Abstract
This study explores support strategies utilised by educators to accommodate schoolchildren on the autism spectrum in the South African inclusive education (IE) system. Despite the commitments outlined in Education White Paper 6 and the Screening, Identification, Assessment and Support (SIAS) Policy, many educators remain inadequately trained and under-resourced, particularly in township and public-school contexts (Department of Education, 2001). The study examines the experiences of a multidisciplinary team, including teachers, occupational therapists, and speech therapists, in a private autism-specific school and a public autism-specific school, focusing on how professional competency, resource availability, and contextual realities affect their capacity to use inclusive approaches. The research is situated within an interpretivist paradigm that highlights various realities and subjective meaning-making, guided by the Inclusive Pedagogical Approach in Action (IPAA) and inclusive education ideals. The design of the case study was qualitative and comparative. Data was collected through seven semi-structured interviews with educators, occupational therapists, and speech therapists, supported by a reflexive journal. To identify patterns across the two schools, cross-case analysis (Yin, 2014) was employed. The results show that although teachers constantly try to help learners with ASD through differentiated instruction, structured routines, visual aids, and collaborative support, their efforts are hampered by a shortage of resources, insufficient training, and systemic injustices stemming from educational inequalities during the apartheid era. Due to smaller class sizes and specific resources, private school educators reported feeling more confident in their ability to teach learners with ASD, while public school teachers faced considerable difficulties. The study concludes that attaining meaningful inclusion requires enhancing resource allocation, increasing ASD-specific training, and bolstering teacher competency.