Autistic people’, not ‘people with autism’ and the Problem of Double Empathy

The resource is the result of a collaboration between an autistic student and a neurotypical member of staff at The Open University. The purpose of the short resource is to raise the awareness of staff to the importance of identify-first language and to prompt neurotypical staff to recognise the ways they may inadvertently contribute to the communication difficulties experienced by autistic students. It includes reflection points that will help readers improve their skills as inclusive educators. The resource is relevant to all those working in student-facing roles, particularly those who are new to accessibility.