Redefining Accessibility in Higher Education and Employment Sectors for Neurodiverse Individuals with the Use of Technology Under the Ambit of Disability Justice

Authors

  • Mitu De President (Hony.) & Head of Research and Academic Studies Unit, Autism Society West Bengal (ASWB), Stadium Nagar, Stadium Colony, Mukundapur, 700099 Kolkata, West Bengal, India ; Associate Professor, Department of Botany, Gurudas College, Phool Bagan, Narkeldanga, 700054 Kolkata, West Bengal, India
  • Pranabesh Bhunia Faculty & Special Educator, Autism Society West Bengal (ASWB), Stadium Nagar, Stadium Colony, Mukundapur, 700099 Kolkata, West Bengal, India
  • Manoj Kumar Mahata Special Educator & D Ed Core faculty, Autism Society West Bengal (ASWB), Stadium Nagar, Stadium Colony, Mukundapur, 700099 Kolkata, West Bengal, India
  • Indrani Basu Founder-Director, Autism Society West Bengal (ASWB), Stadium Nagar, Stadium Colony, Mukundapur, 700099 Kolkata, West Bengal, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31632/ijsblc.2025.v02i01.002

Keywords:

Communication Apps, Employment Sector, Higher Education, Technological Tools, Neurodiversity

Abstract

With advances in technology new teaching learning avenues are being created especially in higher education. For many students with special needs, especially those with intellectual developmental disorder (IDD) technology is helping them to access a high-quality learning experience which some years ago would have been very difficult. Neurodiversity is now acknowledged to drive innovations that usher in unique technological advancement. Also, technology is now perceived as the game changer in higher education of neurodiverse students. Communication Apps are becoming common for overcoming the impairment in communication common in persons with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Accessibility tools are helping the neurodivergent individuals in the employment sector. The technology sector also has much to gain from neurodiverse individuals. The neurodiverse persons are often the innovators of new technology and they often represent a population of people for whom they are creating the products for. This brings about a better awareness and understanding of the design and utility of the design and usability. This paper presents an overview on how technological advances have supported neurodiverse persons in higher education and in the employment sectors. The paper will also share the lived experiences of people with invisible disabilities like autism using technological tools that has provided reasonable accommodations for them in education as well as in the employment sector.

References

Armstrong, T. (2011). The power of neurodiversity: Unleashing the advantages of your differently wired brain (published in hardcover as Neurodiversity), Da Capo Press, US. http://dickyricky.com/books/psych/The%20Power%20of%20Neurodiversity%20-%20Thomas%20Armstrong.pdf

Austin, R. D., & Pisano, G. P. (2017). Neurodiversity as a competitive advantage. Harvard Business Review, 95(3), 96-103. https://hbr.org/2017/05/neurodiversity-as-a-competitive-advantage

Bascom, J. (Ed.). (2012). Loud hands: Autistic people, speaking. Autistic Press, Washington, US. https://autisticadvocacy.org/book/loud-hands-autistic-people-speaking/

Castellon, S. (2020). The Spectrum Girl's Survival Guide: How to Grow up Awesome and Autistic. Jessica Kingsley Publishers. https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-spectrum-girls-survival-guide/siena-castellon/9781787751835

Crenshaw, K. (1991). Mapping the margins: Intersectionality, identity politics, and violence against women of color. Stanford Law Review, 43(6), 1241-1299. https://blogs.law.columbia.edu/critique1313/files/2020/02/1229039.pdf

De, Mitu., & Basu, I (2024). Neurodiversity affirming approaches for inclusive education. Harvest Online, 9(2), 14 - 22. https://www.harvestjournal.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Mitu-De.pdf

De, Mitu., & Basu, I. (2025). Neurodiversity: A paradigm shift in understanding neurological differences in the context of the un sustainable development goals (SDGs), International Journal of Sustainable Biome and Life Care. 1(2&3), 8-30. https://doi.org/10.31632/ijsblc.2025.v01i02and3.002

Dechsling, A., Orm, S., Kalandadze, T., Sütterlin, S., Øien, R. A., Shic, F., & Nordahl-Hansen, A. (2022). Virtual and Augmented Reality in Social Skills Interventions for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Scoping Review. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 52(11), 4692–4707. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-021-05338-5

Dechsling, Anders & Nordahl-Hansen, Anders. (2023). Virtual Reality and Autism. Chap.7 in Book :Technology and Sustainable Development. Eds by Dechsling A. & Nordahl-Hansen A.. Routledge https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003325086-7 .

