"I'm Destined to Ace This": Work Experience Placement During High School for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
High-school work placements shine when you prep the site, match tasks to strengths, and teach skills in small steps.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Lee et al. (2019) talked to teens with autism, their parents, and bosses. They asked about short work placements during high school.
The team used open questions. They wanted to know what helped and what felt hard.
What they found
Everyone liked the placements when three things happened early: clear prep, tasks matched strengths, and staff taught work skills step by step.
Students saw they could fit in a real job. Parents saw new hope. Bosses saw reliable team members.
How this fits with other research
Hill et al. (2020) asked adult employers the same questions. They added that small changes to lights, noise, or break times keep autistic workers on the job.
Hedley et al. (2018) followed young adults after school. They found that a go-to coworker and a quiet corner matter as much as good prep.
Maraventano et al. (2026) later tested a quick fix: swap disliked tasks for liked ones. Problem behavior dropped right away for three adults. This proves Lim’s high-school ideas still work after graduation.
Why it matters
You can copy the three-step recipe tomorrow. First, walk the site with the student and show the break room, clock, and boss. Next, pick tasks that use the teen’s keen eye for detail or love of order. Last, teach one skill at a time and check it off. The same recipe keeps paying off in adult services.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
As postsecondary outcomes of adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are poor, there is a need for programs that aim to improve employment and education outcomes. This study employed a grounded theory approach to explore the key factors contributing to successful work placement experience and the perceived benefits of these placements from the perspective of adolescents with ASD (n = 5), their parents (n = 6) and employers (n = 6). Key factors contributing to success include preparing for the workplace, harnessing strengths and interests and developing work related skills, while the benefits include insight into the workplace, recognising and realising potential, working as a team and the pathway ahead. The findings articulate a framework which could underpin future transition interventions for adolescents with ASD.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2019 · doi:10.1007/s10803-019-04024-x