In the fifth episode of Series 2 of Speaking of Research, a podcast from the South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership, we meet Nikki Smith, a doctoral researcher from the University of Brighton. Nikki’s PhD explores the experiences of autistic young people in mainstream secondary schools across England, with the goal of informing school and government policies to create more inclusive educational environments.

Drawing on her experience as a teacher, Nikki takes a participatory approach, working alongside autistic individuals to shape her research. Five autistic participants helped refine her research question and methods, leading to the creation of an innovative “star profile” tool for data collection. Through her work, Nikki highlights the importance of listening to autistic voices and tailoring support to help every student thrive - an approach inspired by her own classroom experience, where six autistic students excelled with the right support in place.

You can read a transcript of the conversation here.

Find out more about the South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership at southcoastdtp.ac.uk

This is a Research Podcasts production.

Credits:

Presenter: Catherine McDonald, Research Podcasts

Guest: Nikki Smith, University of Brighton

Producer: Krissie Brighty-Glover, Research Podcasts

Editor: Anton Jarvis, Research Podcasts

Transcripts: Lauren White, Research Podcasts

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