Supporting Neurodiverse Students Through Course Design

You’ve doubtless heard the expression “Great minds think alike.” In reality, great minds work in countless different ways, with no “right” or “wrong” way to think or learn. Different peoples’ brains simply work differently. When we appreciate the variability in our students and design with that variability in mind, we can widen the path to success for everyone. Importantly, we can do so without removing content or requirements or sacrificing rigor.

Chances are very high that your classes will include neurodivergent students who, just like all other learners, have unique perspectives, creative ways of thinking, and innovative ideas that can benefit you and all the class members. In this article, we will discuss neurodiversity in our students, and how we can support a neurodiverse learner population through course design.

When we appreciate the variability in our students and design with the variability in mind, we can widen the path to success for everyone without removing content or requirements or sacrificing rigor.

Overview

Definitions

A good place to start is with some definitions.

  • Neurodivergent: Those members of a population who experience, learn about, and/or interact with the world differently than society usually expects. Neurodiversity isn’t directly associated with intelligence but instead with the way that people take in, process, and make decisions on information.
  • Neurotypical: Those members of a population whose brains work in a way that is more commonly expected by society.
  • Neurodiverse: An adjective describing a population in which members’ minds don’t all work alike – one that contains neurotypical and neurodivergent individuals. 

When we neurodiversity through a social model (as a difference that is more or less challenging depending on how the environment is structured), we are empowered to use course design principles that help neurodivergent students engage and perform. This approach to teaching is sometimes referred to as “compassionate pedagogy” (Hamilton & Petty, 2023), and stands in contrast with medical model of disability, which sees neurodivergence as a deficiency or abnormality that resides in an individual.

Statistics

It is estimated that 15 to 40 percent of humans exhibit neurodivergent traits. At NC State, the Disability Resource Office (DRO) reports that for Fall 2024, 50% (1,233) of the 2,467 students registered with their office cite neurodivergence as the reason for seeking accommodations. However, the actual number of neurodiverse students is likely significantly higher, as many do not register with the DRO or may not have a formal diagnosis (Clouder et al., 2020). Additionally, neurodivergent students tend to experience higher-than-average attrition rates (Hamilton & Petty, 2023).

A breakdown of the neurodiverse students registered with the DRO indicates 934 students who have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) with or without another condition (learning disability and or mental health challenges); 165 students with Autism Spectrum Disorder, 134 with a learning disability, and 7 with brain injury. The most common accommodation approved by the DRO is more time to complete assignments, which is specifically helpful to neurodivergent students.

How to support neurodivergent students

While every brain is unique and neurodiversity encompasses infinite variations, many neurodivergent students face shared challenges. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is widely recommended as an effective framework for accommodating neurodiversity in course design (Clouder et al., 2020). UDL emphasizes designing for the “edges”—those who process information differently than what is considered typical—resulting in benefits for all learners, regardless of neurotype. When applied effectively, UDL reduces the need for individual accommodations and promotes equitable participation and success for neurodivergent students alongside their peers.

Use predictable, organized course layout

Predictability and consistency are very helpful for all learners, but especially those who are neurodivergent.

When designing your course in Moodle, aim for a consistent layout and naming conventions for content, activities, sections and subsections, as well as files and resources. By establishing a predictable pattern, students can quickly understand the course structure in the first section and avoid expending unnecessary cognitive effort navigating subsequent sections. This approach helps students focus on learning rather than deciphering course organization.

At NC State, a Quick Start Course Shell is available to help you implement this best practice in your course. To get started, watch the Quick Start Course Shell YouTube tour and review the accompanying Quick Start Course Shell User Guide.  Even if you decide not to use the shell as the foundation for your course, you can still apply its demonstrated principles to enhance the predictability and organization of your course design.

Simplify the visual display

A common challenge for neurodiverse students, especially those with ADHD, is the tendency to become easily distracted and lose focus. Reducing visual distractions—such as excessive decorative elements, animations, GIFs, and moving or flashing text—can help students focus on the essential content. Whether it’s a PowerPoint or Google Slides presentation, a Moodle site, or another type of document, a cleaner design makes it easier for students to identify and engage with key information.

