A Qualitative Examination of Stakeholder Acceptability of COMPASS in an Australian School Context

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Love, A., Cai, R. Y., Stephenson, J., Gallagher, E., & Gibbs, V. (2025). A Qualitative Examination of Stakeholder Acceptability of COMPASS in an Australian School Context. Australasian Journal of Special and Inclusive Education, 49(1), 41-52. https://doi.org/10.1017/jsi.2025.3

Publication date: 4 Mar 2025 Added to AutiHub: 10 Sep 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
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Authors

Publication authors
5
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 5 (20.0%)
  1. Abigail Love
  2. Ru Ying Cai
  3. Jennifer Stephenson
  4. Emma Gallagher *
  5. Vicki Gibbs

Abstract

Abstract COMPASS is an educational intervention aimed at supporting individualised goal setting for students on the autism spectrum. Although its effectiveness is supported by quantitative data, little qualitative research has explored the perceived benefits and challenges of implementing COMPASS with community consultants. In the present qualitative study, we explored the benefits and challenges of COMPASS from the perspectives of stakeholders including parents/caregivers, teachers, and consultants. Semistructured interviews and focus groups were recorded and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Participants felt COMPASS (a) brings the right information to the table, (b) sets the scene for collaboration, and (c) uses a quality tool for data collection. The fourth theme reflected participants’ concerns around how (d) time could be a barrier. The data for this study has implications for the individualised planning process for students on the autism spectrum, a process directly linked to critical student outcomes. Overall, stakeholders spoke positively about student outcomes, which they linked directly to participation in the COMPASS program. The standardised process for individualised planning provided by COMPASS was particularly valued. Results of the study provide further understanding about the COMPASS intervention and offer a direction for future replications of COMPASS.

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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: 12 Sep 2026 07:09.

Cited references
41
With a DOI
36
Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
5
2 / 41 (4.9%) cited references include at least one author identified as autistic.
References with data to complete
3 / 41 (7.3%)
References with detected author names
38 / 41 (92.7%)
Without detected author names
3
Without a structured title
3
Without a stable identifier
4
References with raw author names still to review
3
References with external metadata lookup issues
0
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
128
From DOI or external metadata
128
From validated raw bibliography text
0
Raw names already validated
0
Raw names still to review
3
26 / 128 (20.3%) names are linked to an author already present in AutiHub. 102 / 128 (79.7%) names are not yet linked.
Names linked to a person identified as autistic
2 / 128 (1.6%)
Calculated across all author names detected in the cited bibliography. Among names linked to an author already present in AutiHub: 2 / 26 (7.7%). Distinct people identified as autistic: 2 / 104 (1.9%).
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