Charter school secondary educator perceptions of neurodiverse learner engagement : a single case study.

Abstract

Neurodiverse (ND) students often face challenges with school engagement and academic proficiency, contributing to higher dropout rates and mental health issues. Despite advancements in inclusive policies and the emergence of evidence-based practices informed by neuroscience and cognitive science, gaps persist in applying these practices in secondary core subject classrooms. Teachers need a background in inclusive pedagogy and evidence-based practices to feel adequately prepared to teach neurodiverse learners effectively. Despite advancements in laws and policies promoting school inclusion, educators have not consistently applied universal design principles or recent scientific findings on inclusive teaching in their classrooms, which has led to a disparity in addressing the varied needs of students. This qualitative single case study explored secondary charter school educators’ perceptions of utilizing the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework to engage neurodiverse learners and identified perceived barriers to engagement. The UDL framework uses three elements: engagement (the why), representation (the what), and action and expression (the how) per the 3.0 guidelines. Each UDL element contains three subsets, which framed the data collection questions through a questionnaire, interview, and journal entries. Qualitative inquiry allowed exploration of secondary core subject teachers, perceptions of ND student engagement, and barriers to engagement within an inclusive setting. Findings revealed that core subject educators believed ND students were more engaged by using inclusive strategies from UDL that fostered a sense of belonging, offered choices, and optimized support. However, barriers such as student attitudes and systemic school factors persisted. The study has implications for teachers, teacher educators, K–12 school administrators, and districts. Suggestions for future studies include advancing research on student perspectives and academic outcomes. These findings contribute to the growing literature on inclusive pedagogy and its potential for engaging neurodiverse learners in secondary education