Academic Engagement of Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Inclusive Education: A Systematic Literature Review Iffah Fuadah, Noviana Mustapa, Siti Aisyah, Erie Siti Syarah
Universitas Terbuka
Abstract
Academic engagement plays a crucial role in the educational success and social participation of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in inclusive classrooms. However, engagement is a multidimensional construct-comprising behavioral, cognitive, and emotional aspects-that is often affected by varied teaching approaches, technological tools, and contextual supports. A systematic understanding of interventions that effectively enhance these dimensions remains limited.
This Systematic Literature Review (SLR) aims to synthesize empirical evidence from 2015-2025 on interventions that promote academic engagement among students with ASD in inclusive educational settings and which dimensions they most strongly influence. A structured search was conducted across major international databases including ScienceDirect, Wiley Online Library, JSTOR, ProQuest, and Scopus. Six primary studies were selected that met the inclusion criteria: (1) published within the last ten years, (2) focused on students with ASD and teacher who teach students with ASD, (3) situated in inclusive or mainstream school contexts, and (4) examined interventions related to academic engagement. This research analyzes various evidence-based interventions designed to enhance the academic, social, and emotional engagement of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), particularly within inclusive classroom settings. The findings indicate that behavioral engagement serves as the central focus, mechanism, and necessary foundation for achieving broader, and positive outcomes. Additionally, factors such as clear communication, social support from teachers and peers, and the creation of safe and motivating environments significantly contribute to improved engagement. Effective academic engagement for students with ASD requires a multi-dimensional and context-sensitive approach that integrates behavioral, cognitive, and emotional supports. Utilizing structured behavioral supports to optimize academic participation, which consequently triggers improvements in cognitive independence and the quality of emotional engagement. Future studies should include a larger number of participants and more diverse educational settings to enhance generalizability. Collaborative, multi-site, and cross-national research projects are particularly needed to capture variations in inclusion practices across cultural and systemic contexts.
