Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Neurodiversity is Diversity: “We Need to Normalize and Humanize the Concept”

By Solvegi Shmulsky

Many of us live with a disability that affects a major life activity, such as school, work, or social relationships. Many students with disabilities have conditions that affect learning, such as autism, ADHD, and dyslexia. “Neurodiversity” was coined by sociologist Judy Singer in 1999, referring to the idea that all brains function differently and that this diversity is natural and beneficial for our species. In this paradigm, neurodiversity is a stable part of human diversity that should be accepted and valued, not a set of pathologies to be cured. 

“Many students face bias,” says Dr. Timothy Beck, an assistant professor of psychology and the co-director of the Landmark College Center for Neurodiversity, which works for social justice by amplifying neurodivergent voices and creating community both in and outside the college. “They have been stereotyped by other people and institutions, and it’s harmed them. The neurodiversity paradigm gives them a way to reframe their own learning, connect with resources, and feel confident.”

Landmark College students in a class designed specifically for neurodiverse students

“We need to normalize and humanize the concept of being neurodivergent,” Landmark College student advocate Holly Kasten says. “Otherwise, too many of us are on the outside.”

Kasten, a psychology major at Landmark College, and Nicole Yee, a design major at the Rhode Island School of Design who spent a year at Landmark as a visiting student, were interns at the Center for Neurodiversity. Collaborating with other students, Kasten and Yee created programming on campus, led a student group called the Neurodiverse Brains Club, and presented on two panels at national conferences. “Students should not have to feel ashamed,” Yee says. “Disability is diversity.”

Nicole Yee, a former intern at the Landmark College Center for Neurodiversity

“Students talk about dealing with the mental health consequences of stigma associated with neurodivergence,” Beck says. “Anxiety, stress, and masking come up frequently in student stories.”

Ultimately, these and other challenges make getting ahead harder. “Outcomes have improved in recent decades,” says Dr. Adam Lalor, codirector of the Center for Neurodiversity and vice president for educational research and innovation at Landmark College. “More students with disabilities pursue postsecondary education, and that’s good news for equality.” Still, he cites continuing inequities, noting that neurodivergent students, compared with their neurotypical peers, complete fewer four-year degrees, earn lower salaries, and take longer to complete their education.

For neurodivergent people, weaknesses may have been a defining feature of their experience. Students must know their weaknesses to identify their needs, but it is also important that they know their strengths. That is a core insight of the neurodiversity paradigm, Beck explains. “This mindset takes the fact that everyone’s brain is different and sees that as valuable, both to individuals and communities,” he says. 

When educators, parents, and employers focus on strengths, they can reduce the stigma neurodiverse students face. At a community level, neurodiversity, like cultural diversity, can benefit groups and expand human potential. For example, a working group made up of people who think differently brings more ideas to the table, making problem-solving more creative. 

Lalor advises educators and others to start small with the goal of sustainable change. “Talk to someone, read a book, or watch films,” he says. “Get to know what neurodiversity is like. Then read and soak up content about educational practices, but go slow. When you get excited by an idea, pick one small change to make.”

Solvegi Shmulsky is dean of the School of Liberal Studies and the Arts and a professor of psychology at Landmark College in Putney, Vermont. This is an abridged version of an article that was originally published in the Winter 2022 issue of Liberal Education, the magazine of the American Association of Colleges and Universities. Landmark College was founded in 1985 and serves students with learning differences including dyslexia, ADHD, autism, and executive function challenges. For information about Landmark College’s on-campus and online programs, visit www.landmark.edu

This post is sponsored by Landmark College

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