Augmentative communication

 Concluding the series on Curriculums. Bhuvaneshwari and Sharoon Sunny, PhD, are both members of the committee for inclusion and diversity at the Azim Premji Institute. Their research paper is on supporting neurodiverse learners at Universities.

                Bhuvaneshwari is a faculty member  at  the Azim Premji University Her specialties include Learning Disability, Developmental Disabilities, Emergent Literacy, Early Childhood Education.

    Sharoon Sunny is a creative researcher, a teacher.  Her specialties include English language specialist, communications consultant, curriculum designer, writer, certified counselor.

Here is the interview with them:

 

1)    What is the reason you chose the topic, “Supporting neurodiverse learners in Universities?”

 

Both Bhuvana and I have an academic and research interest in the area of neurodiversity. Bhuvana is especially interested and trained to support young neurodiverse learners. Our paths crossed at the University since we are both on the committee for inclusion and diversity. While the support and laws are envisioned positively for neurodiverse learners, “there are a few ambiguities about where children with disabilities should study and who should teach them. Gaps remain in the form of appropriate norms and standards applicable to all educational institutions, services provided to CWDs, and the absence of a coordinated authority to enforce the norms and standards”(N for Nose: State of the Education Report for India 2019 : Children with disabilities).

 

As someone who taught at the college and university for over a decade, I’ve only occasionally encountered students who might have been neurodiverse. I use the word ‘might’ since twenty years ago, testing and advocacy were far and few. Even when students did enter higher education, the policies and guidelines in place were not designed to be inclusive of neurodiverse students.

 

With increased awareness and mechanisms to support identification, the number identified have gone up, but the corresponding higher educational institutions have not. This is what got us thinking about writing about neurodiversity and how we are trying to build institutional support for students with disabilities.

 

2)     Can you tell us about the sample population for the study? Did the study include the neurodiverse as well? If so, what accommodations were provided?

 

We did not conduct any study - this was based on our experience working directly with young adults with neurodiversity-- the accommodations provided to these students included major and minor modifications. Some students declare upon entry that they have been assessed for autism or other learning disabilities, so we pair them with instructors who are sensitive to their academic needs and can support their unique learning requirements.

 

We ensure that all reading materials are made accessible to them via text to speech software and the reading materials are provided to them ahead of time to ensure they have time to read and seek support when they do not fully comprehend class materials. In addition, we also have tutors who provide specific language support tailored to their needs. Students with neurodiversity are also exempt from in-class timed tests. Instead, they are assessed in a stress-free environment in a manner that will elicit not just content level comprehension, but also to gauge if the specific skills that a student needs to acquire has been achieved.

 

3)    In today's society, the relevance of higher education for the neurodiverse is more important than ever. Can you explain this? 

Attention to detail, strong memory and recall, creativity, pattern organisation, intense interests are some unique and varied skills that neurodiverse students are capable of. Some neurodiverse individuals, such as those with autism or ADHD, may have a strong attention to detail and the ability to focus intensely on specific tasks or topics. Other neurodiverse individuals may have a strong memory and recall ability, which can be useful in fields such as science, history, or law. In a world where everything is changing very rapidly, it is essential to have people thinking about how to circumvent global challenges differently. By helping students with neurodiversity learn how to harness their existing knowledge and strengths, higher educational institutions can ensure that their voices are added to global conversations on some of the more pressing issues.

 

4)    What are the difficulties faced in transitioning from high school to college?

Transitioning into college is challenging for anyone and more so for students with neurodiversity. This is because they find it difficult to adjust with changes in routine. Most neurodiverse individuals struggle with social interaction and making friends, which make transitioning difficult for them. Executive functioning skills like planning, organization, time management, etc., are also impaired in these individuals, because of which they may be unable to keep up with the coursework. Sensory overload due to crowded classrooms or bright lighting can also contribute to transition issues. Besides these, negative experiences during schooling may have lasting impact on perception of educational experiences, leading to problems in transition into college.

 

Neurodiverse students are unique in their needs, so if the institution supporting a student accepts them under the assumption that one shoe fits all approach will work, then it is very likely that the student will experience great difficulties. The institution as a whole should be prepared to receive neurodiverse students by preparing ahead to meet their unique individual needs.

 

5)    What are, broadly, the problems that neurodiverse face with higher learning in India?

Neurodiverse individuals may have difficulty with specific academic tasks like reading, writing or math due to their unique style of processing information. This, coupled with their deficits in the areas of executive functioning (things such as difficulty concentrating for long periods of time, difficulty in meeting assigned deadlines, difficulty in working with peer groups on project work etc),  and need for sensory stimulation (self-stimulatory behaviours such as flapping hands vigorously or ant other repetitive stereotypic movement, fidgeting with some material, and such) leads to problems in higher learning. Availability of resources in accessible formats, access to resources like sensory tools, assistive technology or therapy services are important for meaningful participation in the academic spaces. It should be noted that academic requirements in college/universities are very different from that of school. For example, written forms of assessment in many degree programmes pose a challenge for students with neurodiversity.

The challenges they face are not only due to functional differences and the kind of accommodations they require, but also due to prejudice towards persons with neurodiversity. This prejudice most often stems from a lack of awareness about neurodiversity among the general population.