Trends and gaps in school-based educational activities for autistic students: a UDL perspective

Purpose Classroom activities for autistic students lack clear consensus. This study aims to identify and describe educational activities implemented in school settings between 1996 and 2024, using the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework. Design/methodology/approach A total of 139 documents were retrieved from Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, PubMed and APA PsycNet following PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Study characteristics, populations, contexts and activity types were charted. Content analysis focused on structured school tasks with clear pedagogical objectives and active student participation. Findings Most studies involved very small groups (68.3% with 1–4 participants), predominantly aged 3–7 years. Case study designs accounted for 41% and 33.1% reported improvements in communication and social interaction. The most frequent activities were play-based tasks (28.1%), sensory/motor tasks (22.3%) and artistic, musical or drama-based activities (18.7%), which were associated with enhanced social engagement. Originality/value This study maps activity-based interventions for autistic students, highlighting trends, limitations and directions for future UDL-informed inclusive practice.