Speaker
Description
Physics courses place heavy demands on working memory, sensory regulation, and rapid collaboration - especially in large first-year lectures and noisy shared labs. This in-progress study translates two evidence streams into physics-ready practice: (1) a systematic scan of accessibility-related information from Atlantic Canadian universities, and (2) a scoping literature review on autistic students’ barriers and effective support in higher education. The goal is to reduce the invisible labour currently shouldered by neurodivergent students and equip frontline instructors with realistic supportive tools, while offering departments a catalyst for sustainable and long-term change in operational policies. Our approach begins with reviewing institutional webpages, policies, strategic plans, and student-service handbooks against a rubric informed by Universal Design for Learning (UDL) checkpoints, disability-inclusion benchmarks, and the CCWESTT Gender Equality in SETT Report Card. We synthesize peer-reviewed findings most relevant to neurodivergence in the physics community - which discuss options for lowering cognitive load and supportive practices without diluting rigor, and a discipline-level framework situating UDL in postsecondary physics curricula. We also incorporate lab-specific guidance in tool flexibility and explicit planning for sensory/physical barriers. Finally, we present “autistic burnout” not as inevitable, but preventable: chronic exhaustion and reduced tolerance after prolonged lack of support can be mitigated. We clarify why predictable course architecture and transparent communication matter in physics contexts and offer insights into TA training and group-work structures. The intended outcome is a physics culture that treats autism-informed, UDL-aligned teaching as a hallmark of instructional excellence.
| Keyword-1 | Neurodiversity |
|---|---|
| Keyword-2 | Accessibility |
| Keyword-3 | Universal Design for Learning |