Table 2.

Student experiences superordinate themes

Recurring remark/theme	N
Did not feel safe at school/Safe to be me at school	6/6
Did not feel included by student body in the school setting	6/6
Lack of peer awareness of understand about autism	6/6
Lack of teacher understanding of autism/lack of individualization	6/6
Experienced teasing for autistic mannerisms or behaviors	6/6
Experienced some form of bullying	6/6
Lack of social supports or social problem solving	6/6
Mixed abilities/mixed exceptionalities	6/6
Experienced social exclusion	5/6
Was not invited to parties outside of school or events with peers	5/6
How I was treated by peers and teachers was a detriment to my mental heal or self-esteem	5/6
I didn’t know how to ask for what I needed	4/6
School did not always make the accommodations	4/6
Wasn’t treated as a person by school/peers (treated like a toddler, monster, burden, alien, animal, problem, outcast, bomb/explosion)	4/6