What is school like? Perspectives of Singaporean youth with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders.

This study sought to understand the perspectives of four youth with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders (HFA) regarding their experiences in Singapore secondary schools. Qualitative analyses of in-depth interviews revealed that youth with HFA actively construct their experience of being a person with HFA. The extent to which the youth were engaged or disengaged in school appears to be related to the support provided by the environment. Implications of the findings for practice are discussed. The role of the phenomenological approach to providing insights into the lives of persons with HFA is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]