The Schools Unified in Neurodiversity Collaborative: Co-Designing a Program to Enhance Educator Knowledge and Efficacy Supporting Children with Neurodevelopmental Disabilities
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| Title: | The Schools Unified in Neurodiversity Collaborative: Co-Designing a Program to Enhance Educator Knowledge and Efficacy Supporting Children with Neurodevelopmental Disabilities |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Kelly B. Beck (ORCID |
| Source: | Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice. 2026 30(2):412-425. |
| Availability: | SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 14 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Elementary Secondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Faculty Development, Public School Teachers, Elementary Secondary Education, Training, Teacher Attitudes, Program Effectiveness, Students with Disabilities, Program Development, Self Efficacy, Knowledge Level, Program Implementation |
| DOI: | 10.1177/13623613251388627 |
| ISSN: | 1362-3613 1461-7005 |
| Abstract: | Autistic and other neurodivergent youth face social, sensory, and environmental challenges at school that negatively impact learning and well-being. Yet, most educators are not trained in neurodevelopmental disabilities, leaving them with outdated knowledge and limited confidence about how to support neurodivergent youth at school. In a two-phase project, we sought to (1) co-design a comprehensive professional development training for school educators and (2) pilot test this training in one US public school district. First, we used community-based participatory research methods to form an interdisciplinary team of neurodivergent educators and autistic community members. We then used human-centered design methods to iteratively design the Schools Unified in Neurodiversity professional development training for US K-12 educators. In Phase 2, we demonstrated feasibility and acceptability of the resulting training in a sample of 192 educators, grades K-12. Significant improvements were noted in educator knowledge and self-efficacy in pre- to post-assessments. Together, community-based participatory research and human-centered design provided a promising community-driven approach to development, resulting in a training that was well received and conducive to implementation. Future work will test the effects of the Schools Unified in Neurodiversity training on youth outcomes and explore the role of professional learning communities to support implementation and sustain change. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1494640 |
| Database: | ERIC |
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