DO-IT - CUDE

What is Culturally Relevant Pedagogy for Neurodiversity?

lylac — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 21:27:10 +0000

Pedagogy in the US has traditionally been based on middle-class, European cultural frames of reference. Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP), sometimes referred to as Culturally Responsive Teaching, develops teaching strategies to respond to increasingly diverse classrooms by "using the cultural knowledge, prior experiences, frames of reference, and performance styles of ethnically diverse students to make learning encounters more relevant to and effective for them" (Gay, p. 36).

Culturally Relevant Pedagogy for Neurodiversity views neurodivergence as diversity as natural variations on the human condition, just like other forms of diversity. Culturally responsive pedagogical approaches can be applied to teaching neurodivergent students in the same ways it is applied to other identities. This can be accomplished in a number of ways, including the following:

Demonstrating acceptance for neurodiversity in the classroom
Diversifying content to include neurodivergent authors and creators
Maintaining high standards and teaching for student success
Exploring Universal Design in Learning
Encouraging critical consciousness

To learn more, visit Culturally Relevant Pedagogy for Neurodiversity, The Center for Universal Design in Education, and What do "neurodiverse" and "neurodivergent" mean? Additional resources are available at the Neuroscience for Neurodiverse Learners website.

Works Cited Gay, G. (2018) Culturally responsive teaching: Theory, research, and practice New York: Teachers College Press.

What do I need to know about neurodiverse learners and pedagogy?

lylac — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 21:22:01 +0000

Neurodiversity is still a fairly new and developing area of research. The concept of neurodiversity was initiated in the autism advocacy community but has grown to mean the wide range of cognitive differences within human existence. Neurodivergence specifically relates to to someone whose brain processes information in a way that is not typical of most individuals; these processes are understood now to include not only autism spectrum disorders (ASD), but attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a variety of cognitive learning disabilities such as dyslexia and dysgraphia, and Tourette's Syndrome. Proponents of the Neurodiversity movement have worked to highlight the fact that neurodivergence is a natural part of human diversity and that barriers experienced by neurodivergent individuals are a result of social and physical environments, rather than something "wrong" with the individual.

Many neurodivergent learners tend to learn more effectively through hands-on experiences, but academic learning environments and pedagogy have historically focused on the passive learning processes of listening to lectures and reading books. Even when successful in traditional educational settings, other common challenges such as executive functioning barriers, can pose difficulties. Many neurodivergent learners have been left out of receiving a college education because they have incorrectly been deemed incapable of succeeding in academic and professional careers. Changes in pedagogical approaches including using hands-on learning experiences, gaming, and virtual reality can promote greater academic success and open more career pathways to neurodiverse learners.

Kathryn Welby, Ed.D, an assistant professor in Merrimack College School of Education and Social Policy, has provided training to college faculty and has outlined additional pedagogical strategies, many of which relate to communicating and supporting executive functioning processes. Her suggestions include creating a one-page supplemental syllabus guide that breaks down crucial dates, posting daily or weekly agendas, and laying out explicit daily learning outcomes. She also suggests variations in assessment tools and a daily low-stakes tool to check in on comprehension, not for assessment, but as a planning tool for the instructor.

Learn more about Kathryn Welby's strategies in her article for Inside HigherEd,Teaching Neurodiverse Students.

To learn more about neurodiversity, visit The Neurodiversity Initiative: A Promising Practice for Promoting Disability Awareness in Higher Education and What do "neurodiverse" and "neurodivergent" mean?

To learn about projects that work with neurodiverse students, consult the DO-IT website Neuroscience for Neurodiverse Learners and Technical Education Research Centers, or review video resources at the STEM For All Multiplex 2023 Webinar Embracing Neurodiversity in STEM and accompanying blog post.

Deaf kids Code: A Promising Practice in Introducing Computer Programming

lylac — Fri, 27 Jan 2023 22:44:49 +0000

People who are deaf or hard of hearing experience a higher level of unemployment and under employment. In today's world, many products have been created to support interaction between deaf and non-deaf individuals. Work in accessible technology and other computing fields is a lucrative career opportunity, potentially for everyone. Having strong computing skills is essential because of the role of computers in almost every field.

According to their website, Deaf Kids Code promotes, inspires, empowers, and sparks the innovative spirit for students who are deaf and hard of hearing through the world of programming. It also helps pave a path that is encouraging greater social and economic participation of individuals in this group and society becomes the greatest beneficiary of their talents and skills.

Deaf Kids Code’s vision is to bridge economic and social gaps that exist among the deaf and hard of hearing through the cultivation of computing and technology skills. Its leaders believe that incorporating computing topics into education has the potential to give participating students a new level of global participation. Through the universal language of computing, they can become a vital asset in filling the many opportunities awaiting them now and into the future.

Deaf Kids Code is a promising practice because of its efforts to bring computing experiences to individuals underrepresented in computing fields and its overall role as a catalyst for change.

For more information about other programs that support students with disabilities consult Are there organizations that support students with disabilities interested in computer science?

What are language preferences regarding autism?

lylac — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 22:07:49 +0000

There is ongoing debate surrounding the best language to use when referring to individuals on the autism spectrum. Some prefer “a person who is autistic” or “a person who is on the autism spectrum” (e.g., person-first language), while some prefer “an autistic person” (e.g., identity-first language).

In a study of 728 autism stakeholders, researchers sought to examine whether the term “autistic” or the phrase “person with autism” holds favor in the United States. In the study, researchers surveyed 299 adults with autism, 81 parents of those on the spectrum, 44 family members or friends, 207 autism professionals, and 97 people with no ties to the autism community. 87% of adults with an autism diagnosis-preferred identity-first language such as “I am autistic” to describe themselves. A majority of parents liked identity-first language best. But the trend flipped for the autism professionals and the friends and family members surveyed. People in these groups were more likely to prefer person-first terms, and those with no affiliation to the autism community were pretty evenly split on whether to use person-first or identity-first language.