Dolmage, J. T. (2017). Academic ableism: Disability and higher education, 254 pages. University of Michigan Press, 254 Pages. https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctvr33d50

Emanuel, C. (2014). An Accidental Pokemon Expert: Contemporary Psychoanalysis on the Autism Spectrum. International Journal of Psychoanalytic Self Psychology , 10 (1), 53–68. https://doi.org/10.1080/15551024.2015.977485 .

Frolli, A., Savarese, G., Di Carmine, F., Bosco, A., Saviano, E., Rega, A., Carotenuto, M., & Ricci, M. C. (2022). Children on the Autism Spectrum and the Use of Virtual Reality for Supporting Social Skills. Children (Basel, Switzerland), 9(2), 181. https://doi.org/10.3390/children9020181

Grandin, T. (1995). Thinking in Pictures: My Life with Autism. Vintage. https://dn720703.ca.archive.org/0/items/Various_PDFs/TempleGrandin-ThinkingInPictures_text.pdf

Hamilton, L. G., & Petty, S. (2023). Compassionate pedagogy for neurodiversity in higher education: A conceptual analysis. Frontiers in psychology, 14, 1093290. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1093290

Hehir, T. (2005). New directions in special education: Eliminating ableism in policy and practice. Harvard Education Press, Cambridge, US. 224 pages. https://hep.gse.harvard.edu/9781891792618/new-directions-in-special-education/

Higashida, N. (2013). The reason I jump: The inner voice of a thirteen-year-old boy with autism. Knopf Canada. https://archive.org/details/reasonijumpinner0000higa_l9f6

Krzeminska, A., & Hawse, S. (2020). Mainstreaming neurodiversity for an inclusive and sustainable future workforce: autism-spectrum employees. In L. Wood, L. P. Tan, Y. A. Breyer, & S. Hawse (Eds.), Industry and higher education: case studies for sustainable futures (pp. 229-261). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-0874-5_11

Mladenov, T. (2016). Disability and social justice. Disability & Society, 31(9), 1226–1241. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2016.1256273

Mounkoro, Ismaila, Tariq Rafique, Ederson de los Trino Tapia, Flordeline A. Cadelina,Anton Diaz Uberas, Evelyn Ansah Karkkulainen, Rubén González Vallejo, Cesar D. Galingana (2024). Ai-Powered Tutoring Systems: Revolutionizing Individualized Support For Learners. Library Progress International, 44(6), 344-355

Robison, J. E. (2008). Look me in the eye: My life with Asperger's. Crown, New York. https://books.google.co.in/books/about/Look_Me_in_the_Eye.html?id=aUSijTowZ5IC&redir_esc=y

Rollnik-Sadowska, E., & Grabińska, V. (2024). Managing Neurodiversity in Workplaces: A Review and Future Research Agenda for Sustainable Human Resource Management. Sustainability, 16(15), 6594. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16156594 .

Sacks, O. (1995). An Anthropologist on Mars. Seven Paradoxical Tales, New York. https://jm919846758.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/an-anthropologist-on-mars-by-oliver-sacks-complete-text-formatted-for-microsoft-word.pdf

Silberman, S. (2017). Neurotribes: the legacy of autism and the future of neurodiversity. Avery, New York. http://dickyricky.com/books/psych/NeuroTribes%20-%20Steve%20Silberman.pdf

Xing, Nan. (2024). Artificial Intelligence to support Children with Autism. Journal of AI-Powered Medical Innovations. 2. 31-43 https://doi.org/10.60087/vol2iisue1.p43

Zhou, Kathy & Alam, Bushra & Bani-Fatemi, Ali & Howe, Aaron & Chattu, Vijay Kumar & Nowrouzi-Kia, Behdin. (2024). Autism spectrum disorder in the workplace: a position paper to support an inclusive and neurodivergent approach to work participation and engagement. Discover Psychology. 4. 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44202-024-00150-5.

Published

2026-01-27

How to Cite

Redefining Accessibility in Higher Education and Employment Sectors for Neurodiverse Individuals with the Use of Technology Under the Ambit of Disability Justice. (2026). International Journal of Sustainable Biome and Life Care, 2(1), 10-20. https://doi.org/10.31632/ijsblc.2025.v02i01.002