Inclusive School Leadership in the Context of the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Law: The Case of Chile

Abstract

The inclusion of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) goes beyond pedagogical adjustments, as it requires deep transformation in school culture. In fact, school leadership has a pivotal role in this process, although it has been scarcely examined in research. This study aimed to understand and analyze inclusive leadership practices related to an inclusive Law oriented to students with autism (Ley TEA) in Chilean schools. Using a qualitative approach, six case studies were anayzed over a seven-month period, including 43 interviews and 34 focus groups. The main findings reveal that school leadership teams have taken on an active role, developing protocols to address episodes of emotional dysregulation and strengthening collaborative work with families and multidisciplinary teams. However, significant tensions also emerged, such as work overload and conflicts surrounding individual rights—particularly among students with ASD, their peers, and teachers—raising organizational dilemmas regarding how difference and inclusion are understood. The study discusses the tensions between policy and practice, emphasizing how school leadership faces multiple challenges in fostering inclusion for students with ASD from a critical perspective