OARacle Newsletter

Imagine arriving at work and being told where to sit, what to do, and how to do it—without being asked what you prefer or how you feel. Your success depends on you doing exactly what you’re told. Every time you try to express yourself, someone redirects you.

For many students with profound autism, this is what school feels like. When learning is built on compliance, autonomy disappears. Over time, this compliance-based approach can reduce learning to a checklist of tasks required of a student, rather than a set of intentionally designed learning activities done with them. What’s missing is engagement.

Students with profound autism deserve learning experiences that honor their interests, communication, and autonomy. When we center engagement over compliance, we create pathways to genuine belonging and dignity.

This article offers guidance for teachers and families who want to design learning tasks that invite participation, foster connection, and build learning experiences that are meaningful and enjoyable for everyone involved.

Compliance vs. Engagement: What’s the Difference?

Compliance emphasizes completing a task regardless of interest. Engagement focuses on creating learning opportunities a student wants to engage in. The snapshot below shows how compliance-based approaches are different from engagement-oriented approaches. 

The first step in moving toward engagement-oriented approaches is to stop asking “How do I make this student do the task?” and start asking “How can I invite this student to engage in the task?” For students with profound autism, engagement is not a bonus—it’s the foundation.

Reframe Refusal as Communication

When a student walks away from a task, refuses materials, or seems upset, it doesn’t mean they’re being noncompliant—it means something isn’t working. Saying “no” may be one of the few reliable ways students with profound autism can express discomfort, confusion, or overload. Treat refusal as a message, not misbehavior. Instead of focusing on making the student complete the task, ask:  

• Is the task meaningful to this student? 
• Do they know what to do and how to start? 
• Do they know when the task will be over and what comes next? 
• Can I simplify the task or make it more relevant?

Refusal isn’t the opposite of engagement; it’s often the first step toward it. When a student with profound autism resists an activity, they may be using the only tools they have to set a boundary or express a need. Honoring those boundaries builds trust and gives us a window into what makes learning more accessible for them. If we listen closely, refusal becomes feedback. And when we treat it that way, we show students that their communication—whatever form it takes—has value.

Start with What Matters to the Student

If a student isn’t interested in the materials or the task, it likely won’t be meaningful—regardless of how many times we repeat it or what picture we put onto a “first – then” board. Incorporating what matters most to the student tells them they are seen, their interests matter, and learning can include things that bring them joy. Whether that’s tapping a rhythm, flipping through a favorite book, or watching things move, these preferences can guide how we structure learning, present materials, and build routines. When we honor what excites or soothes a student, we create an environment where engagement isn’t forced—it’s invited. Following a student’s interests isn’t “off-task”—it’s the starting point for real learning.

Give Real Choices

Imagine being asked to complete a task, but every time you make a choice, someone overrides it. That is how learning can feel to autistic students when their preferences are dismissed. Offering meaningful choices gives students a sense of control and ownership. This may promote autonomy and reduce task refusal, not by demanding compliance, but by inviting participation and creating a safe and enticing learning environment.

Choice is more than a teaching strategy—it is a sign of respect. Whether a student uses gestures, pictures, eye gaze, or words, their preferences deserve to shape their day. This might mean letting them choose between activities, decide which materials to use, or indicate where they want to work. Too often, what looks like noncompliance is actually a student communicating, “I didn’t choose this.”

To build engagement through choices, options must be:  

• Meaningful: They actually impact what happens next. 
• Consequential: You’re truly prepared to honor their choices consistently.

When students see that their preferences are respected, they’re more likely to participate in the future. Over time, even simple choices can lay the foundation for autonomy and trust in learning environments if they are meaningful and consequential.

Celebrate Small Signs of Engagement

Engagement looks different for every student. It might be a smile, a shift in body position, a vocalization, going to where a learning activity takes place, or reaching for materials. Those actions during a shared activity might be their only way of saying “I’m in this with you.” They show the student is connected and involved—even if they’re not completing the task exactly as planned.

It can be easy to overlook small signs of engagement. For students with profound autism, subtle cues like watching a peer, touching a material, or pausing to listen are essential communication tools. They tell us what is working. When we recognize and reinforce these moments, we help students connect learning with positive experiences.

Conclusion

When we recognize that engagement is learning, we stop measuring success by task completion and start celebrating meaningful participation. Each student with profound autism brings curiosity, preferences, and the capacity to learn regardless of how they communicate or the level of supports they need. When we prioritize engagement, we meet students with profound autism where they are and help them show us what learning looks like on their terms.

Dr. Jenny Root is the Anne and John Daves Professor of Special Education in Anne’s College at Florida State University and an affiliate faculty member with the Florida Center for Reading Research. She is a previous OAR applied research grantee and a member of OAR’s Scientific Council. She has worked with autistic children and their families for almost 20 years as a public school teacher, teacher educator, researcher, and consultant. Her research focuses on supporting meaningful academic skill development in school settings. In 2025, Dr. Root was awarded the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) by President Joe Biden.