This course is designed to introduce educators (including faculty, staff, advisors, and librarians) to the history, politics, and key terms of neurodiversity and its relevance to higher education. Participants will explore the origins of neurodiversity in the Autistic advocacy community, learn the histories and definitions of key terms such as "neurodiversity", "neurodivergent", and "neurotypical" and explore the relevance of disability law and policy to neurodiversity. First-person perspectives from neurodivergent students and staff as well as classroom case studies provide real-world reference points and applications for this background. This course is ideal for educators who are looking to build their foundational knowledge of neurodiversity and set goals for working toward greater inclusion.
Course learning goals
- Define key terms related to neurodiversity
- Recognize the roots of neurodiversity in Autistic activism
- Explore the relationship between disability law & policy and neurodiversity
- Engage with first-person narratives of neurodivergent students and staff in higher education
- Practice navigating learning scenarios involving neurodiversity through case studies
- Reflect on your own relationship to neurodiversity and draft goals for working toward greater inclusion
- Instructors: Aniko Kellner, Kaitlin Lucas, Natalia Nyikes, Sarah Silverman