Pyramid USA Consultants, Jill M. Waegenaere, M.A., CCC-SLP, and Molly Lingo, M.Ed., BCBA, discuss the common factors associated with the Neurodiversity Movement and Applied Behavior Analysis.
Conversations surrounding neurodiversity-affirming practices and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) have become increasingly prominent in schools, clinics, and across social media. Unfortunately, these discussions can sometimes feel polarized, with philosophies being labeled as entirely “good” or “bad.”
But the reality is far more nuanced.
At the 2025 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Convention, presenters from Pyramid Educational Consultants explored this very topic by highlighting common ground between the Neurodiversity Movement and ABA. The discussion reinforced an important idea: while the language and frameworks may differ, many shared values exist across disciplines.
What Is the Neurodiversity Movement?
The neurodiversity movement is a social advocacy movement that promotes acceptance, inclusion, and appreciation of neurological differences rather than viewing them solely as deficits that need to be fixed or cured.
While often associated with autism, neurodiversity also recognizes ADHD, dyslexia, and other neurological differences as natural variations of the human brain. The movement focuses on celebrating strengths and promoting accessibility and inclusion.
For example, someone with ADHD can have many strengths including; creativity, high energy, strong problem-solving skills and innovative thinking.
Understanding ABA
ABA is commonly defined as: “The process of systematically applying strategies based upon the principles of learning to improve socially significant behaviors to a meaningful degree.”
ABA has a strong evidence base for:
- Communication development
- Skill acquisition
- Increasing autonomy
- Reducing dangerous or highly interfering behaviors
Like many professions, ABA continues to evolve through ongoing conversations about ethics, autonomy, assent, and learner-centered care.
Shared Principles Across Disciplines
One way to conceptualize these shared values is through the lens of a neurodiversity-affirming practice. Within this framework, the core principles include presuming competence, promoting self-advocacy, prioritizing lived experience, and adapting systems to better support individuals rather than expecting individuals to change who they are. Together, these principles emphasize respect, autonomy, inclusion, and meaningful participation across environments.
Many of these concepts increasingly overlap with modern, learner-centered ABA practices that prioritize assent, individualized goals, functional communication, and quality of life. Rather than existing in opposition, the neurodiversity movement and contemporary ABA often share the same underlying objective: supporting individuals in ways that are ethical, respectful, and empowering.
Despite online debates, there are several areas where neurodiversity-affirming practices and ABA strongly overlap. Self-advocacy also creates independence. And it empowers people to find solutions to problems that others might not be aware of. Self-advocacy is especially important to us as Pyramid consultants because communication is at the heart of advocating for oneself.
Self-advocacy is the ability to express one’s needs, preferences, boundaries, and goals in ways that support autonomy and meaningful participation in daily life. At its heart, self-advocacy is the ability to communicate what 
The similarities between self-advocacy within the neurodiversity movement and modern ABA practices are often more significant than they first appear. Both perspectives emphasize the importance of supporting individuals in communicating their wants, needs, preferences, and boundaries in meaningful ways.
Within neurodiversity-affirming practice, self-advocacy centers on autonomy, consent, and ensuring that individuals have a voice in decisions that affect them. Similarly, contemporary ABA increasingly emphasizes learner assent, choice-making, functional communication, and individualized goals that reflect what is meaningful to the learner and their family.
For example, teaching a learner to request a break, indicate discomfort, advocate for accommodations, or communicate preferences are all forms of self-advocacy that align with both approaches. In this way, ABA strategies can be used to help individuals build communication, independence, and autonomy across settings.
These skills support independence and meaningful participation across settings.
Moving Forward Together
At first glance, neurodiversity-affirming practices and ABA may appear to conflict. However, a closer look reveals substantial shared goals:
Supporting autonomy
- Improving communication
- Increasing access and inclusion
- Promoting meaningful outcomes
Respectful discussions across disciplines are critical as our fields continue to evolve. When professionals remain open to collaboration and reflection, we create better opportunities for learners and families alike.
Ultimately, the focus should never be on choosing sides — it should be on helping every learner thrive.
Resources:
- Neurodiversity & ABA: Finding Common Ground Training – REGISTER TODAY to join us on July 22, 2026!
- Teaching Communication Skills for Self-Advocacy Webinar
- Harmonizing Collaboration Blog
Frequently Asked Questions
What does neurodiversity-affirming mean?
Neurodiversity-affirming practice is an approach that recognizes neurological differences, such as autism, ADHD, and dyslexia, as natural variations of the human experience rather than deficits that must be “fixed.” This framework emphasizes respecting autonomy, presuming competence, supporting communication, promoting self-advocacy, and adapting environments to better meet individual needs.
Professionals across disciplines, including speech-language pathology and education, increasingly emphasize inclusive, person-centered supports that prioritize meaningful participation and quality of life (ASHA).
Can ABA be neurodiversity-affirming?
Yes. Contemporary, learner-centered ABA practices increasingly incorporate neurodiversity-affirming principles by prioritizing assent, autonomy, functional communication, individualized goals, and quality of life.
Modern ABA literature increasingly discusses compassionate care, assent-based intervention, and ethical, individualized supports that are meaningful to the learner and family (Hanley, 2021; BACB Ethics Code).
How does self-advocacy relate to ABA?
Self-advocacy is closely connected to modern ABA practices because it involves helping individuals communicate their wants, needs, preferences, boundaries, and goals. Within ABA, teaching functional communication skills such as requesting a break, expressing discomfort, making choices, or asking for accommodations can support greater autonomy and independence.
These skills help individuals participate more meaningfully across home, school, community, and social environments while ensuring their voice is included in decisions that affect them. Research across communication and disability fields highlights the importance of functional communication and self-advocacy in promoting independence and quality of life (Beukelman & Light, 2020).
References
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). https://www.asha.org/
- Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) Ethics Code. https://www.bacb.com/ethics-information/ethics-codes/
- Cooper, J. O., Heron, T. E., & Heward, W. L. (2020). Applied Behavior Analysis (3rd ed.). Pearson.
- Hanley, G. P. (2021). “Compassionate Care in Behavior Analytic Treatment.” Beukelman, D. R., & Light, J. C. (2020). Augmentative & Alternative Communication: Supporting Children and Adults with Complex Communication Needs (5th ed.). Paul H. Brookes Publishing.
Written by Jill M. Waegenaere, M.A., CCC-SLP, and Molly Lingo, M.Ed., BCBA
© Pyramid Educational Consultants, LLC. 2026