Research Interests

Kara’s transdisciplinary scholarship explores the intersections of neoliberalism, ableism, racism, classism, and neuronormativity in education; teacher reflexivity; and the transformative potential of neurodiversity-affirming pedagogy.

She is particularly interested in critical research methodologies which disrupt normative assumptions of select bodies/minds as valid knowledge keepers, and she strives to support the inclusion and agency of neurominority and disabled participants and research collaborators.

Current Research Projects:

• a collective self-study on the implementation of Universal Design for Learning and accessibility in teacher education (in its third year)

• mixed methods research on community third spaces, wellbeing, and neurominority adults (planning stage)

• a participatory research project on knowledge mobilization and neuro-affirming pedagogy with a professional learning community of neurominority educators (early planning stages)

• part of a team conducting research informing the ongoing development of tools to improve access experiences and agency of neurominority and disabled people in healthcare settings

Select Academic Publications

Dymond, K., Smith, L., & Broad, K. (2026). Resisting hegemony in teacher education: Possibilities for transformational teaching and learning within neoliberal systems. Research in Educational Policy and Management. https://doi.org/10.46303/repam.2026.1

Dymond, K. (2025). Students as our best resources: Collaboratively reimagining possibilities for neurodiversity–affirming learning spaces. In C. Rogers-Shaw, T. Park, K. Mohney, & K. Sheward (Eds.), Collaborative strategies for designing neuroinclusive college campuses. IGI Global Scientific Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3373-6350-9.ch002

Dymond, K. (2025). “Everyone else wants cotton candy and all you want is a grape": Transforming your teaching from awareness to allyship with autistic students. In N. Keates & K. Waldock (Eds.), Applications and practices for empowering neurodivergent learners. IGI Global Scientific Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3373-4445-4.ch009

Dymond, K., Smith, L., & Broad, K. (2025). Creating spaces of possibilities: Imperatives for teacher education in neoliberal times. Interdisciplinary Journal of Student Success, 4, pp. 7-34. https://cdspress.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Dymond_Proof_FINAL.pdf

Smith, L., Broad, K., & Dymond, K. (2025, April 23). ‘We’ve been expecting you’: Striving to model accessible and inclusive teacher education [Virtual paper presentation]. Conference: American Educational Research Association (AERA), Denver. https://doi.org/10.3102/IP.25.2186683

Dymond, K. (2019). Towards inclusivity: Why diverse representations of autism matter. In Cooper, K. & Hughes, R. (Eds.), Critical issues in education: Citizen documentary in the digital age. Brill Sense Publishers.

Dymond, K. & Cooper, C. (October 2, 2017). Enhancing teacher professionalism: Global lessons from high–performing education systems. Teachers College Record, ID Number: 22175. http://www.tcrecord.org