Neurodivergent Students in the Residence Halls – On-Demand Training

Foster Inclusion, Student Success & ADA Compliance

As colleges and universities welcome growing numbers of neurodivergent students into campus housing, residence life professionals are navigating increasingly complex situations involving accommodations, roommate dynamics, social interaction, behavioral concerns, sensory needs and disability compliance. Yet many staff members have received little formal training on how to effectively support these students while maintaining community standards. As a result, staff frequently experience uncertainty, anxiety, frustration, and concern about balancing student support with community standards and legal obligations.

Our expert presenter will equip housing professionals with the knowledge, strategies, and confidence to create more inclusive residential communities where neurodivergent students—and all residents—can thrive.

Through the exploration of disability law, student affairs practice and real-world case examples residence life professionals navigate every day, this online training will help you close the growing gap between the needs of neurodivergent students and the preparedness of residential staff. Gain practical strategies that foster inclusion, belonging, student success, and compliance within your campus housing environment.

Topics Covered

Leave the webinar prepared with strategies to confidently:

• Recognize and respond to the needs of neurodivergent students more effectively by identifying common barriers related to communication, sensory processing, social interaction, and community living.
• Navigate accommodation requests, roommate conflicts, behavioral concerns, and challenging situations with greater confidence while maintaining community standards and legal compliance.
• Develop effective communication techniques and sensory-conscious approaches that improve interactions with students experiencing autism, ADHD, learning disabilities and other forms of neurodivergence.
• Apply ADA and Section 504 requirements to common housing scenarios, reducing institutional risk while providing equitable support for students.
• Implement proactive practices that improve collaboration among housing staff, disability services, counseling, and campus partners to better meet the needs of neurodivergent students.
• Develop action steps for creating more neuroinclusive residential environments through staff training, environmental considerations, and collaboration with campus partners.
  

Presenter

Leigh Davis Fickling is the Deputy Director of the Title IX and Clery Compliance and an Accommodations Consultant at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. With over 25 years of executive higher education leadership administration experience, Leigh's area of expertise is in disability management and the implementation of reasonable accommodations in the classroom and the workplace.
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