ABSTRACT
This chapter explores transition of young people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) by first giving an overview of relevant research and then presenting new findings from a mixed methods multi-perspective study conducted by the author in which a group of students with ASD were followed across the transition. The challenges of transition may be greater for young people with special educational needs (SEN) compared to their typically developing (TD) peers, due to increased academic and social difficulties. Autism as a condition pervaded many aspects of the transition to secondary school, and the findings are consonant with previous research suggesting that young people with Autism may experience aspects of transition more intensely than their TD peers and so may require additional support. Most of the young people in this study experienced high levels of anxiety and/or frustration on occasion, and at levels that could be considered unusual for a TD student.
