Dr Andrea MacLeod

School of Education
Lecturer in Autism

Contact details

Telephone: +44 (0) 121 415 8442
Email: a.g.macleod@bham.ac.uk

Address: School of Education
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston, Birmingham
B15 2TT, United Kingdom

Before joining the University Andrea worked in the voluntary sector, supporting adults with disabilities. She developed and managed models of support (including supported living, employment, peer support and community inclusion) for adults with Asperger syndrome within the West Midlands region.

Qualifications

MEd
BA (Hons)
PhD

Teaching

Programme Co-ordinator for the Distance Education Programme Autism (Adults) Programme and Co-ordinator for the Webautism University Certificate.

Postgraduate supervision

Her research interests are as follows:

Inclusive practice for autistic adults and young people
models of support and self-advocacy
higher autistic students in higher education
participatory methodologies
collaborative approaches to research and practice

Doctoral research

PhD title: “Determined to succeed”: Perceptions of success from autistic adults

Research

Models of support for adults, specifically those with Asperger syndrome and models that promote self-advocacy and autonomy.

Project: Enhancing Outcomes for Autistic Students. The ‘AuVision’ project was a peer-to-peer project co-ordinated by academic staff and an independent mentor from Student Support Services from the University of Birmingham. Source of funds: Centre for Learning and Development, University of Birmingham.

Project: An international review of the literature of evidence of best practice provision in the education of persons on the autism spectrum. Sarah Parsons, Karen Guldberg, Andrea MacLeod, Glenys Jones, Anita Prunty and Tish Balfe. Source of funds: National Council for Special Education (NCSE), Ireland.

Project: Enabling students with Asperger syndrome to participate in the development of an online model of peer support. Andrea MacLeod. Source of funds: Staff Development Grant.

Project: Development of Inclusion Development Programme national web-based resource on autism. Glenys Jones, Karen Guldberg, Andrea MacLeod, Mitzi Waltz and Lynn Plimley. Source of funds: Department for Children, Schools and Families.

Project: Review of the needs and services for children and young people with Asperger syndrome in Northern Ireland. Glenys Jones, Jean Ellis, Karen Guldberg, Rita Jordan, Andrea MacLeod, Lynn Plimley. Source of funds: Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People.

Project: Development of a national web-based resource for primary health care practitioners on autism. Rita Jordan, Karen Guldberg, Glenys Jones, Lynn Plimley and Andrea MacLeod. Source of funds: NHS Education for Scotland.

Publications

Kourti, M., & MacLeod, A. (2018) “I Don't Feel Like a Gender, I Feel Like Myself”: Autistic Individuals Raised as Girls Exploring Gender Identity. Autism in Adulthood: Knowledge, Practice, and Policy. https://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2018.0001

MacLeod, A., Allan, J., Lewis, A., & Robertson, C. (2017). ‘Here I come again’: the cost of success for higher education students diagnosed with autism. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2017.1396502

MacLeod, A., Ellis, L., Lear, C., Kourti, M., Searle, K., Duckworth, C., Irvine, D., Jones, H., King, M., Link, J. and Simpson, J. (2017) Enhancing Outcomes for Autistic Students: Executive Summary of the AuVision Project, Birmingham: University of Birmingham.

MacLeod, A., Lewis, A and Robertson, C. (2013) ‘CHARLIE: PLEASE RESPOND!’ Using a Participatory Methodology with Individuals on the Autism Spectrum. International Journal of Research & Methods in Education. DOI: 10.1080/1743727X.2013.776528

MacLeod, A., Lewis, A. & Robertson, C. (2013) "“Why should I be like bloody Rainman?!” Navigating the autistic identity." British Journal of Special Education DOI: 10.1111/1467-8578.12015

Parsons, S., Guldberg, K., MacLeod, A., Jones, G., Prunty, A. & Balfe, T. (2011) International review of the evidence on best practice in educational provision for children on the autism spectrum, 26 (1), European Journal of Special Needs Education, pp 47-63.

Guldberg, K., Parsons, S., MacLeod, A., Jones, G., Prunty, A. & Balfe, T. (2011) Implications for Practice from ‘International review of the evidence on best practice in educational provision for children on the autism spectrum’, 26 (1), European Journal of Special Needs Education, pp 64-70.

MacLeod, A. (2010) ‘Welcome to my first rant!’ Report on a participatory pilot project to develop the ‘AS Portal’, an online peer support network for higher education students on the autism spectrum.
Journal of Assistive Technology 4 (1): 14-24.

MacLeod, A. and Green, S. (2009) Beyond the books: case study of a collaborative and holistic support model for university students with Asperger syndrome, Studies in Higher Education, 1-16. ISSN: 0307-5079. DOI: 10.1080/03075070802590643

Parsons, S., Guldberg, K., MacLeod, A., Jones, G., Prunty, A. and Balfe, T. (2009) International review of the literature of evidence of best practice provision in the education of persons with Autistic Spectrum Disorders, National Council for Special Education: Ireland.

MacLeod, A. and Johnston, P. (2007) Standing out and fitting in: a report on a support group for individuals with Asperger syndrome using a personal account, British Journal of Special Education, 34, 2, 83-88. ISSN: 0952-3383. DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-8578.2007.00460.x

Jones, G., Ellins, J., Guldberg, K., Jordan, R., MacLeod, A. and Plimley, L. (2006) A review of the needs and services for children and young people with Asperger syndrome living in Northern Ireland, NICCY, Belfast, NICCY.

MacLeod, A. (1999) Growing pains: the potential impact of unidentified Asperger syndrome on the overall development of the child, Good Autism Practice, 2: 32-45.

MacLeod, A. (1999) The Birmingham community support scheme for adults with Asperger syndrome, Autism: the International Journal of Research and Practice, 3: 177-192.

Other Material

MacLeod, A., Ellis, L., Lear, C., Kourti, M., Searle, K., Duckworth, C., Irvine, D., Jones, H., King, M., Link, J. and Simpson, J. (2017) AuVision open-access online resource for higher education staff: https://auvisionsite.wordpress.com/

MacLeod, A., Foster, J. and Kourti, M.(2018) Autism&Uni resource for prospective and current autistic students at the University of Birmingham (Adapted from the Autism&Uni resource developed by Marc Fabri and team at Leeds Beckett University).

Guldberg, K., Jones, G., Waltz, M., MacLeod, A. and Plimley, L. (2009) DCSF web-based and DVD resource for all early years settings, Launched as part of the Inclusion Development Programme in March/April 2009.

Jones, G., Guldberg, K., Waltz, M., MacLeod, A. and Plimley, L. (2009) DCSF web-based and DVD resource for all primary and secondary mainstream schools, Launched as part of the Inclusion Development Programme in March/April 2009.

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