Accommodation through personalisation: ensuring the autistic student has an equal opportunity for success in the PhD viva voce

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Sandland, B., MacLeod, A., Hall, M. N., & Chown, N. (2023). Accommodation through personalisation: ensuring the autistic student has an equal opportunity for success in the PhD viva voce. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 47(10), 1404-1419. https://doi.org/10.1080/0309877x.2023.2250740

Publication date: 7 Sep 2023 Added to AutiHub: 5 Jul 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
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Authors

Publication authors
4
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 4 (25.0%)
  1. Barbara Sandland
  2. Andrea MacLeod
  3. Mr Neil Hall
  4. Nicholas Chown *

Abstract

Despite the viva being an essential component of all PhD and other doctoral qualifications in UK universities, there is little research into their accessibility for autistic students, or the process of adjusting them to individual students' needs. Autistic student voices about the viva are almost completely absent from the literature. This paper is the first to employ a collaborative, ethnographical case study to explore the doctoral viva voce experience of an autistic student, directly from their perspective and from the perspectives of non-autistic academics central to the process. The experiences we share highlight the limitations of 'reasonable accommodation' plans, if they offer only generic support based on a diagnostic label, rather than taking account of the individual needs, and the importance of recognising the unique role that the viva voce holds within doctoral studies. We present a 'reasonable accommodations' discussion document, to facilitate autistic student-centred discussions and ensure the viva process is fair and accessible. We further assert that accommodations should be formally noted within the examination report as to their use and impact.

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Cited references
68
Total cited references integrated for this publication.
Cited references with an identified autistic author
6 / 68 (8.8%)
Cited author occurrences identified as autistic
7 / 141 (5.0%)
Among occurrences linked to AutiHub author records: 7 / 47 (14.9%). Distinct cited authors identified as autistic: 4 / 133 (3.0%).
Cited author occurrences linked to AutiHub author records
47 / 141 (33.3%)
Distinct linked cited authors: 40 / 133 (30.1%)
Linked cited-author occurrences not identified as autistic
40 / 47 (85.1%)
Among linked cited-author occurrences only. Across all cited-author occurrences: 40 / 141 (28.4%). Distinct linked cited authors not identified as autistic: 36 / 40 (90.0%).
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