Honouring, Constructing and Supporting Neurodivergent Communicators in Inclusive Classrooms

What currently constitutes participation in schools? Who decides what ‘counts’ as engagement and who is excluded by and in those decisions? When and how do those ideas change? How can broadening conceptualizations of voice, agency and participation – driven by the voices of individuals who do not rely solely on verbal speech to communicate – foster inclusivity in schools and community? In this chapter, we draw from our experiences as researchers, scholars, educators, colleagues and friends who live and work alongside non-speaking and unreliably speaking¹ people who type, point or use other forms of augmentative and alternative communication. We lay out foundational concepts underlying experiences of neurodivergent communicators, followed by illustrative examples and action steps for change. Geared towards educators and support professionals working to sustain spaces more inclusive of a range of voices in schools, this chapter continues a productive conversation within the Disability Studies in Education (DSE) community around inclusivity in research and in practice.