Disability Specific Adjustments: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is a lifelong neurological difference that affects how people process information, manage attention, and regulate activity levels. ADHD people have distinct thinking patterns and approaches to tasks that reflect their neurological wiring. Many ADHD people demonstrate remarkable creativity, energy, and innovative problem-solving abilities. ADHD people often experience the world with heightened awareness and intensity, which can lead to passionate engagement with topics of interest and dynamic approaches to learning and work.

ADHD students bring valuable perspectives and strengths to tertiary education, including creative thinking, high energy and enthusiasm, ability to see connections others might miss, and innovative approaches to problem-solving. While ADHD students may face some challenges in environments designed for neurotypical attention patterns and traditional organisational systems, with appropriate support and understanding, they thrive across all academic disciplines.

Experiences of ADHD

While each ADHD student is unique, many share particular strengths and may benefit from specific supports.

Some common traits and strengths that ADHD students may demonstrate include:

Creative and innovative problem-solving abilities
High energy and enthusiasm for topics of interest
Ability to think quickly and make novel connections
Strong conceptual thinking and big-picture perspective
Excellent crisis management and ability to work under pressure
Hyperfocus abilities that enable deep engagement with interesting tasks
Flexible thinking and adaptability to changing situations
Strong intuition and ability to read people and situations
Entrepreneurial mindset and willingness to take initiative
Excellent verbal communication skills and engaging presentation abilities
Ability to multitask effectively in dynamic environments
Resilience and persistence in overcoming challenges

Like all people, ADHD students also benefit from support in educational environments. Without the right support, some students with ADHD may not have the opportunity to fully demonstrate their strengths. In educational environments which have not been designed with ADHD people in mind, barriers may emerge from inflexible time structures, overwhelming sensory environments, and teaching methods that don't accommodate different attention patterns and learning styles. Below is a list of common areas that ADHD students may benefit from supports and adjustments in to ensure that they can succeed in their learning in a way that leverages their strengths and ensures accessibility, safety, and comfort.

Attention and focus: ADHD students may benefit from strategies that work with their natural attention patterns, including opportunities for movement, flexible deadlines, varied learning activities, and environments that minimise distracting stimuli while supporting their ability to hyperfocus when engaged.
Time management and organisation: Some ADHD students benefit from external organisational supports, flexible deadlines, and systems that work with their thinking style rather than imposing rigid traditional structures.
Environmental considerations: Many ADHD students have heightened sensitivity to sensory input and benefit from learning environments that account for their need for movement, fidgeting, and sensory regulation tools.
Task initiation and completion: ADHD students often benefit from support with breaking large tasks into manageable steps, accountability systems, and recognition that their productivity patterns may be different from neurotypical students.
Emotional regulation: The intensity with which ADHD students experience the world can sometimes be overwhelming, and they may benefit from understanding environments and strategies for managing emotional responses to academic stressors.
Social interaction: ADHD students may communicate in direct, enthusiastic ways that can be misunderstood in academic settings, and benefit from environments that appreciate their communication style and energy.

Understanding these differences allows educators to create inclusive learning environments where ADHD students can demonstrate their capabilities and achieve their academic goals.

It is also important to consider that many ADHD students may also experience other influences on their neurotype, including autism. Research consistently demonstrates significant overlap between ADHD and autism, with many people being both autistic and having ADHD (AuDHD)^[1]. Therefore, when considering supports and adjustments for ADHD students, it may be beneficial to consider supports which incorporate an understanding of both neurotypes.

Disability practitioner strategies

When working with ADHD students, it's essential to adopt a collaborative, student-led approach that builds on their existing strategies and expertise about their own needs.

Establishing a strong working relationship with ADHD students requires:

Taking time to understand the student's individual strengths, goals, and preferred communication styles.
Recognising that ADHD students are experts on their own experiences and needs.
Creating a comfortable, non-judgmental environment where students feel safe to share their perspectives.
Understanding that it may take time for students to identify what works best in their new learning environment.
Acknowledging that for some students with recent diagnoses, developing new strategies may be an ongoing collaborative process.
Reflecting on your own practice as a disability practitioner and ensuring that your communication and behaviour supports a strengths-based, neuro-affirming approach to support provision.
Balancing an understanding of ADHD experiences with ensuring that no assumptions or stereotypes are being applied in discussions relating to supports.

For ADHD students who have established support strategies from previous educational or workplace settings, work together to adapt these approaches to the tertiary environment. For students exploring new support options, adopt a flexible, trial-and-refinement approach that honours the student's autonomy and self-determination.

Based on individual student needs and preferences, disability practitioners may facilitate a range of supports across academic contexts, environmental and communication considerations, and study skills and/or transition supports.

Remember that adjustments are not a replacement for inclusive and accessible learning design: implementing Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles to ensure that learning environments are as accessible as possible by default is also central to ensuring that students with disability can fully realise their right to inclusive education.

Academic access supports

Access to peer note takers or professional note taking services to support information capture during lectures and tutorials
Provision of lecture recordings or transcription services to enable review and processing of content at the student's own pace
Access to study and/or office spaces with appropriate sensory environments, including quiet zones, reduced lighting, or spaces away from high-traffic areas
Speech recognition software or other assistive technologies for written work to support students who may have difficulties with sustained typing or handwriting
Alternative examination arrangements (such as separate rooms, extended time, movement breaks, or alternative formats) or assistive technology access during assessments to assist focus, sensory experiences, and attention
Tutorial arrangements that support the student's learning preferences, such as smaller groups, consistent tutors, advance notice of discussion topics, or opportunities to provide written contributions (e.g. in a poll, forum, or by email) rather than verbal input
Flexible assignment submission formats that allow students to demonstrate their knowledge in ways that align with their strengths
For research/HDR students: flexible supervision arrangements, written communication options with supervisors, structured milestone planning, and consideration of thesis format alternatives (e.g., thesis by publication)

Environmental and communication supports

Sensory environment modifications to reduce overwhelming stimuli in learning spaces (considering auditory, visual, olfactory, tactile, temperature, and social factors), e.g. relocating classes from rooms with fluorescent lights or rooms without ventilation
Clear communication protocols with academic staff about the student's preferred communication methods and response timeframes
Detailed, written information about course structures, expectations, assessment criteria, and requirements provided in advance
Support for the student to have fidget tools, movement breaks, or standing options during classes and meetings
Extended time for processing information and task completion, particularly for complex or multi-step assignments
Flexible attendance policies that recognise ADHD students' variable energy and attention patterns
For research/HDR students: advance notice of conference presentations, structured research planning tools, flexible candidature and scholarship timelines where appropriate, flexible attendance and flexible/hybrid/remote supervisory meeting arrangements, provision of clear and final versions of all milestone documentation and program requirements/instructions

Study skills and transition supports

Case management services focused on developing study engagement strategies and self-advocacy skills
Collaborative development of personalised planning and time management systems that work with the student's processing and thinking styles
Peer connection programs that support campus navigation, academic skill development, and social connections with other ADHD and neurodivergent students
Transition planning that builds on the student's existing strengths, interests, and successful executive functioning strategies
Access to organisational tools and apps that complement the student's natural working style
Support with breaking large tasks into manageable components and developing accountability systems
For research/HDR students: research skill development workshops, writing retreats with sensory considerations, structured peer support networks within research communities

The most effective support approaches centre the ADHD student's voice, build on their strengths, and create accessible learning environments that enable all students to thrive.

[1] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8918663/