Current State of Affairs

 Despite decades of policy advancement aimed at expanding access for students with disabilities, the current landscape of support for neurodivergent students in higher education remains fragmented, inconsistent, and often insufficient. Most institutions rely on centralized disability services offices to facilitate academic accommodations such as extended testing time or note-taking assistance. While these accommodations may satisfy legal requirements, they rarely address the broader cognitive, emotional, and social experiences of neurodivergent students navigating postsecondary environments (Lombardi et al., 2011; Griful-Freixenet et al., 2017).

Recent studies highlight that neurodivergent students continue to encounter substantial barriers, including lack of faculty understanding, inflexible curricula, and stigma associated with disclosing a diagnosis (Gibson, 2012; Cox et al., 2021). Many students report feeling isolated or misunderstood in academic and social settings, which contributes to higher rates of attrition, mental health concerns, and underperformance compared to their neurotypical peers (Vaccaro & Newman, 2016).

Moreover, institutional efforts to promote inclusion often fall short due to insufficient training, lack of interdepartmental coordination, and limited investment in professional development for support staff. These professionals—who are often tasked with translating policy into practice—frequently operate without the necessary institutional support or evaluative frameworks to assess the impact of their work. This creates a gap between the theoretical goals of inclusion and the day-to-day realities faced by students and practitioners alike.

In addition, the field lacks comprehensive models that incorporate intersectional understandings of disability, especially regarding how neurodivergent identity intersects with race, class, gender, and other dimensions of diversity. These omissions further complicate the ability of institutions to develop responsive, equity-driven support systems.

This study addresses these gaps by centering the perspectives of student support professionals across diverse higher education contexts and documenting how institutional culture, policy, and resource allocation influence their ability to support neurodivergent students effectively.

 The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study is to explore how student support staff at postsecondary institutions conceptualize, implement, and assess inclusive practices for neurodivergent students. By documenting staff perspectives and institutional contexts, the study aims to identify best practices and systemic barriers that influence the effectiveness and sustainability of support services. Findings from this research are expected to inform institutional policy, staff development, and programmatic innovation to foster more inclusive and responsive environments for neurodivergent learners. 

Despite increasing enrollment of neurodivergent students in postsecondary institutions, the support services available to these students remain inconsistent, under-resourced,   and insufficiently examined through a lens of equity and inclusion. Many institutions focus on legal compliance rather than on holistic, strengths-based models of support that affirm neurodivergent identities. Furthermore, limited research has examined the lived experiences and professional insights of student support staff—those most directly responsible for facilitating inclusion on campus. Without this critical perspective, efforts to design effective support models risk overlooking the operational realities and institutional conditions that shape service delivery.

This study aims to contribute to both scholarly and practitioner conversations on inclusive higher education. By identifying staff-led best practices and barriers, I hope to inform institutional policy, staff development, and program design. My research will support colleges in creating environments where neurodivergent students are not just accommodated, but empowered to thrive.