Becoming an Autism-Informed Organization
BAO Learning Series Hub
A practical, web-first toolkit that brings together core concepts from the BAO curriculum into one cohesive resource.
Use this hub to navigate 15 pages across five modules—each designed for quick implementation, team discussion, and ongoing improvement.
We are thankful to the Organization for Autism Research for their grant-based assistance in developing this resource.
How to Use This Learning Series
- For leaders: Start with Module 1 to align on meaning and shared responsibility.
- For HR and People Ops: Prioritize Module 2 to strengthen universal supports and accommodation pathways.
- For managers: Use Modules 3 and 4 to improve clarity, performance support, and team communication.
- For culture and retention: Use Module 5 to strengthen psychological safety and sustainable belonging.
If you are implementing this across an organization, consider running it as a 5-part series:
one module per month, with a short discussion and a small set of “try this” actions.
- Choose 1–2 universal supports to standardize organization-wide.
- Train managers on one communication practice and one structure practice.
- Set a simple feedback loop (pulse question + review actions quarterly).
Modules and Pages
Each module includes three pages. Expand a module to view page links.
Module 1: Foundations of Autism-Informed Workplaces
Establish a shared understanding of what Autism-informed means, why barriers are often systemic, and how organizations move from awareness to responsibility.
Page 1.1
What It Means to Be an Autism-Informed Organization
Mindset Shift
Baseline Practices
Clarifies what “Autism-informed” looks like in everyday workplace design.
Page 1.2
Employment Barriers Are Often Systemic
Culture
Systems
Reframes workplace challenges as design issues and identifies common barriers.
Page 1.3
From Awareness to Organizational Responsibility
Accountability
Follow-through
Shows how inclusion becomes sustainable through systems, ownership, and feedback.
Module 2: Universal Design, Accommodations & Disclosure
Build universal supports into everyday work, strengthen accommodation pathways, and ensure disclosure is choice-centered and safe.
Page 2.1
Universal Design as the Foundation
Predictability
Access
Standardize supports so fewer barriers exist before anyone has to ask.
Page 2.2
Consistency
Managers
Build a clear, timely, respectful pathway—supported by confident leadership.
Page 2.3
Disclosure, Choice, and Psychological Safety
Confidentiality
Trust
Ensure support is available regardless of disclosure and responses are respectful.
Module 3: Information Processing, Thinking Styles & Executive Function
Reduce cognitive load and make strengths visible through better information flow, aligned supports, and clear structures.
Page 3.1
How Information Processing Shapes Work
Clarity
Structure
Explains how delivery formats impact performance and how to reduce overload.
Page 3.2
Thinking Styles as Organizational Assets
Fit
Quality
Frames diverse thinking styles as assets and pairs them with effective supports.
Page 3.3
Executive Function and the Power of Structure
Timelines
Check-ins
Turns vague work into clear steps, timelines, and success criteria.
Module 4: Communication & Sensory Access
Strengthen communication accessibility, improve meetings and feedback, and treat sensory needs as workplace design needs.
Page 4.1
Communication as Accessibility
Documentation
Clarity
Establish clear communication defaults that support everyone’s access.
Page 4.2
Meetings, Feedback, and Repair
Feedback
Repair
Design these moments intentionally and normalize repair after miscommunication.
Page 4.3
Sensory Access in the Workplace
Options
Well-being
Reduce sensory load with practical, low-cost adjustments and clear norms.
Module 5: Emotional Regulation, Belonging & Sustainability
Support sustainable engagement, respond to dysregulation with care, and build belonging through leadership systems and feedback loops.
Page 5.1
Emotional Regulation as a Workplace Access Need
Clarity
Recovery
Connects regulation to workload, clarity, and environment—not individual character.
Page 5.2
Dysregulation: Prevention, Recognition, and Support
Options
Prevention
Gives teams and managers supportive responses that protect trust and stability.
Page 5.3
Sustaining Belonging Through Leadership and Systems
Leadership
Improvement
Shows how belonging becomes sustainable through accountability and continuous improvement.
Give
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