Celebratory Technology for Neurodiversity 2026 Program

The workshop will be a half-day virtual event involving small-group discussions, collaborative design activities, and shared synthesis.

It is structured around a progression from reflection to reframing, to future directions.

Welcome and Shared Language

Organizers will begin by presenting several themes that emerged across participants' position papers, providing a shared starting point for discussion. The workshop will begin with introductions and collaborative activities designed to establish a shared language around celebratory technology. Participants will be invited to reflect on technology experiences that affirmed or diminished their sense of identity. Organizers will introduce the ecosystem of assistive, accessible, inclusive, and celebratory technologies and facilitate discussion regarding the relationships among these approaches.

Critical Reflection Activity

Participants will build upon the opportunities and unanswered questions identified in the submitted position papers to envision future directions for celebratory technology.Through guided reflection, groups will identify underlying assumptions, deficit-oriented framings, and opportunities for more celebratory approaches.

Freedom to Be Me Futures Activity

Building upon prior symposium and design sprint work, participants will engage in a collaborative futures activity exploring what technology might look like if its primary purpose were to support the freedom of neurodivergent individuals to be themselves. Participants will generate concepts, identify design opportunities, and discuss possible implementation challenges.

Collective Synthesis

The workshop will conclude by synthesizing insights from both the position papers and collaborative activities to identify emerging design principles, methodological considerations, and future research priorities. Organizers will use these materials to develop a post-workshop community report shared with participants