects of change for the future. The article was co‐created by three autistic people, who identify as neurodivergent, in discussion and collaboration with the lead author who is an autism ally, autism and education researcher, and parent to an autistic son.

Bibliography cited by this reference

Cited references are imported from external metadata sources when they are available. The list may be partial.

Cited bibliography overview

These indicators describe the bibliography cited by this publication. An author name is counted each time it appears in one cited reference, so the same person can be counted more than once. Names not yet linked to an author already present in AutiHub are treated as unknown, not as non-autistic. Last computed: 3 Oct 2026 01:00.

Cited references
67
With a DOI
49
Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
17
15 / 67 (22.4%) cited references include at least one author identified as autistic.
References with data to complete
3 / 67 (4.5%)
References with detected author names
64 / 67 (95.5%)
Without detected author names
3
Without a structured title
0
Without a stable identifier
17
References with raw author names still to review
0
References with external metadata lookup issues
1
These indicators apply to cited references displayed on this page, after technical duplicates have been merged. A reference without a DOI can still support author statistics when a title and author names are available.
Author names detected in the cited bibliography
135
From DOI or external metadata
135
From validated raw bibliography text
0
Raw names already validated
0
Raw names still to review
0
71 / 135 (52.6%) names are linked to an author already present in AutiHub. 64 / 135 (47.4%) names are not yet linked.
Names linked to a person identified as autistic
29 / 135 (21.5%)
Calculated across all author names detected in the cited bibliography. Among names linked to an author already present in AutiHub: 29 / 71 (40.8%). Distinct people identified as autistic: 24 / 120 (20.0%).
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