”Det känns bra att få berätta min historia, så fler kan ta del av den och kanske förstå hur vi med autism kan uppleva det i skolan” : - Intervjuer med elever med autism som bytt från ett ordinarie gymnasieprogram till specialklass

Sammanfattning: Abstract Each year students goes to high school with expectations to obtain new knowledge and new experiences. Taking a step from elementary school to high school, is like turning pages and starting a new chapter in their lives. However, for some of the students it doesn't turn out the way they imagined. Some of the students experience difficulties and setbacks that they deal with in different ways. This study is about students with autism who started an ordinary high school programme and then later transferred to a special class with adaptions specified to autism. The purpose of this study is to increase knowledge about the experiences that the students with autism describe they carry from attending high school. The study has a childhood sociological theoretical frame of reference and is based on the students experiences and descriptions of their relationship to high school. It is the students’ perspective, to be heard and the interest of the student that is the most important. According to previous research there are areas considered important areas for the functionality of high school for the students with autism. The areas the previous research identified as factors for success are educational, social and emotional aspects. Eight students attending four different high schools in four different countries in mid-Sweden have been interviewed based on a semi-structured form of interview and then been analyzed with a thematic analysis. The students involved in the interviews has all attended an ordinary program at high school and then transferred to a special class with adjustments specified to autism. The students all describe in their own words their experiences of attending high school and what they consider important to be able to make it at high school. The students describe how important it is to be heard and getting the chance to talk about their own experiences. They also express a wish to help other students with autism in the future by sharing their experiences of attending an ordinary high school programme.