Flexibility isn't a Perk

Flexibility isn't just convenience. It's essential for unlocking neurodivergent student potential.

Flexibility isn’t a perk. It’s how we unlock potential.

For neurodivergent adults, online education isn’t just convenient. It’s freeing in ways we don’t often talk about.

Online learning removes the social demands and sensory overload that make traditional classrooms draining.

But there are still hidden barriers online, especially when expectations don’t match needs.

If we want real inclusion, we need to rethink some basics.

Originally written for a LinkedIn post. 

1. Give assignment options
   • When students can choose how to demonstrate mastery, whether by video, audio, or written submission, they gain more control, lessening the cognitive load of “getting it right” on someone else’s terms.
2. Reduce on-camera requirements
   • Being on camera means juggling eye contact, facial expressions, and body language. For many neurodivergent students, this feels like hosting a live show. And let’s be honest, who has the energy for that?
3. Offer self-paced modules

   • Self-paced learning accommodates the energy cycles of neurodivergent students, letting them engage when they’re most focused rather than at prescribed times.

When I was in my MLIS program at SJSU School of Information, I didn’t know I was neurodivergent yet, but I did know that recording videos wiped me out. I’d re-record it at least ten times because my face didn’t “look right.”

Afterward, I would crash and need a nap. My best assignments were when my instructor gave multiple ways for us to complete the assignment. I wrote a script and recorded audio with slides instead. The energy-draining replays and “crash nap” were not needed. That’s a win!

Inclusive online education means understanding the range of neurodivergent needs.