10 Accessible Archival Instruction for Neurodivergent Students

In a typical class of undergraduate students visiting the archives or special collections, there is likely one or more students who identify as neurodivergent. Working with archival materials in the classroom setting poses varied challenges for these neurodivergent students that may not be experienced by their neurotypical peers. Students with processing disorders like dyslexia may struggle with interpreting handwritten documents, students with ADHD may find it difficult to focus on a single item for a lengthy period of time, and students on the autism spectrum who struggle with adapting to new situations may experience debilitating anxiety about handling fragile materials. How do we meet this range of potential learning needs within one classroom?

Whether you are new to teaching neurodivergent students or looking to refine your pedagogical approach, the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) can provide an inclusive framework to make instruction more accessible for all students. By adapting one’s instruction to allow students greater flexibility in how they interact with primary source materials in the archival classroom, it is possible to foster a learning environment where all students benefit from increased accessibility.

Challenges of Neurodiversity in the Archives Classroom

Neurodivergent is a broad term commonly used to describe a range of cognitive diagnoses, including autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia, Tourette syndrome, and sensory processing disorders.^[1] There is no “typical” neurodivergent student; each student has their own unique strengths and academic challenges. Within the library instruction setting, neurodivergent students may struggle with executive functioning, working memory, attention control, and sensory issues; difficulties with understanding social cues, nonliteral language, and new situations are also common. At the same time, frequently occurring strengths in neurodivergent students include a strong attention to detail, adherence to procedures, and love of learning—all skills that can help a student excel when working with archival materials.^[2]

The number of neurodivergent college students is growing. Longitudinal data shows that the prevalence rate of autism spectrum disorder has risen from 1 in 150 in 2000 to 1 in 36 in 2020.^[3] ADHD is also commonly reported, with one recent study finding that approximately 16% of college students surveyed had received a diagnosis.^[4] As an increasing number of college students identify as neurodivergent, providing accessible instruction to this population will become a more pressing issue for archivists and librarians.

Instruction in archives or special collections most often takes the form of one-shot sessions; this model can prove particularly challenging for neurodivergent students. Students may struggle with the unfamiliar setting, the pacing of the session, or the modality of instruction. In addition, the instructors for these sessions are typically unaware of students’ documented accessibility needs, leaving them unprepared to provide requested (or more frequently, unrequested yet very necessary) accommodations.

Introduction to Universal Design for Learning

One means to address these accessibility challenges facing neurodivergent students in archival instruction is the application of the principles of universal design. This term refers to the concept of making environments, products, or buildings accessible to the greatest number of people possible; all users may benefit from accommodations made for those experiencing barriers to access. For example, closed captions were designed to assist those with hearing impairment, but many individuals without a disability may utilize this feature when watching a video in a noisy environment. Studies have shown that students in courses integrating universal design principles demonstrate “improved perceptions of the course, increased satisfaction, increased social presence, and enhanced success.”^[5]

Among the greatest benefits of universal design in instruction is that this process of accommodating neurodivergent students provides alternative pathways to learning for all students in the session, allowing all students to participate in ways that draw upon their strengths. Eliminating barriers in how students interact with primary sources enables greater engagement with the materials themselves, as it eliminates challenges that may come when working in specific modalities outside of a student’s strengths. Much of the literature on universal design in higher education focuses on semester-length courses, but it can also be applied to the one-shot model typically seen in library instruction.^[6]

One particular application of this concept is the Universal Design for Learning guidelines. Developed by the organization CAST, the UDL guidelines apply the concept of universal design to education. UDL focuses on three main principles: providing multiple means of engagement, multiple means of representation, and multiple means of action and expression.^[7] The following sections outline specific examples of how UDL guidelines can be implemented when teaching with archives. Some of these recommendations may initially require significant adjustments when preparing for primary source instruction; however, much of the work can be repurposed in subsequent sessions.

Multiple Means of Engagement

Providing students with different pathways to engage with materials can result in increased motivation and sustained effort.^[8] Neurodivergent and neurotypical students alike have a broad range of interests and thrive in different learning environments. Allowing opportunities to explore different options while making room for different learning styles promotes greater engagement for all students.

Examples:

• Encourage individual interests. Have students personally select items from a curated selection to work with during an interactive instruction session; having a strong interest in the topic allows for deeper engagement. Another option—though one that requires additional preparation by the instructor—is to have students use the library catalog, finding aid database, or other discovery tool to identify materials of interest in anticipation of the session. Self-selection of the manuscript or artifact can facilitate a student’s investment in the class activity.
• Allow for solo or group work. Give students the opportunity to choose whether they would prefer to work individually, with a partner, or in a small group.
• Facilitate self-regulation. Let students know when it is okay to move around, talk or make other noises, etc.; not all neurodivergent students will have an innate sense of when such actions are appropriate. Provide explicit information about any specific exit and reentry procedures for your reading room or instruction space, and access to restroom facilities. Allow students to use noise-canceling headphones when working independently.

Multiple Means of Representation

Information can be presented to students in a wide range of modalities: spoken aloud, printed in a handout, shared in a video, and so on. Students will vary in their abilities to interpret and understand this information depending on the format and their personal abilities.^[9] Providing information to students through multiple means allows students to self-select the medium that best suits their learning style.

Examples:

• Provide information in multiple formats. Distribute a copy of information shared in a presentation via handout, or digitally via course management system or LibGuide.^[10] Incorporate graphics and short videos into presentations; provide PDF copies of any presentations, including speaker’s notes.
• Provide transcriptions of handwritten documents. We are quick to bemoan that students are not taught cursive anymore, but the reality is that nineteenth-century handwriting is difficult for many of us to decipher. Typed transcripts allow students with dyslexia to engage more easily with handwritten primary source documents.
• Make digitized material available after the session. Some students need more time to process new information than is possible in a single class session. Digitizing primary source material used in class allows students to further examine the items from class on their own time. Making this material available online can also facilitate the use of assistive technologies.

