In Memoriam: Dr. Sharon E. Kahn, UBC's First AVP, Equity

By Dr. Arig al Shaibah, Associate Vice-President Equity & Inclusion and Honorary Associate Professor Educational Studies
December 3

This reflection was submitted to the Educational Studies (EDST) Blog’s Special Series: Neurodiversity and the University.

December 3 marks the United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities. This year’s theme – fostering disability-inclusive societies for advancing social progress – invites us to reflect on how we can better support disabled community members, including the many neurodivergent students, faculty and staff whose unique ways of thinking, learning and working enrich our university.

Neurodiversity includes diverse neurological profiles, including autism, ADHD and dyslexia, among others. While neurodivergent individuals may be thriving in academic or university settings, many – whether they are able to flourish or not – encounter systemic barriers and stigma rooted in assumptions about what is considered “neurotypical” in the broader society and academic settings.

The importance of a neuroinclusive approach

A 2025 Conference Board of Canada report, entitled Creating inclusive campuses: Neuroinclusive policies and practices in post-secondary education, uncovered two profound barriers across higher-education:

1. Visibility: Neurodivergent students remain largely invisible – with less than half disclosing their identity or diagnosis to the institution, in part due to reported experiences of stigma and discrimination.
2. Engagement: Meanwhile, neurodivergent academic and administrative staff remain underutilized in shaping neuroinclusive policies as their critical insights are not leveraged.

The report makes several recommendations, including requiring neurodiversity training for campus employees, integrating accessibility into equity, diversity, and inclusion strategic planning and policy development and involving neurodivergent campus community members in shaping that work, and adopting a coordinated model of learner-centred neuroinclusive and neuro-affirming supports.

Building neuroinclusive learning and working environments

Neuroinclusion goes beyond formal accommodations – it’s about everyday accessible experiences in classrooms, labs, clubs, workplaces and campus life. Neurodiversity-affirming people leadership and educational practices cultivate working and learning environments that recognize and value cognitive diversity by using universal design and strengths-based approaches.

For example, a 2024 publication on revolutionizing inclusive education by Efthymia Efthymiou offers practical insights for educators who may be seeking to adopt more neuroinclusive practices:

1. Use flexible instructional strategies to make space for flexible learning styles (e.g., online and in-person discussion, collaborative projects).
2. Enable neurodiverse students to showcase their unique talents (e.g., exceptional attention to detail, excellent memory).
3. Offer adaptable learning materials (e.g., readings in accessible audio or digital formats) and provide tailored support and accommodations (e.g., assistive technologies).
4. Support thriving by demonstrating compassion, recognition and acceptance.
5. Reframe neurodiversity as an asset rather than deficit; incorporating differentiated instruction to meet learners’ differing levels of proficiency (e.g., providing differentiated tasks that allow students to work at their own pace to deepen their unique level of understanding of the subject matter).
6. Adopt alternative and diverse assessment methods (e.g., oral presentations, visual projects).

For students with sensory needs, the physical learning environment may also be enhanced by using soft and natural light and sound-absorbing materials or noise-cancelling devices.

As part of UBC’s commitments to accessibility, our aim is to draw from research, practice, and community perspectives as we work to advance and evolve our efforts to reduce barriers and build capacity for neuroinclusion. The Centre for Interdisciplinary Research and Collaboration in Autism (CIRCA) provides a free series of six self-paced, interactive educational modules available to anyone interested in better understanding autism and inclusive employment. And UBC Extended Learning offers professional, fee-based courses such as Coaching Neurodiversity at Work, which equips faculty, staff, and people leaders with skills to better understand, support, and work alongside neurodivergent colleagues.

Beyond our university, BCcampus has convened a dialogue series across the BC post-secondary sector to explore neuroinclusive frameworks and coordinated approaches.

Centering lived experience and community leadership

Importantly, centering lived experiences and insights from disabled community is essential to this work. Across UBC, disabled and neurodivergent students, faculty, and staff share their invaluable experiences and expertise to inform our efforts, including through UBC’s Accessibility Committee and community affinity groups, such as the Disability Affinity Group and the Disability United Collective. 

UBC Applied Science’s “Celebrating Disability and Neurodiversity” profile series is another medium that amplifies insightful student, faculty and staff stories that celebrate disability and neurodiversity.

These voices remind us that the work to advance disability inclusion is not abstract – it is grounded in lived realities, community leadership, and the diverse contributions of disabled and neurodivergent people across our campus. And

Strengthening disability inclusion through institutional engagement

In early 2026, the Equity & Inclusion Office will be engaging students, faculty and staff to provide feedback on barriers to and enablers of accessibility and equity. Input gained from the diversity of disabled UBC community members will further inform university’s accessibility and disability inclusion planning and action as part of our obligations under the Accessible BC Act and help us advance aspirational goals that go beyond compliance.

I hope this reflection encourages conversation, curiosity and collective action toward a more inclusive and affirming university community.

I encourage faculty, staff, and students to explore the resources above and consider how they might contribute to fostering greater disability inclusion in their learning, teaching, and work environments.

For more information about UBC’s accessibility planning, including the upcoming community engagement process, visit UBC’s Accessibility Hub and the Accessibility Plan page.