Seven Strategies for Supporting Neurodivergent Writers in Higher Education download
This is a curated list of blogs, articles, and apps that may be of use to graduate students and advisors who are dealing with issues related to neurodiversity and mental health. Please let me know of sources that have been useful to you so that I can consider them for inclusion.
Part 1 in this series: Hacking Grad School for Neurodiverse Grad Students
Part 2 in this series: Advising Neurodiverse Thesis and Dissertation Students
BLOGS, WEBSITES, AND ARTICLES
Ph.Disabled is the best blog I have found on the subject of graduate students and disabilities of all kinds. The blog offers smart, frank first-person narratives about inhabiting academe with physical, cognitive, and affective differences. This is where I send students to let them know they are not alone. Based in the U.K.
This Emotional Life @EmotionalLife. A Public Broadcast Service resource based in the U.S. that offers excellent articles and media productions on all things affective.
For Teachers and Advisors
Are You Being Rigorous or Just Intolerant: How to Promote Mental Health in the Classroom
ON DIAGNOSIS
ON ACCOMMODATIONS
Disabled in Grad School: Why I, Too, Dread “the Accommodations Talk”
The Adjusted Ph.D: What Accommodations Worked for You?
Invisible No More [on “seeing” and working with invisible disabilities]
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
The #Autistic Buddha: My Unconventional Path to Englightenment
Neurodiversity and Mental Health. Great article on the relationship between these two related but not identical issues.
Adult ASD: Self Diagnosis or Professional Diagnosis?
At the Intersection of Gender and Autism Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
On Executive Functioning
Blog Series on Executive Function
Tips for Good Executive Functioning
ADHD
What It’s Like to Have ADHD As a Grown Woman
DYSLEXIA
The Dyslexic Grad Student’s Toolbox
Surviving grad school with dyslexia
Tech Tools That Have Transformed Learning With Dyslexia
PROCRASTINATION
Why Procrastinators Procrastinate
PERFECTIONISM
Perfectionism in OCD: When the Pursuit of Success Turns Toxic
SELF-ACCEPTANCE
Brene Brown, shame and vulnerability researcher who has become well known for her powerful TED talks.
Acceptance as a Well Being Practice
Tara Brach, mindfulness teacher working from a Buddhist framework.
Flowering from within of self blessing
FINDING GOOD MENTORS AND NAVIGATING ACADEMIC CULTURE
Why is it so Hard to Find Mentors?
Hiding in Plain Sight: Changing the Unwritten Rules of Academe
THE IMPORTANCE OF AFFECTIVE LABOR IN THE UNIVERSITY
The Political Case for Caring Inside the Academy
Invisible Labor: Exploitation of Scholar of Color in Academia
THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT—OR—YOU HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY
Technical aids can be a huge help in accessing or outputting materials. In addition, there are lots of apps and software that can help you minimize distraction, organize your work, and create structure.
TEXT TO VOICE
Voice Dream. For students who benefit from seeing and hearing text, Voice Dream provides the very useful ability to listen to and annotate texts. Imports just about any type of file.
VOICE TO TEXT: VOICE DICTATION
Some students struggle so significantly with typing that it slows down their process considerably. Likewise, anyone who types a lot can find themselves dealing with arm and wrist pain. Using voice dictation can increase your speed and cut down on repetitive stress. Note that if you are composing your written work orally, make sure to reread or get another reader to make sure that you are using written rather than oral constructions as these are not exactly the same.
The current Mac operating system has a fairly robust dictation program built-in. Hit the function (fn) key twice to activate the dictation function. Then hit return when you’re done speaking. This function is only good for 60 seconds of speech. To turn on extended dictation, go to System Preferences, choose Dictation and Speech, and then click the Enhanced Diction box. Enhanced dictation still has some bugs (wonky punctuation).
Dragon Naturally Speaking is a highly-regarded dictation software. It requires a small amount of training and you need to learn the program’s voice commands, but it can allow you to control everything on your computer hands-free.
DISABLE INTERNET
Strict Workflow. Blocks access to web pages you designate for 25 minutes at a time.
ORGANIZATION
Kanbanflow. Lets you create columns that you can use to track different projects or tasks. Can set deadlines, reminders, and a Pomodoro timer (25 minute work increments).
Wunderlist. Lets you make and share lists from any device
EMAIL MANAGEMENT Emailing reminders, check-ins, and deadlines to yourself is an incredibly powerful way to keep yourself on track.
Follow-up-then: Free email reminder/scheduler (plugin for Gmail)
Boomerang: Free email reminder/scheduler (plugin for Gmail)
Sidekick: Free email tracker- tracks when an email is opened by a recipient (plugin for Gmail)
Google for Dyslexia: Chrome Extensions
Google for Dyslexia: Chrome Add-Ons
Google for Dyslexia: Chrome Apps
HUMOR (Good for Everything that Ails You)
FAQ:THE “SNAKE FIGHT” PORTION OF YOUR THESIS DEFENSE
More in This Series
Seven Strategies for Supporting Neurodivergent Writers in Higher Education download
Part 1 in this series: Hacking Grad School for Neurodiverse Grad Students
Part 2 in this series: Advising Neurodiverse Thesis and Dissertation Students
ScholarStudio Blog: A Resource for Graduate Writers and Advisors 
Great resource! Thanks so much!
I started the hashtag #autisticsinacademia at the beginning of the Year. It’s becoming quite a cool community. I’m going to share this resource on the hashtag – but you might like to add it to the resources you’re aware of too.
Nice work,
Gill
(I tweet as @loomesgill
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