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Neurodiversity Podcast

Neurodiversity Podcast

Why Universal Classrooms Work, and Conventional Ones Often Don't

Oct 7, 2026 · 42m

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On this episode

About this episode

True classroom inclusion involves far more than simply placing a student's chair inside a general education room. When schools define inclusion purely by physical placement, neurodivergent students often face conditions that fall short of genuine access, belonging, and appropriate challenge. Dr. Katie Novak, an internationally recognized education consultant, former assistant superintendent, and author of The UDL Shift, joins Emily Kircher-Morris to discuss how Universal Design for Learning creates classrooms that support learner variability from the ground up. TAKEAWAYS Physical placement in a general education classroom does not equal meaningful inclusion and a genuine sense of belonging.…