Neurodivergent adults, such as those on the autism spectrum, or with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, or other cognitive differences, experience significant barriers to inclusion in education and employment due to disabilities that often aren鈥檛 obvious. Research shows聽that remain consistently employed over time, and just are employed, compared to 87% employment among adults without ADHD. Studies suggest that is neurodivergent. Accordingly, efforts to improve the neuroinclusivity of academic institutions and workplaces have significant potential for impact on individuals, families and the U.S. economy.

鈥淭he lower education and employment outcomes are largely attributed to education and workplace environments that were designed to reinforce normative expectations,鈥� said , 91探花associate professor in the Information School and founding director of the Institute. 鈥淲hen learning and work environments are designed for neurodiversity 鈥� and managers and teachers are trained to be neuroinclusive 鈥� neurodivergent individuals achieve far better outcomes.鈥�

Annabi is a leading scholar on neurodiversity and employment. Her work in this space includes the publication of a series of Neurodiversity @ Work Playbooks that make a case for hiring neurodivergent people and offer concrete instructions for supporting their growth and career development.

鈥淭he Institute for Neurodiversity and Employment is set up to make a significant difference 鈥� not just at the 91探花, but for communities all over our state,鈥� said , executive director of the Canopy Neurodiversity Foundation. 鈥淭his institute will build on Canopy鈥檚 vision for a truly neuroinclusive workforce, dramatically expanding what鈥檚 possible in our state.鈥�

Housed in the Information School, the Institute will integrate faculty, research and support from the and the , with additional collaboration from 91探花Medicine and the School of Social Work.

鈥淭he new institute will build upon the outstanding neurodiversity work of Dr. Annabi at the Information School,鈥� said , dean of the 91探花Information School. 鈥淎dding the deep expertise of our cross-campus collaborators, along with Canopy and other community partners, we will create truly multidisciplinary, innovative and impactful solutions that will transform Washington鈥檚 education and employment spaces 鈥� including here at the UW.鈥�

鈥淎t present, research addressing lifespan issues such as employment is happening in silos across various disciplines, limiting our ability to develop comprehensive solutions,鈥� said Annabi. 鈥淏y convening a broad coalition of partners across the neurodiversity, employment and academic communities, we can move beyond isolated efforts toward innovative, systems-level change 鈥� driven by those with lived experience and deep expertise.鈥�

The Institute鈥檚 work will focus on five pillars: translational research on neurodiversity and employment, applied professional education and training, community empowerment across Washington state, advocacy efforts to create and strengthen neuroinclusive policies and practices statewide, and direct engagement with 91探花leadership to make the university a premier destination for neurodivergent faculty, staff, clinicians and students.

Annabi is particularly enthusiastic about the UW鈥檚 commitment to 鈥榳alk the talk鈥� by committing, through the Institute, to neuroinclusive employment practices.

“The 91探花recognizes that employment is an important component of a person鈥檚 quality of life and the equitable distribution of societal resources and power,鈥� said 91探花Provost Tricia Serio.聽 “As one of the state鈥檚 largest employers, we have a vital role to play in modeling ways to increase support for neurodivergent people and break down the persistence of barriers in post-secondary education and the workplace that they face. We are thrilled to channel this work through the Institute for Neurodiversity and Employment.鈥�

The 91探花Institute for Neurodiversity and Employment will launch activities and programming in 2026.

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For questions, please contact: neurodiversity@uw.edu.

“Nothing about us without us” is a phrase often used to express the need for people to have a say in designing policies that affect their own lives.

It’s also a key tenet in the , a resource created by the 91探花 together with several corporate partners. The 61-page document guides organizations and human resources professionals in creating and sustaining appropriate and well-supported employment opportunities for individuals on the autism spectrum.

The playbook offers step-by-step guidance for organizations interested in creating their own inclusive workplace programs, from designing a pilot program that fits the workplace to recruitment, hiring, training and support, as well as how to assist employees with career development and advancement.

“We created this playbook as a way to distill best practices of years of experience and tremendous passion. It is designed to empower organizations of all sizes across all sectors to join the fight to eradicate unemployment for the autism community,” said , an iSchool associate professor and principal investigator of the Autism at Work research project. “With this guide, organizations can find their way to creating an appropriate and successful inclusive work program that eliminates barriers and provides opportunities for individuals on the autism spectrum.”

The playbook uses insights gained from workplace experiences of the members of the multi-partner , launched in 2017. The roundtable comprises representatives of partner corporations working to reduce unemployment rates among individuals with autism, which are often . And according to a 2015 from Drexel University, only about 58% of young adults on the spectrum are employed outside the home after high school and before their early 20s.

The roundtable has grown from a handful of organizations to more than 15, including Microsoft, J.P. Morgan Chase, EY (Ernst & Young), SAP Software Solutions, Fidelity Investments and several more.

The guide itself is the product of a collaborative research project called , led by Annabi. In her research, Annabi worked with iSchool graduate student Liz Crooks to study autism-at-work programs already in place at Microsoft, SAP Software Solutions, JPMorgan Chase and EY (Ernst & Young). They looked at organizational strategies, employment and resourcing models, and hiring and training to discern best practices, and distilled them for the playbook.

The two conducted their research with the assistance of , an iSchool-based research group 鈥� which is led by Annabi 鈥� that works to improve the representation of women and individuals with autism in the information technology industry.

Annabi also discussed the playbook in an April 17 meeting in Washington, D.C., of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ in a presentation titled “Autism-Ready Workplace: Creating and Scaling Autism Hiring Initiatives.”

The playbook returns to the theme of “Nothing about us without us” in its chapters on program design and employee retention, and emphasizes several key points:

• Spend time with internal and external partners from the autism community to guide program design, and learn about your autism community’s needs, resources and preferences
• Customize your program to fit your organization and dedicate sufficient resources and focused attention to make it a success
• Avoid making assumptions about the skills, interests and needs of individuals with autism 鈥� and ask questions to learn about the diversity in the needs, desires and talents of employees

“Only when we come together across organizations and industries will we truly make an impact in changing the unemployment rate for people with autism,”聽 said Neil Barnett, director of inclusive hiring and accessibility at Microsoft.

Research and work on the Autism @ Work Playbook was sponsored by Microsoft.

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For more information about the Autism @ Work Playbook, contact Annabi at 206-685-5585 or hpannabi@uw.edu; to learn more about the Autism @ Work Employer Roundtable, visit or email info@disabilityin.org.