Earlier this week a friend of mine announced that his company was pivoting to dedicate their digital skills training company to focus exclusively on neurodiverse learning modalities. While it seems obvious in today's world that we need to accommodate for varying learning styles, there are very few examples to point to of companies that are tackling the challenge with such vigor.

I applaud them, and look forward to hearing of others who will follow their lead.

Neurodiversity is not new, it's always been part of our human makeup. While the term was coined in the 1990's, we can find examples of man's/woman's need to express themselves in diverse ways as far back as there has been art painted on cave walls. Our independent methodologies for expressing concepts is the clearest indication that we also learn differently as human beings. While we all have similar makeups that classify us as humans, each and every one of us is unique in our genetic makeup. So why wouldn't we all learn differently?

At EdGate, we are focused on powering education providers, leveraging our robust standards library, technology and alignments. We get excited when asked to participate in projects that address challenges like neurodiversity because as educators at heart, we collectively are compelled to create a better world for all individuals. Below are two examples of unique applications of our systems and talents that highlight this exciting trend towards neurodiverse content being readily available:

Neurodiversity in Cybersecurity Pilot (ESET and CyberHire Grants)
CCOE (Cyber Center of Excellence) is working with the National Foundation for Autism Research (NFAR) to pilot an industry-led autism training and workforce development program to pair students with cognitive exceptionalities to well-suited careers in software and cybersecurity.

RethinkEd's Special Education Solution
This program combines the power of technology and research to empower educators with a comprehensive suite of tools for delivering innovative, scalable, individualized, defensible and evidence-based supports for learners with disabilities.

Rethink's content is aligned to many sets of standards including SEL and mental health standards.

If your company is considering the creation of neurodiverse content or instructional material, EdGate would be proud to work alongside your team to align standards and provide data that will help power its success.

By: Richard Portelance
VP Marketing