Beyond Barriers: Making Mathematics Accessible for Autistic Students

• By: Ailton Barcelos da Costa, PhD Nassim Chamel Elias, PhD Federal University of São Carlos, Brazil
• April 3rd, 2026
• cognitive support, concrete materials, executive function, hands-on learning, instructional strategies, mathematics education, Spring 2026 Issue, visuospatial skills
• 290    0

Why Math Instruction Matters for Students with Autism Mathematics is often perceived as a discipline marked by abstraction and complexity, frequently associated with low academic performance among students in general. For students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), these challenges may be...

Challenge of Being an Autistic Higher Education Teacher in Brazil

• By: Ailton Barcelos da Costa, PhD Larissa Guilherme Pessoa de Assis e Souza Thaiane Santana Santos Josemery Araújo Alves Camilla Grazielli Monteiro Nascimento Santos Federal University of São Carlos, Brazil
• July 9th, 2025
• accessibility, actually autistic, barriers, higher education, inclusion, late diagnosis, neurodiversity, Summer 2025 Issue
• 3225    0

This article discusses the challenge of including autistic teachers in higher education in Brazil, highlighting the scarcity of people diagnosed with autism working as university professors. In addition to these scarce university professors with autism, the first author of the article has the same...

Overcoming Barriers in Math Education and Assessment for Autistic Children

• By: Ailton Barcelos da Costa, PhD Alessandra D. M. Picharillo, PhD Nassim Chamel Elias, PhD Federal University of São Carlos, Brazil
• December 30th, 2024
• assessment, education, educational interventions, language barriers, math, math education, mathematical assessment, special education, Winter 2025 Issue
• 3582    0

In the 21st century, there is no disagreement that a math education is considered important for all students, including those with disabilities or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), so that their access and success contribute to the development of skills necessary for an independent life. Good...