Neurodiversity and marginalisation: Transforming intake interviews for inclusive education

Case study by Antara Basu.

What was your project about?  

Our project aimed to address the unique challenges faced by neurodivergent students during university intake interviews. Traditional interview practices often disadvantage neurodivergent individuals, who may experience difficulties due to their unique cognitive styles and needs.  

To create a more inclusive interview process where all students can effectively demonstrate their abilities, we conducted a comprehensive survey and gathered feedback from both neurotypical and neurodivergent students.  

We also organised a staff workshop to understand diverse cognitive styles, identify interview barriers, explore strategies to enhance interview inclusivity and discuss inclusive practices for neurodivergent students.  

What were your key findings? 

Our findings revealed that stress and anxiety during interviews can significantly impact memory recall and the ability to articulate experiences. This is often misinterpreted as a lack of skills or preparedness, underscoring the importance of adapting interview processes to support all students effectively. 

Further, we found varying preferences for interview formats among students. Many expressed a strong preference for receiving interview questions in advance and appreciated the opportunity to provide written responses.  

This contrasts with traditional interview formats that rely heavily on spontaneous verbal communication, highlighting the need for flexibility in assessment methods. We also discovered that some students often experience heightened sensitivity to their sensory environment, which can significantly impact their performance.  

Our key findings from the survey also highlighted the need for several key adjustments including; 

1. Providing interview questions in advance. 

2. Using clear, straightforward language. 

3. Offering breaks and allowing interviewees to make and bring personal notes. 

4. Creating a controlled sensory environment to manage sensory inputs such as light, sound, temperature, and other physical factors. 

5. Training interviewers in neurodiversity awareness.  

These recommendations can help to make sure that every student has an equitable opportunity to demonstrate their skills during university interviews. 

How was staff-student partnership crucial to your project’s success?  

Our project was inspired by the lived experience of our student lead and discussions on the findings of a previous ChangeMakers project within the Staff-Student Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion group at the Anna Freud Centre.  

Some of our team was also working remotely, and thus, online meetings and the use of shared documents were essential for creating and developing project proposals and resources. The seamless integration of remote and on-site efforts also highlighted the strength of our student-staff partnership in achieving the project's objectives. 

We prioritised a truly collaborative working relationship between staff and students at all stages of the project. This collaboration supported the integration of diverse perspectives and made sure that our project remained aligned with its goals.  

What are the top three key learnings from your project? 

1. Neurodiversity training for interviewers: Trained interviewers can make a real difference when they understand the unique challenges and strengths of neurodivergent students. Training promotes empathy, awareness and examples of inclusive practices that can be integrated within the interview processes to recognise diverse cognitive styles.  

2. Structured and transparent interview processes: It is important to provide detailed information regarding the interview structure and questions in advance and permitting candidates to use personal notes are essential practices. 

3. Supportive and sensory-friendly environment: Sensitivity to sensory inputs including light, noise, and distractions can significantly impact neurodivergent candidates’ performance. Simple measures including a quiet interview space, breaks in between, and clear and consistent audio-visual conditions can greatly improve their ability to focus and respond effectively. Additionally, allowing written responses and providing printouts of questions during the interview can support candidates who may struggle with verbal communication or memory recall.  

What was the outcome of the project? What difference has this made to staff or students?  

The immediate impact includes heightened awareness and understanding among staff and students about the unique challenges faced by neurodivergent applicants during intake interviews. This awareness has led to initial consideration of the adoption of several inclusive practices recommended by the project. 

These changes will benefit future cohorts by reducing the stress and cognitive load associated with traditional interview formats, allowing students to better showcase their abilities.  

Additionally, we are developing comprehensive training materials and guidelines based on the project’s outcomes, which will be distributed across all departments at the Anna Freud Centre and be available to other faculties and institutions that are interested in adopting similar practices.