Communicate clearly, consistently and frequently

Planning, organizing, and reflecting on their work are common challenges for many neurodivergent students. Keep in mind that other instructors may have different expectations, so it’s important to be explicit and direct—likely more so than you think is necessary—about what you want students to do and how they can succeed in your course. Clearly communicate the learning objectives for each unit or lecture to help students understand exactly what they should take away from that part of the course.

At the start of the semester, provide a clear timeline with due dates for assignments and assessments to help students plan effectively. Offering a comprehensive schedule and breaking down complex tasks—such as term papers or final projects—into smaller, manageable steps with associated deadlines and constructive feedback can support students in organizing their time. Regular reminders about upcoming benchmarks and due dates are always appreciated and can also help reduce requests for extensions.

Regular and timely feedback helps students monitor their learning, track progress and identify areas of mastery versus those requiring more attention–a common challenge for many neurodivergent students. Effective feedback can take various forms, including self-check activities with automatic feedback, interactive discussions in forums, or personalized comments on assignments.

Support comprehension through scaffolding

Think about something you consider yourself an expert in. Can you recall what it was like to be a complete novice, learning the foundational skills? Often, once we become experts, we forget those early struggles and take for granted the mental frameworks we’ve built to make sense of new information in our field. This well-documented phenomenon is known as the expert blind spot.

Watch your language!

Students may not yet be familiar with the specialized jargon of your field or even with the lingo commonly used at NC State. Use plain language and minimize abbreviations and acronyms to help students build their expertise. Pre-teach vocabulary that is new, and provide or let students build a glossary collaboratively.

Make objectives transparent.

Neurodivergent students often struggle to distinguish key information from supporting details, which can be overwhelming in content-heavy courses. Clearly share the learning objectives for each lecture, session, or lesson so students know what to prioritize. Provide scaffolding tools such as note-taking templates or collaborate with students to build concept maps, helping them organize and focus on the most important concepts.

Chunk information

Large or dense blocks of text can be challenging for neurodivergent students and others to read and focus on. Breaking content into smaller chunks increases whitespace, making documents easier to navigate. Use built-in heading styles, bullet points, and numbered lists to convey meaning and break up long text. For additional guidance, refer to DELTA’s Digital Accessibility Guide.

Incorporate short (<10 min) videos or lecture segments and take time afterward to reinforce key points, highlighting main concepts and distinguishing them from supporting examples. This approach helps students maintain focus and understand the significance of each segment.

Maximize flexibility

As noted earlier, extended time for assignments and assessments is one of the most commonly approved accommodations for neurodivergent students. Can you create some flexibility in your deadlines? Can you replace any timed exams with alternative assessments? Many faculty adopted flexible timing during the COVID-19 pandemic, discovering innovative approaches that support diverse learners. For inspiration, check out the article “Pandemic Pearls of Wisdom: Online Teaching Takeaways from the 2020-21 Academic Year.”

Flexibility in other aspects of your course can benefit all students. Consider conducting mid-semester check-ins to gather feedback on what’s working well and where additional support might be needed. If feasible and appropriate, adjust your course based on this input to enhance the learning experience. By seeking feedback and responding to students’ needs, you foster an environment where they feel comfortable reaching out to you for support.

Conclusion

Following course design best practices that minimize ambiguity and distraction and provide clarity, support for comprehension and flexibility can help all students thrive in your course.

Beyond thoughtful course design, you can further support students by fostering a welcoming environment where they feel comfortable approaching you with questions, concerns, or ideas without fear of negative consequences. A “Getting To Know You” survey (such as the sample survey from Michelle  Pacansky-Brock) at the start of your course can help you understand the challenges, needs or barriers your students might face, regardless of their DRO status. For students registered with the DRO, remind them to submit their accommodation letters and schedule a time to discuss their accommodations with you.

These straightforward yet impactful practices promote accessibility, equity, and inclusion in your course.

Workshop Information

Supporting Neurodiverse Learners Through Course Design

If no workshops are available, you can request an instructional consultation from LearnTech about this topic.

Resources

References

Clouder, L., Karakus, M., Cinotti, A. et al. Neurodiversity in higher education: a narrative synthesis. High Educ 80, 757–778 (2020).

Hamilton, L. G., & Petty, S. (2023). Compassionate pedagogy for neurodiversity in higher education: A conceptual analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1093290.

Kwon, S.J., Kim, Y. & Kwak, Y. Difficulties faced by university students with self-reported symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: a qualitative study. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health 12, 12 (2018).

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