ABSTRACT

Neurodivergence is a non-medical umbrella term that is used to describe those with variance in their neurological function from what is considered normal. Commonly known neurodivergent disorders include autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, developmental coordination disorder (DCD), and many others. In higher education, there has been an increasing number of individuals self-identifying as being neurodivergent, including students, faculty, staff, administrators, and other learners within higher education. Neurodivergent learners often face personal struggles, discrimination, and challenges caused by their specific disorder in higher educational settings. The purpose of this research is to gain a better understanding of the experiences of those neurodivergent individuals within higher education. A survey tool will be utilized  to collect responses from both self-identifying neurodivergent individuals, as well as neurotypical individuals, in regard to their experiences within higher education environments, followed by an interview with select participants. The goals of this study are to pilot data collection tools and inform the design of individualized studies that focus on particular areas of interest in the larger context of the experiences of neurodivergent learners in higher education.