Abhigeet M.K, Vaishnavi Shetye, Namrata Gogoi, Adarsh B.S and Neha Mandlik
The “FET’S LOCUS” system map investigates systemic challenges faced by neurodivergent students within Indian higher education and proposes design-led interventions that reframe inclusion as a systems issue rather than an individual deficit. Indian educational systems continue to rely on standardised pedagogical models shaped around the “average” learner, creating barriers for students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Specific Learning Disabilities (SLDs), dyscalculia, autism spectrum conditions, and sensory processing differences. Using systemic design methodologies, stakeholder mapping, and system mapping, this project visualises interconnected academic, social, and environmental conditions contributing to exclusion in higher education ecosystems.
The project shifts from a clinical understanding of neurodivergence towards a social-ecological perspective that recognises cognitive diversity as an opportunity for institutional transformation. The system map identifies friction points including rigid deadlines, rote-learning pedagogies, inaccessible classrooms, overstimulating environments, and limited educator awareness. These systemic failures are linked to emotional and academic consequences such as stress, reduced self-efficacy, and disengagement.
To address these gaps, the project proposes four interconnected interventions: a participatory awareness workshop, an educator toolkit grounded in Universal Design for Learning (UDL), a gamified learning tool for dyscalculia, and a sensory divider prototype designed to reduce overstimulation in learning spaces. Together, these interventions demonstrate how systemic, pedagogical, and spatial design strategies can support neurodivergent learners while improving educational experiences universally.
KEYWORDS: neurodivergence, educational policy, inclusivity, students, specific learning disorders (SLD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