Medical and academic professionals often use terms found in the 5^th version of the American Psychological Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, commonly referred to as the DSM-V. The term in the manual is “autism spectrum disorder.” Some individuals would like the word “disorder” replaced with a neutral word. Note that the term “Asperger’s syndrome” was removed from the DSM-V in May 2013; it has been replaced by “autistic spectrum disorder level I.”

Although there is no consensus about preferred language, when interacting with an individual person on the autism spectrum, ask that person which wording they prefer.

For more information, visit Can students with autism be successful in college?, What do “neurodiverse” and “ neurodivergent” mean?, and What are typical challenges and accommodations for students with autism spectrum disorder?

Where can I find a glossary of disability-related terms?

lylac — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 19:09:14 +0000

You can search the internet for glossaries that describe the meanings of disability, accessibility, universal design, and other related terms. We have included some examples:

Are there employment resources specifically designed to serve neurodivergent job seekers?

ericwt — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 21:31:52 +0000

There are various resources for helping neurodivergent job seekers find jobs and careers. For example, the Neurodiversity Career Connector includes a collection of employers committed to hiring neurodivergent employees as well as providing additional training and support to foster success and career growth. The Neurodiversity in the Workplace combines job posting services with business consultancy services, to help businesses develop policies and services to support neurodiverse employees.

Some specific companies are eager to hire neurodivergent employees. For example, Microsoft offers a program called Simplify Neurodiversity Career Connector and SAS has a specialized Autism Spectrum Internship Program for current students. Other examples of specific company programs can be found in the knowledge base article Where can I find employment resources for students with disabilities?

For other employment resources, check out AccessComputing’s employment resources page and the knowledge base article What resources can help students with disabilities find and apply for jobs?

Where can I learn about experiences of individuals with disabilities in their own words?

lylac — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 21:40:36 +0000

There are many ways to learn about the experiences of people with disabilities, even if you do not interact with them directly. Many books and articles offer stories about people with disabilities, but many people with disabilities have also shared their own experiences through books, articles, videos, blog posts, and other sources.

You can locate autobiographies written by people who have disabilities in collections like 8 Memoirs Written by People Living with a Disability and In Their Own Words: Memoirs ��ԭ�� Living With Disabilities and Chronic Illnesses, or by searching at an online bookstore for "autobiographies of people with disabilities."

To find first-person stories that are freely available on the internet you can use general terms like "disability" or more specific ones like "autism" to search in large video collections (e.g., YouTube, TED, TEDx) to locate videos where individuals with disabilities speak for themselves.

You can also find first-person testimonials of people with disabilities in video and written formats in specialized collections, including the following:

What is "intersectionality" in the context of working with students who have disabilities?

lylac — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 21:32:56 +0000

"Intersectionality" refers to the fact that individuals have multiple identities, with respect to gender, race, ethnicity, age, marital status, socioeconomic status, disability, etc. Those working with individuals with disabilities should recognize that the interaction of these identities influences a person's experiences, perspectives, and other aspects of their life. For example, a boy with a learning disability who grew up in a low income family and attended schools that offered few specialized resources may be less prepared for college than a girl with a similar disability from a family with more financial resources and a school with more services. The combination of these identities may help explain their different levels of college readiness.

What is ableism?

lylac — Fri, 23 Sep 2022 21:10:40 +0000

Ableism is a pervasive system of discrimination that privileges people without disabilities and disadvantages people with disabilities. Like other forms of oppression for marginalized groups, ableism can occur in interactions between individuals, in institutions, between individuals and organizations, within social systems, and as part of social norms, expectations, and policies. Ableist thinking suggests that there is a "normal" way to live life, where certain abilities are essential to inclusion and happiness.

What are different models of disability?

lylac — Fri, 23 Sep 2022 21:06:32 +0000

Researchers, practitioners, and people with disabilities have expressed many different perspectives, often called models, about what it means to have a disability. An embraced model of disability can influence what people consider to be the causes of the marginalization of people with disabilities in societies; within different historical periods, these beliefs have impacted the creation and implementation of legislation, policies, and practices. Although terminology and definitions vary and can change over time, below are short descriptions of some overarching models of disability.

Moral models of disability consider disability as a deficit caused by moral lapse in thoughts, character, or sins of individuals or family members. A moral view of disability can also lead to a person with a disability as exceptional in faith or perseverance because of what they have achieved "in spite of an impairment." This view is reflected in movies when a person with a disability is portrayed as a one-dimensional villain or hero.
Medical models of disability consider disability to be a physical, sensory, or mental impairment—a disease, injury, or ailment affecting a person's body or mind—that needs to be addressed by professionals (e.g., in medical fields or within disability service organizations). To address a person's functional limitations, professionals determine appropriate medical treatments, rehabilitation, and accommodations to existing physical environments, practices, and services.
Proponents of social models of disability view disability to be one aspect of a person's identity, just like race, ethnicity, and gender. Social models often make a distinction between an "impairment" and the "disability"—the product of interaction between a person with an impairment and a physical or social environment. People with this perspective challenge ableism and promote the expansion of what is considered "normal" while including people of all physical, mental, and sensory abilities. They explore how the design of physical and social environments disable some people and advocate the use of universal design and related practices that consider diverse abilities as products are being designed. Social models of disability also address intersectionality by considering the impact of a disabled individual's identities in addition to disability status. They consider disability as a diversity issue to be addressed with respect to equity, inclusion, legislation, and policies in ways similar to those for groups defined by gender identity, age, race, and ethnicity.