Minds of all kinds: a call to Reimagine Neurodiversity in Educational Research
Submissions are invited for a Special Issue of Education in the North.
Education in the North, an international, peer-reviewed, open-access journal, invites submissions for a special issue on Neurodiversity and Educational Research. This issue aims to explore synergies between Neurodiversity Studies and the discipline of Education and to examine how educational policies, pedagogies, and research methodologies can be more 'neuro-inclusive’.
Neurodiversity—the variation in how individuals perceive the world, process information, and solve problems—is an inevitable and valuable aspect of the human experience. This variation includes, but is not limited to, autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and dyspraxia. As educational institutions increasingly acknowledge the importance of inclusive practices, it is essential to expand the research that informs evidence-based strategies and policies to support all learners and colleagues. To achieve this, a multiplicity of perspectives must shape this research, and its design must be inclusive of the neurodiversity within research communities themselves.
Are you passionate about neurodiversity in all its interpretations and manifestations, impacts and ambiguities, stories and lessons? We invite educators, researchers, and practitioners to submit an expression of interest for this special issue.
We welcome empirical studies, theoretical contributions, case studies, and critical reviews that engage with topics including, but not limited to, the following:
- Inclusive educational policies and practices for neurodivergent individuals
- Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and its applications for neurodiverse learners
- The role of assistive technologies in supporting neurodivergent individuals
- Social and emotional learning for neurodivergent learners
- Teacher training and professional development for neurodiversity-informed education
- Neurodivergent perspectives on education and self-advocacy
- The intersectionality of neurodiversity and educational experiences
- Innovative assessment methods and alternative learning strategies
- The impact of remote and hybrid learning on neurodivergent learners
- The role of family, community, and peer support for neurodivergent individuals
- The roles, impacts, and risks of Generative AI for neurodivergent people
Different types of submission are possible:
- Articles dealing with empirical research, not published or submitted elsewhere (up to 8000 words).
- Features detailing ongoing research or innovative practice (up to 4000 words).
- Interviews, Dialogues, or Open Letters (up to 4000 words).
- Literature Reviews (up to 2000 words).
Submission Guidelines
Submission Deadlines
1. Expression of Interest and 250-500 word abstract sent to eitn@abdn.ac.uk by 31st January 2026.
2. Invitation for full papers circulated by 28th February 2026.
3. Submission of manuscript/media sent to eitn@abdn.ac.uk by 31st May 2026.
4. Special Issue published in November 2026.
Special issue editors
Beth Cross, beth.cross@uws.ac.uk
Catherine Francis, catherine.francis1@abdn.ac.uk
Shannon Babbie, shannon.babbie@abdn.ac.uk
Tracy Edwards, tracy.edwards@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
Journal editors
Helen Martin and Claire Molloy