Multiple Means of Action and Expression

When teaching, it is often not enough to simply tell students information; they need to actively engage with the material to truly learn. Provide a range of pathways for students to demonstrate their mastery of a topic; allowing students to choose their preferred modality allows them to focus on engaging with the material, rather than getting bogged down in the details of how they respond.^[11]

Examples:

• Allow for multiple means of engaging with materials. While worksheets and response papers work well for some students, they are not the only means to assess student engagement and learning. Consider providing options in other modalities for students to show their engagement, such as drawing or recording a response. Document cameras work beautifully to enable students to share aloud their observations of archival materials with their classmates.
• Emphasize skill development. Focus the instruction session on developing archival skills that are transferable to independent research visits, such as interpreting a finding aid and handling rare materials. Students can return on their own and work at their own pace to complete assignments, using assistive technologies as needed.

Additional Suggestions to Improve Accessibility

Beyond the Universal Design for Learning framework, there are many possibilities for small adjustments librarians and archivists can make when teaching with primary sources to make sessions more accessible for neurodivergent students:

• In the case of one-shot instruction sessions, inquire with the instructor of record about any accommodations arranged through student accessibility services. Do this in a way that respects student confidentiality; rather than identifying specific students and their needs, ask broadly if there is any need for advance copies of presentation materials, for example.
• Provide information about special collections and archives in advance of the session via email, course management system, LibGuide, or other online tutorial. Include information about locating the reading room or instruction space, what will happen during the session, how to request accommodations, and policies regarding food and drink, backpacks, writing utensils, electronic devices, etc.^[12]
• Avoid using non-literal language, such as sarcasm and figures of speech. If writing on a whiteboard, print neatly and avoid cursive.
• Be consistent in procedures. For instance, avoid allowing students to engage in behaviors normally not permitted in the reading room, such as using a pen to take notes.
• Consider holding one-off sessions in the course’s regular classroom. Students will have already identified seating arrangements where they are comfortable. This is, of course, not always feasible when working with archival materials.

Accessibility does not have to be an all-or-nothing proposition. While we should endeavor to make instruction as fully accessible to all students as possible, librarians and archivists should approach the adoption of UDL as an iterative process. As Rachel McMullin points out, instructors “should view these strategies as a tool kit, from which they can select the tools that meet the needs of their student body and work well with their own teaching style.”^[13]

Conclusion

For many students, working with primary sources is a new experience, one that can be particularly challenging for neurodivergent individuals. Universal Design for Learning provides one framework to create more accessible educational opportunities for all students. Instruction sessions created with the UDL framework in mind can enable neurodivergent students to engage more deeply with primary sources by placing the emphasis on the materials, rather than the means through which they are mediated.

Endnotes

^[1] Lawrence K. Fung and Nancy Doyle, “Neurodiversity: The New Diversity,” in Neurodiversity: From Phenomenology to Neurobiology and Enhancing Technologies, ed. Lawrence K. Fung (Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association Publishing, 2021), 7.

^[2] Rachel M. McMullin and Kerry R. Walton, Supporting Students on the Autism Spectrum: A Practical Guide for Academic Libraries (Santa Barbara, California: Libraries Unlimited, 2019), 2–11.

^[3] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Data & Statistics on Autism Spectrum Disorder,” 2023, https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/data.html, archived January 10, 2024 at https://web.archive.org/web/20240110141821/https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/data.html.

^[4] Arthur D.P. Mak et al., “ADHD Comorbidity Structure and Impairment: Results of the WHO World Mental Health Surveys International College Student Projects,” Journal of Attention Disorders 26, no. 8 (2021): 1078–96.

^[5] Kelly D. Roberts, Maya Satlykgylyjova, and Hye-Jin Park, “Universal Design of Instruction in Postsecondary Education: A Literature Review of Empirically Based Articles,” in Universal Design in Higher Education: From Principles to Practice, 2nd ed., ed. Sheryl E. Burgstahler (Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard Education Press, 2015), 68.

^[6] Rachel M. McMullin, “Universal Design and Library One-Shot Instruction,” Public Services Quarterly 18, no. 3 (2022): 177–89.

^[7] “The UDL Guidelines,” CAST, 2018, https://udlguidelines.cast.org, archived January 3, 2024, at https://web.archive.org/web/20240103231542/https://udlguidelines.cast.org/.

^[8] Anne Meyer, David H. Rose, and David Gordon, Universal Design for Learning: Theory and Practice (Wakefield, MA: CAST Professional Publishing, 2014), 91.

^[9] Meyer, Rose, and Gordon, Universal Design, 99.

^[10] For an example LibGuide that compiles resources from a class session, see https://web.archive.org/web/20230627200958/https://libguides.trinity.edu/east2321/class.

^[11] Meyer, Rose, and Gordon, Universal Design, 102–3.

^[12] An example of such a page created using the LibGuides platform can be found at https://web.archive.org/web/20230626203650/https://libguides.trinity.edu/archives/class.

^[13] McMullin, 187.

About the author

name: Colleen Hoelscher

institution: Trinity University

Colleen Hoelscher (MSLS, MA) is the Special Collections Librarian and Associate Professor at Trinity University Coates Library. The most exciting part of her job: collaborating with faculty to develop high-impact learning experiences where students work directly with primary sources in the reading room. She was a 2022 recipient of the Rare Book School’s M.C. Lang Fellowship in Book History, Bibliography, and Humanities Teaching. Her scholarship has appeared in top library journals, including College & Research Libraries and RBM: a Journal of Rare Books, Manuscripts, and Cultural Heritage.