Supporting Neurodivergent Students in Management Education: A Framework for Inclusive Pedagogy

Although roughly 15-20% of the U.S. population is considered neurodivergent (Doyle, 2020), scant attention has been paid to neurodiversity within post-secondary management programs and classrooms. As these programs facilitate the professional development of future managers, educators should prepare future employees and managers to work with, and support, neurodiverse people. This begins with understanding how to support neurodivergent students within undergraduate management classrooms and promoting awareness among neurotypical students to support collaboration. Moreover, developing skills in supporting neurodiverse peers, classmates, and future workforce members is critical. This article aims to increase educator awareness of neurodivergence in higher-education management classrooms, presents suggestions for incorporating neurodiversity understanding into classrooms via creating a class diversity climate built around compassionate pedagogy and universal design for learning, presents suggestions for implementation unique to management education, and shares implications for educators.