Date of Award

Summer 8-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

STEM Education & Professional Studies

Program/Concentration

Instructional Design and Technology

Committee Director

Tian Luo

Committee Member

Brandon Butler

Committee Member

Jonna Bobzien

Abstract

During the twenty-first century, autistic learners have enrolled in colleges and universities in greater numbers; however, the majority of research focused on their experiences in higher education has found them to be less academically successful than their neurotypical peers. The academic skills that autistic students bring to higher education are often tempered by social, emotional, and self-regulative challenges. The body of research focusing on autistic learners’ experiences in higher education is currently limited and focused primarily on fully in-person and online course models. No extant research has focused on autistic students’ experiences with hybrid or blended course models.

This interpretive phenomenological study addressed the gap in current research by examining autistic students’ lived experiences in hybrid flexible (HyFlex) courses in both two- and four-year higher education institutions. Its primary research question, “How do autistic students experience hybrid flexible (HyFlex) instruction in higher education?”, was divided into three sub-questions: (1) Which affordances of hybrid flexible courses do autistic students perceive as most beneficial? (2) Which aspects of hybrid flexible courses do autistic students perceive as least beneficial or disadvantageous? and (3) How do autistic students navigate challenges they encounter in hybrid flexible courses? The study employed semi-structured interviews of eighteen autistic study participants to address these questions. Results were analyzed both individually and in combination using hermeneutic analysis and multiple cycles of coding.

The study found that the HyFlex model’s flexibility afforded participants control over the circumstances of their learning and interactions with others; however, they encountered challenges related to technology, inequity, inconsistency, individual instructional approaches, executive functioning, and crossmodal communication. To navigate these challenges, participants used the flexibility of the model itself, self-reliance, disability accommodations, and the assistance of others.

The study’s findings have implications not only for autistic college students but also for multiple stakeholders in higher education, including instructors, administrators, academic advisors, and instructional designers. These findings are subject to several limitations related to the use of a phenomenological research design, selection of prospective study participants, and the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Future research directions that address these limitations are suggested.

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DOI

10.25777/mae7-7v71

ISBN

9798193215936

ORCID

0000-0001-6156-6807

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