Autistic Students in Hybrid Flexible (HyFlex) College Classes

This doctoral study focuses on autistic students’ experiences with hybrid flexible (HyFlex) college classes, which allow learners to choose whether they participate in class meetings in person, online, or independently. During the COVID-19 pandemic, colleges offered classes with flexible attendance approaches more frequently, but there is no research that has investigated whether this approach to instruction meets autistic learners’ needs. This study asks autistic college students and graduates who have taken courses with flexible approaches to attendance to share which aspects were most and least beneficial and describe how they navigated any challenges that they experienced.

I am seeking 25 participants for this study who:

• Identify as autistic
• Are at least 18 years of age or older
• Have taken at least one HyFlex college class (a class that lets students choose to attend lectures in person, join class online, or learn the material independently).

Participation would involve completing a brief online survey and participating in a 45 to 60-minute Zoom interview.

The study’s goal is to provide information that can be used to improve higher education opportunities for autistic students. Hybrid flexible (HyFlex) classes have grown in popularity and are intended to improve accessibility in higher education, but there is limited research on whether they meet the unique needs of autistic students. This study’s results can help determine what works well—and what might need improvement—to better support neurodiverse learners.