Students with autism are more likely than their neurotypical peers to become the targets of bullying behavior (PACER). When the relational aggression is specific to the student’s disability, it can be deemed disability harassment. Disability harassment is a violation of three federal laws: the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004), Sec. 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (1973), and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990).

Educating a broad cross section of students successfully is difficult without deliberately creating a sense of belonging for all. Universal Design for Learning guidelines help educators develop instruction inclusive of differing learning abilities, neurotypes, genders, and cultures.