How can you make the most out of the technology available, and create learning that lands with your Neurodiverse employees?

We’re living through a time in which there is a wider understanding of Neurodiversity, and more organisations are beginning to factor it into their learning and working environments.

Not only is accommodating Neurodiversity simply the right thing to do; it has also (slightly controversially) been shown to give companies a competitive advantage. Teams comprising Neurodiverse workers are reportedly 30% more effective than those with neurotypical workers – but obviously, your desire to accommodate Neurodiversity should go beyond the business case.

There are so many things to take into consideration when designing training for Neurodiverse learners, such as the most accessible colours to use, the way information is organised, and the most readable font in which to display it. We’re not going to get into those specifics today, instead using that as a jumping off point to explore the technology that can be leveraged to make learning as accessible, fun and engaging  as possible for your Neurodiverse learners.

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Learning platforms

When used correctly, learning platforms are one of the most effective pieces of learning technology for Neurodiverse employees. The reason for this is simple: A key element of effective Neurodiverse learning experiences is flexibility, and (good) learning platforms have these in spades.

By designing training that can fit around an employee’s existing schedule, you not only encourage flexibility, but make it a non-negotiable part of your learning strategy. This lifts a proverbial weight off your people’s shoulders; it’s well known that timed assessments increase stress and overwhelm for Neurodiverse learners – so removing this pressure with flexible learning assignments, housed on an accessible platform, sets them up for success.

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Digital tablets

Digital tablets are a great way to marry the experience of hand-writing notes with the convenience of said notes being digitally accessible. Writing notes by hand helps you retain information, but that doesn’t mean you have to forgo all of the benefits of modern technology. A digital tablet (like an iPad or a ReMarkable) brings note-taking into the future.

The biggest benefit of using digital tablets as a part of your workplace learning strategy is convenience. Instead of having to carry around a huge unwieldy notebook, your learners can do everything from one device. As an added bonus most digital tablets sync with desktop and mobile devices, meaning they can access their notes from anywhere.

Many learners – Neurodivergent and neurotypical alike – are better able to process information when occupying their hands with something, be it a fidget toy or a doodle in a notebook. Digital tablets allow them to do the latter without wasting any paper, meaning they can delete anything that doesn’t matter but come away retaining the most important information.

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Multimodal learning content

Some Neurodiverse learners may not find traditional learning formats (like PDFs or quizzes) very effective – and by only creating learning in these formats, you’re doing them a disservice. Make sure your learning platform has the ability to host multiple content types, including video and audio, to give everyone the optimum learning experience.

If you’re not sure which format best serves your learning content, you can read Thrive’s guide on learning formats here.

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Assistive devices

Assistive devices like Text to Speech / Speech to Text technology are a great way to help your Neurodiverse learners process – and deliver – information.

For those with Dyslexia, this technology is especially helpful. It can be frustrating to know exactly what you need to say, but be unable to get your point across with words – or to know you would understand something if it was simply said to you out loud instead of written down.

These technologies remove that barrier, making learning easy and accessible for everyone.

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Looking to help your people thrive in 2025? Book a demo for Thrive's learning platform today.

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