When I first thought about this project, the idea didn’t just come out of nowhere—it came from live experience. As a volunteer at a special school for children with autism, I had witnessed the reality of their world: the challenges of communication, the struggles of parents, the dedication of teachers and the invisible barriers that stood between these students and mainstream education. The question that kept echoing in my mind was simple yet powerful: What if every child on the autism spectrum could access equal opportunities in education?

That became our vision—a school environment where every student, regardless of their abilities, feels supported and valued.

Building the Team

I took the first step by posting the idea on Discord, not knowing who might respond. What happened next surprised me. Students from across India, Switzerland, the US and the UK joined in. Soon, we became a four-member team:

• Myself, Saarang A, from Christ Nagar Higher Secondary School in Kerala, India.
• Arathi Krishna, from LBS Institute of Technology for Women, Trivandrum.
• Noé Csinalos, an apprentice at Kaufmann EFZ in Zürich, Switzerland.
• Shaya Griffin, also an apprentice at Kaufmann EFZ in Zürich.
  

Despite being spread across continents, we connected through Discord, online meetings, and The HORSE platform. Slowly, what began as an idea turned into a collaborative mission.

On the Ground: Our Experiences

The most transformative part of this journey was stepping into the real world of schools and communities.

• In India, I visited four special schools and interviewed parents, Speech Language Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, Psychologists and Special Educators. I also spoke with administrators from two mainstream schools, learning how inclusivity looked on the ground.
• In Switzerland, my teammates studied schools and associations like Edelweiss, Oak Hill, and ASK.
• In the US, they looked into the Monarch School and the New England Center for Children.
• In the UK, the team studied Snowflake, Queensmill, and Prior’s Court.

These visits weren’t just tours—they were opportunities to listen. We gathered insights from educators, policies and most importantly, from the live experiences of students and parents.

Shaping Our Ideas

We didn’t want our research to sit quietly in a file. We wanted to create something. Together, we:

• Built a website to spread awareness: THF-AAI Awareness Site
• Produced videos for Autism Awareness Day, shared on The HORSE’s Instagram and LinkedIn.
  https://www.instagram.com/reel/DH79sNTtJge/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

• Published write-ups on Edublogs, where I reflected on my journey and highlighted that autism is not a disability but a different ability.My Journey with The Horse Project – A Step Towards Making a Difference
  https://thehorsecollab.edublogs.org/2025/05/09/my-journey-with-the-horse-project-a-step-towards-making-a-difference/

Autism is Not a Disability, It’s a Different Ability.
https://thehorsecollab.edublogs.org/2025/05/09/autism-is-not-a-disability-its-a-different-ability-stuart-duncan-malavikas-journey-from-challenges-to-empowerment/

Through these efforts, we transformed data into stories, stories into awareness and awareness into action.

What We Learned

One key realization struck us: strong laws for inclusivity already exist everywhere. India has the RPWD Act, the US has IDEA, the UK has the SEND Code, and Switzerland has robust federal policies. Yet, students and families still struggle. Why?

Because laws on paper don’t always turn into practice. Implementation gaps, lack of trained teachers, funding disparities, and the rural-urban divide remain stubborn barriers.

That’s when we understood the power of student advocates. Unlike policymakers or officials, we can directly influence our peers, shape school culture, and create support systems from the ground up. Inclusivity doesn’t always start in government—it often starts in classrooms.

Sharing and Promotion

We made sure our work didn’t stay hidden. Through Instagram reels, LinkedIn posts, Discord discussions, and Edublogs, we reached audiences far beyond our immediate circles. The feedback we received showed us that our voices mattered.

Looking Back, Moving Forward

The BEFTER method guided us from imagination to reality. What began as a simple question grew into a global collaboration, research, creation and advocacy.

Personally, I learned that inclusivity isn’t an abstract ideal—it is something we build together, step by step. I also realized how much of a difference young people can make when they care deeply about an issue.

The implications are clear: if student advocates step up, schools can move from compliance with laws to genuine inclusivity.

My Hope for the Future

I hope this work becomes more than just a project. I hope it sparks a movement where students across the world become advocates for their peers with autism. I hope schools don’t just speak about inclusivity, but live it—through trained teachers, supportive peers, and a culture of respect and empathy.

Most of all, I hope that one day, when someone asks, “What if every child on the autism spectrum could access equal opportunities in education?”, the answer will be, “Of course they can. That’s how it already is.”

Prepared by
Saarang A
Grade 9
Christ Nagar Higher Secondary School
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India

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