Designed different: autism as an asset, not an afterthought

• autism
• learning design

After years of wondering why things felt harder than they seemed to be for others, I’ve recently been diagnosed as autistic. It wasn’t a surprise so much as a moment of recognition that helped explain long-term patterns such as sensory overload, social exhaustion and recurring burnout.

The diagnosis doesn’t change who I am. But it has given me language for something I’ve always known intuitively: that much of my work in learning design – especially around inclusion, structure and clarity, flexibility and care – was also, unconsciously, work to support myself. I wasn’t just designing for others. I was designing for survival in systems not built for people like me.

Shaped by strengths

Autistic students and staff are often positioned through a deficit lens, i.e. struggling with soft skills, teamwork or communication. But research and lived experience shows that they have strengths that can enhance learning environments and research outcomes, particularly when institutions design for inclusion rather than accommodation. Some of the strengths commonly recognised include:

• Deep focus and strong interest in specific domains – this can support high-quality research, attention to detail and conceptual innovation
• Systems thinking and pattern recognition – often useful in design, evaluation and curriculum mapping
• Consistency, integrity and fairness – these align closely with the demands of teaching, assessment design and educational leadership

In my own practice, these strengths have shaped how I lead projects, co-design curriculum and scaffold learning experiences. They’ve also helped me spot where systems subtly exclude – and what we can do about it.

From personal to universal: 4 design strategies

Without knowing it, neurodivergent practitioners like me often spend much of their career building around the barriers they personally experience. The result of this work often eventuates in a design practice that aligns closely with UDL principles, and echoes Amelia Di Paolo’s recent articles on inclusive design and its innovative qualities. Below are some tangible, evidence-informed and adaptable strategies that I’ve embedded in my work to uphold this practice.

1. Frontload clarity and reduce executive load

Autistic learners often struggle with unstructured environments or shifting expectations. This can lead to cognitive overload, particularly when juggling multiple concurrent demands. Here are some ways you can reduce working memory load and eliminate the need to ‘guess’ what success looks like:

• Use predictable Canvas structures, naming conventions and learning pathways
• Break complex tasks into stages, each with its own deadline and guidance
• Include checklists or visual progress markers within modules
• Reuse layout templates across subjects to build student familiarity and reduce friction 

2. Offer flexible modes of participation and expression

Participation shouldn’t require constant social performance. Allowing students to engage and demonstrate knowledge in ways that suit their cognitive style leads to higher engagement across the board. Analytics show that some students are ‘lurkers’ but they are still engaged. Acknowledge this energy variability and support the different processing styles.

• Include asynchronous discussion options for reflection and peer feedback
• Provide alternatives to live presentations (e.g. pre-recorded media, visual essays)
• Allow students to choose their medium where appropriate (e.g. video, written report, infographic) for major assessments
• Clarify which activities are required and which are enrichment

3. Minimise sensory and cognitive distractions

Neurodivergent and especially autistic students may be disproportionately affected by visual clutter, motion or auditory disruptions (especially in digital platforms). A calm interface and physical environment support concentration and reduce fatigue.

• Avoid unnecessary animation, auto-play media or decorative visual noise in online environments (e.g. if using GIFs, ensure the platform has a pause function)
• Use clear, consistent headings and plain background templates in presentations
• Provide downloadable content in accessible formats (PDFs with readable structure, transcripts for all media)
• Design physical learning spaces with access to quiet zones or breakout options

4. Model explicit, literal communication

Neurotypical assumptions often rely on inference, subtext or unspoken expectations, while autistic learners benefit from literal, consistent and transparent messaging. You can level the playing field by removing ambiguity and making expectations visible. Many of the strategies used here are also supportive of others from other cultural or linguistic backgrounds.

• Say what you mean – avoid idioms, sarcasm and vague references
• Label examples as ‘examples’ and non-assessed tasks as ‘practice’
• Offer grading rubrics that align closely with instructions
• Provide written summaries of oral feedback and group discussions, plus transcripts for videos

The design was always personal

Most neurodivergent students don’t disclose formally. Many don’t have a diagnosis, or fear stigma. That means inclusive design cannot rely on requests or accommodations; it should assume variation (not sameness) so the help is already embedded. As someone who masked for years and learned to adapt in silence, I know how much difference inclusive design can make in lifting a heavy load – quietly, powerfully and for everyone.

I’m not sharing this diagnosis for sympathy. I’m sharing it because context matters. Because lived experience shapes practice. And because I believe in leadership grounded in reflection and transparency. If you’ve read my work, collaborated with me or been part of my world: thank you for the patience and grace. Your kindness and flexibility have been small constellations, points of light that I’ve navigated by, often without knowing how lost I was.

To those learning and working in education who are navigating invisible challenges of their own: your ways of thinking, your differences, are not deficits. They are assets.

Let’s build systems that recognise that from the start.

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