Sustaining academic trajectories in higher education: a longitudinal narrative study of a student with dual exceptionality

Abstract

Objectives: This study analyses the longitudinal academic trajectory of a student with dual exceptionality, characterized by the co-occurrence of autism spectrum disorder and high abilities/giftedness, across undergraduate, and postgraduate education. It aims to examine how institutional practices, pedagogical mediations, and affective support networks interact over time to sustain participation in higher education. Methods: A qualitative longitudinal narrative case study, informed by insider research and practitioner inquiry, was adopted. Data were generated from institutional records, academic artefacts, and systematically documented reflexive accounts produced by the researchers. Narrative analysis was employed to examine critical transitions, pedagogical mediations, and institutional responses across different stages of higher education. Results: Findings indicate that academic permanence and progression cannot be explained by individual ability alone. Sustained participation was supported by collaborative pedagogical mediation, predictable academic environments, accessibility resources, assistive technologies, and affective support networks, particularly during critical transition periods. Conclusions: Inclusion in higher education emerges as a relational, institutional, and longitudinal process rather than an outcome of access policies. For students with dual exceptionality, universities must move beyond meritocratic models and invest in integrated pedagogical, institutional, and affective strategies to sustain diverse academic trajectories.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. International Journal of Developmental Disabilities, 2026 · DOI ↗