SAN DIEGO — April 2 is world Autism Awareness Day, the movement has sparked improvements in how children are taught and adults are employed, but discrimination is still prevalent against people who are on the spectrum.
Academics said that some educators and companies are missing out when they overlook neurodivergent people.
“As they recognize their genius, we begin to realize their strengths and what an asset they bring to the table,” said Kimberly A. White-Smith, PhD., USD Dean of School of Leadership and Education Sciences.
She is also a professor at the University of San Diego who teaches about inclusive ecosystems of supporting neurodiversity in school and in the workplace.
“Remote work can allow people to work at their own pace, work at their own hours and we also know the environment, lighting and wall color can really impact the learning experience,” said White-Smith.
The term “neurodiversity” evolved from the autism movement. It helps remove the stigma of someone whose brain differences affect how their brain works.
People who are on the spectrum, someone with dyslexia, Tourette Syndrome, ADHD or ADD are often described as neurodivergent.
“We now know that people who work in high pressure jobs that really have to perform under stress, probably tend to have ADHD. First responders, people who work in the military but it’s gone undiagnosed,” said White-Smith.
The professor says while gains have been made in addressing neurodivergent learners, there are still racial inequities among this group.
Rather giving them equal access to general education to help them excel, many of these students are labeled as “disrupters” with behavioral problems and placed in special education class.
“More students who identified as Black and Latino, Latina, Latinx, were getting these kinds of amorphous labels that were really more aimed at behavior than learning challenges are differences,” said White-Smith.
Tech companies are recognizing neurodiverse talent. Research by Accenture found that organizations that hired people with disabilities have 28% higher profit revenues and more creativity among colleagues.
“We’re really moving from this deficit perspective of neurodiversity to this assets based approach,” said White-Smith.
She suggests by recognizing the strengths of neurodivergent people this can empower an entire community.
“As we learn more about what supportive of neurodivergent learners, we can actually help society become a more inclusive place,” said White-Smith.
USD is working on creating a Center for Embodied Equity and Neurodiversity.
The school is also having two upcoming events about inclusivity in school and in the workplace:
- Beyond Inclusion: From Mission to Practice (April 19-20).
- SOLES Community Conversations with the Dean 2024 (May 6).
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