Inclusion Isn’t an Add On: Sensing the Possibilities of Neuro-inclusion
By Jenne Amell (she/they), Co-Founder, Director at Collectively Inclusive Consulting
What if inclusion began before someone had to ask for an accommodation?
As an occupational therapist with both lived and professional experience with neurodivergent thinking, I have become increasingly curious about the relationship between our nervous systems and the environment in which we live, work, learn and connect.
Occupational therapy asks an important question: what makes participation possible? Sometimes the answer is not asking someone to try harder or adapt themselves to the environment. Sometimes, it is changing the environment.
This is where I see regulation as a bridge to participation and neuro-inclusion as an opportunity to build that bridge before someone reaches it.
Regulation is for Everyone
Our nervous systems are constantly sensing and responding to the world around us. Sound, light, movement, touch, temperature, smells, taste, and internal body sensations all provide information that influence how we engage.
One way to understand this is through the “window of tolerance”, the range of arousal where we feel regulated, present, and able to participate. When an environment becomes too demanding, we can move outside that window. We may experience hyper arousal, feeling overwhelmed or on high alert, or hypo arousal, feeling disconnected, shut down, or unable to engage.
Importantly, regulation does not mean being quiet, still or compliant. A person can be excited, enthusiastic, moving their body and deeply engaged while regulated. Regulation is about having access to ourselves- enough safety, energy and connection to participate in what matters to us.
I think of it as finding the “just-right” amount.
A quiet workspace may be exactly what one person needs to focus, while another person may need movement, background sound or something to fidget with. There is no single environment that regulates every nervous system.
Sensing the Possibilities
When we think about accessibility, we often think about the five familiar senses. But our sensory experiences are much richer.
Our tactile system notices touch and pressure. Our auditory system processes sound. Our visual system responds to light, colour and movement. Our vestibular and proprioceptive systems help us understand movement, balance and where our bodies are in space. Our olfactory and gustatory systems respond to smell and taste. And interoception helps us notice what is happening inside our bodies-thirst, hunger, temperature, pain, fatigue and the need to use the bathroom.
Thinking about sensory systems offers organizations a wonderful opportunity to think differently about inclusion.
What if workplaces offered flexible lighting rather than one lighting level for everyone? What if a meeting participant could move, doodle or use a fidget without being viewed as disengaged? What if there were a quiet place to work, headphones available, varied seating, opportunities for movement, access to water and food, or a place to briefly step away from stimulation?
These are small environmental choices, but they can create meaningful opportunities for participation. And these supports do not need to belong exclusively to neurodivergent people.
From Accommodation to Anticipation
This is where inclusion stops being an add-on.
An accommodation often begins with a person identifying a barrier and asking for something different. A neuro-inclusive approach asks a different question from the beginning:
Who might be here, and what might they need to participate?
This shift invites us to design with variability in mind.
It means considering sensory experiences when we plan meetings, workplaces, programs, events, policies and physical spaces. It means creating choice and flexibility rather than expecting everyone to engage in exactly the same way.
It also means listening to the people who use our spaces. Lived experience is expertise. Neuro-inclusion is stronger when neurodivergent people are invited into the design process-not simply consulted after decisions have already been made.
I often imagine an inclusive space as one that offers a menu of possibilities. Maybe you need quiet. Maybe you need movement. Maybe you need bright or dim light. Maybe you need connection, or perhaps a few minutes alone.
The goal is not to create a perfect, one-size-fits-all environment. The goal is to create an environment with enough flexibility that more people can find their just-right amount.
Imagine an organization where people can think, move, communicate and participate in ways that honour their individual nervous systems. Imagine leaving a meeting, workplace or community space feeling better than when you arrived.
That is the possibility of neuro-inclusion.
Not an add on.
A way of designing from the beginning for authentic being, doing, and belonging.
Are you interested in learning more about inclusion? Collectively Inclusive is building an online community and learning space where people all over the world can come together to learn, share, and understand more about inclusive approaches. Join our mailing list so that you can stay connected, and get your free guide to Neurodivergent Affirming Language!
