Neurodiversity

A concept that regards differences in brain function and behavioural traits — including autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, and intellectual disability — as natural variation within the human population rather than deficits or disorders. The term emerged from autistic self-advocacy communities in the mid-1990s and was popularised by sociologist Judy Singer, who drew an analogy to biodiversity. In accessibility practice, a neurodiversity perspective shifts the focus from fixing individuals to designing environments, technologies, and interactions that accommodate diverse ways of thinking, learning, and processing information. Related terms include neurodivergent (a person whose neurological functioning differs from what is considered typical) and neurotypical (a person whose neurological functioning aligns with prevailing norms).