Where Did We Start?

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Student support staff—including professionals in disability services, academic advising, learning centers, and counseling—are central to implementing inclusive practices. Yet, there is a critical gap in the research: we know relatively little about how these staff members perceive their roles, assess their own preparedness, or define what effective practice means in supporting neurodivergent students. Research by Griffin, Urbano, and Thompson (2020) highlights that disability services staff often face uncertainty in how to effectively serve students with autism spectrum disorder, noting gaps in both professional development and institutional clarity. Similarly, Burgstahler (2015) advocates for the application of Universal Design principles in student services, but the extent to which these are applied in practice remains inconsistent. Without examining staff perspectives and practices, institutional reform efforts risk missing the on-the-ground realities that shape inclusion.

Brown and Coomes (2016) further underscore the need for professional training in neurodiversity awareness within student affairs, noting that many staff members feel ill-equipped to implement inclusive practices. These insights point to the urgency of a study that not only gathers staff perceptions but also evaluates them against established frameworks like Universal Design for Learning and the neurodiversity paradigm.

As institutions of higher education work to create more inclusive environments, the presence of neurodivergent undergraduate students—those with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other neurological differences—has grown significantly (Armstrong, 2012; Walker, 2021). These students bring unique strengths, perspectives, and needs to the academic environment. However, the primary mode of addressing neurodiversity in higher education continues to be reactive, compliance-oriented accommodations rooted in the medical model of disability (Walker, 2021). Rather than proactively designing support systems with a wide range of cognitive styles in mind, many institutions rely heavily on individual accommodations that place the burden on the student to advocate for themselves.

Student support staff—including professionals in disability services, academic advising, learning centers, and counseling—are central to implementing inclusive practices. Yet, there is a critical gap in the research: we know relatively little about how these staff members perceive their roles, assess their own preparedness, or define what effective practice means in supporting neurodivergent students. Without examining these perspectives, institutional reform efforts risk missing the on-the-ground realities that shape inclusion.