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Supporting Neurodivergent Students in Management Education: A Framework
for Inclusive Pedagogy
Jessica L. Doll
Department of Management, Appalachian State University, USA
April J. Spivack
Management & Organisation, Hanken School of Economics, Finland
H. Kristl Davison
Department of Management, Appalachian State University, USA
Gordon B. Schmidt
School of Management, University of Louisiana - Monroe, USA
Allie Turner
Presbyterian College, Clinton, USA
Volume 18: 2025, pp. 313-330; ABSTRACT
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.
Keywords: neurodiversity, neurodivergent, student support, future workforce, higher education,
compassionate pedagogy, universal design for learning.
