An Introduction to the Research: Neurodiversity, Language and Inclusion

Written By GEC Researcher

A guide to neurodiversity, the language and inclusion, written by GEC Intern and PhD Researcher, Swane Parchment (Kingston University).

What is Neurodiversity?

Neurodiversity is often talked about regarding bringing awareness and this often starts with prevalence.

For instance, when estimating the prevalence of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in England, which is around 2.5 million people as of February 2026, NHS Digital included those without a formal diagnosis and waiting for a diagnosis within this estimated number. This is important and a step towards inclusion to bring awareness about neurodivergence, especially to include those without a formal diagnosis. But this is only the beginning of the conversation. 

At the GEC, we are careful and respectful when it comes to the language surrounding neurodiversity and what is considered neurominority conditions. This changes and evolves, and is what shapes and fosters inclusion for individuals when it comes to their sense of belonging.

We are keen to use our intelligence to help others. For example, our new Say What? animations are now available to all. These can help you to explore and translate both important and complex ideas linked to inclusion, belonging, identity, equity and voice. In our GEC Say What? Neurodiversity animation series we introduce and usualise neurodiversity, to reframe how we can think and support others with empathy.

Our Collective are key to quality assuring our work. Catrina Lowri, Founder of Neuroteachers (a neurominority, qualified, special needs teacher and experienced SENDCO) has supported us with much of our work in this area. For example, our advice to organisations in terms of what is neurodiversity and the common types of neurodiversity. Did you know the following?

  • Dyslexia – affects about 1/7 people. It is often thought of as only about spelling and reading but can cause issues with executive functioning and working memory.

  • Dyscalculia – affects about 1/10 people. It can mean issues with all areas of sequencing, spatial understanding as well as number.

  •  DCD – often called dyspraxia, Developmental Coordination Disorder is a more accurate name for this condition. This affects all areas of coordination including fine and gross motor skills. It’s thought to occur in around 1/12 people.

  • DLD – Developmental Language Disorder is probably the most overlooked type of neurodivergence. It’s extremely common, affecting around 1/6 people. Those with DLD may have good receptive language and comprehension skills but poor expressive language skills.

  • ADHD – attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is massively underdiagnosed, especially in women and girls. It is thought to affect around 1/12 people. The attention deficit side of the conditions is overlooked.

  • Autism – although the National Autistic Society says this condition affects around 1/100, much of the recent research puts the figure at 1/28. Autistics have differences in sensory processing and social communication.

Other common neurominority conditions include:

Epilepsy, Tourette’s and obsessive compulsive disorder and a number of other conditions which are considered neurominority, such as bipolar and schizophrenia.   

Neurominority and Neurodiverse: The Research and the People

There is emerging research surrounding the definitions of neurominority, neurodivergent and the lived experience language used by the people outside of research and academia. While there are some differences within research and the people, the terminology also has some commonality. It seems that neurodivergent is a term that is seen as being more inclusive while neurominority is a term that is seen as more defined (McLennan et al., 2025; Legault et al., 2021). The terms neurominority and neurodivergent seem to be used interchangeably by people socially or in social, work or education contexts. There are also people who may use the term neurominority when referring to one person, but neurodivergent when referring to a group that includes different neurotypes (The Brain Charity, 2022; National Autistic Society, 2026). Some describe neurodiverse as a blanket term, with such sayings as ‘everyone is neurodiverse, but not everyone is neurominority’ (London Borough of Hounslow, 2026). 

The term neurodiversity is considered a term that is new. This means, at least within research, there is a debate surrounding what to include and – much to the disagreement of advocates and us here at the GEC (National Autistic Society, 2026) – what not to include. This could raise the questions, is there a ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to use these terms? And with the clashes between researchers, self-advocates and advocates, who decides these definitions and should there be any at all? The answer may be simpler than initially thought when thinking of which terms to use, that neurominority people and groups should be at the centre of these discussions and they, along with advocates such as us at the GEC, are already having them. #NothingAboutUsWithoutUs is one of our core values at the GEC.

It may seem to some neurodiverse researchers that the use of the term neurominority within academia is more defined, referring to those with a formal diagnosis and may be discriminatory (McLennan et al., 2025; Legault et al., 2021). This differs to advocates who see neurominority as a term for a brain that ‘diverges’, not a term to exclude or to be exclusionary (McLennan et al., 2025; National Autistic Society, 2026; Legault et al., 2021). For instance, neurodivergent describes human brains of people and groups that process information that is different/ diverges to what is considered typical or conventional. For example, a neurodivergent group may be more medical than social and include autistic people, ADHDers, dyslexic people and those that have suffered brain injuries.

Language does not only shape our learning, but how we see the world around us. In a time with stigma still surrounding neurominority people, these terms can create a neuroinclusive environment and belonging for all neurotypes. With there being diversity within neurodiversity, the use of the terms may depend on the neurominority person, but the notion here is that there are ways to misuse these terms. 

Neurodiversity, Neurodiverse and Neurominority: The Language and the GEC

Whatever the discussion around the language of neurodiversity, neurodiverse and neurominority, it is important to be neuroinclusive. This is especially important in education – a foundational and pivotal stage for all neurominority adults who were once neurominority children – to centre the voices of neurodiverse and neurominority children, their families, teachers and advocates. In in doubt - ask.

The language surrounding neurodiversity and inclusivity is one the GEC continues to be at the forefront of this discussion and the drive to be and help schools, trusts and local authorities to be more #neuroinclusive.  

Another great example is ‘A Starting for Neuroinclusivity: Essential Reading and Thoughts From Some of the Leading neurominority Minds’. This is a guest blog written by one of our founding GEC experts, Dr. Caroline Keep who is an award-winning, an AuDHDer (autistic ADHDer). Caroline’s blog is a great starting point on neuroinclusivity in schools, trusts and local authorities with her thoughts on neuroinclusivity.

Featuring her thoughts on neuroinclusivity, Caroline includes neuroinclusive research, people, blogs, books, TV shows, posts and the laws around neurodiversity and inclusion. As in the words of Caroline on creating an environment neuroinclusive for all in her blog

‘Inclusion is not about bringing people into what already exists; it is about transforming our culture,

spaces and norms to create a new, better space for everyone’.

Included in Caroline’s blog, she also writes about the GECKnowHow. 

GECKnowHow, created for parent carers, families, teachers, educators and communities, our global, free, learning space is for all ages across the developmental lifespan. This space includes resources such as books, stories, TV shows, films and articles that are neuroinclusive and encourage wellbeing and diversity.

There are collections within GECKnowHow including Neurodiversity which includes books such as “My Brain is Magic is Magic: A Sensory-Seeking Celebration” by Prasha Sooful that explores the ways neurominority brains can function using animal metaphors. This collection also includes the TV Series “ATypical” (one of my favourite TV series as a PhD researcher with a background in psychology!) created by Robia Rashid which is a coming-of-age comedy-drama series on Netflix about autistic 18-year-old Sam who decides to find a girlfriend and shows his and his family journey of self-discovery. There is also the documentary ‘The Reason I Jump’ directed by Jerry Rothwell that, by weaving together passages from Naoki Higashida's famous book (which is also in our KnowHow collection), explores neurodiversity through the experiences and perspectives of five nonspeaking autistic people from around the world as their feelings and sensory experiences.

If you would like to find out more about our work or how we support organisations to be more neuroinclusive, please get in touch here!

References

GEC Researcher
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