3 December 2025
Reframing Autism is proud to announce that it is bringing the internationally acclaimed Learning About Neurodiversity at School (LEANS) program to Australia in 2026 – launching a new chapter in inclusive education with LEANS Australia.
Developed by a neurodiverse team of researchers and educators at the Salvesen Mindroom Research Centre, University of Edinburgh, LEANS is a free, teacher-delivered curriculum that introduces neurodiversity concepts to children aged 8-11, using a mixture of hands-on activities, story content, videos and engaging student resources.
Since its launch in 2022, LEANS has been gaining attention worldwide for its practical classroom approach and measurable outcomes. Early evaluation reported the program helped improve students’ understanding of neurodiversity and fostered more inclusive classroom attitudes and behaviours (Alcorn et al., 2024).
One child captured their learning by explaining that “everyone is different and that you don’t have to be the same as everyone else … you can just be you.” Teachers also reported positive changes in their classrooms following program implementation.
Since its launch, LEANS program resources have been downloaded over 12,000 times by educators in more than 80 countries. Supported by funding from the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Aging under the Inclusion and Accessibility Fund, Autistic-led charity Reframing Autism is proud to be leading an initiative that will see Australia become the first country to localise the program for its own context, curriculum and classroom needs.
Australian classrooms are vibrant and diverse, with neurodivergent students an important part of this community. Yet currently, there are no nationwide programs in Australia that focus on helping students understand and value different ways of processing and learning.
LEANS Australia will address this gap. Delivered by teachers to the whole class, it encourages shared learning and mutual understanding among neurodivergent and neurotypical peers.
Feedback from a neurotypical Australian young person working on the LEANS Australia adaptation has been positive about the learning, saying, “I found it pretty eye opening how different people work and think and process information and how neurodiversity works and why we need to understand it.”
The initiative also supports the goals of Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021–2031, which aims to reduce harm towards people with disability by improving community attitudes and strengthening opportunities for participation through a more disability responsive and inclusive Australia. LEANS Australia will respond directly to this by reducing stigma and developing the skills and knowledge of peers to help primary schools cultivate inclusive cultures where every student can thrive.
LEANS Australia will adapt the original LEANS materials to ensure cultural relevance and curriculum alignment. This includes updates to language, visuals and examples, so the content resonates with Australian students and educators.
An advisory group – including First Nations representatives, teachers, neurodivergent individuals, and young people – will guide the adaptation process.
The program will be mapped to the Australian Curriculum to make implementation straightforward for teachers.
All new illustrations will be created by Cherie Hurley, an artist based in Port Macquarie, NSW.
Once LEANS Australia is ready, it will be free to download from this website: www.leansaustralia.com.au.
Reframing Autism will be working in partnership with Professor Dawn Adams and her team at Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre (OTARC), La Trobe University to evaluate the effectiveness of the LEANS Australia program in a selection of Australian primary schools in 2026.
Go to the LEANS Australia website at www.leansaustralia.com.au and sign up to receive notifications about LEANS Australia direct to your email inbox.
Media contact: Sharon Fraser, CEO, Reframing Autism, at info@reframingautism.org.au
Reframing Autism is an Autistic-led charity focused on changing the frame through which society understands Autism. We are a thought leader in the Autism space, using Autistic lived experience and a human rights lens to develop, design and deliver research-informed educational opportunities and resources for the Autistic community and for the families, allies and professionals who support us.
LEANS project website: Download the LEANS resources for free (version created for the UK and Irish context). Find summary information, talks/popular articles, and additional details about the project.
LEANS evaluation reporting: Read the peer reviewed research.
References
Alcorn, A. M., McGeown, S., Mandy, W., Aitken, D., & Fletcher-Watson, S. (2024). Learning About Neurodiversity at School: A feasibility study of a new classroom programme for mainstream primary schools. Neurodiversity, 2. https://doi.org/10.1177/27546330241272186
The Reframing Autism team would like to acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands on which we have the privilege to learn, work, and grow. Whilst we gather on many different parts of this Country, the RA team walk on the land of the Awabakal, Birpai, Whadjak, and Wiradjuri peoples.
We are committed to honouring the rich culture of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of this Country, and the diversity and learning opportunities with which they provide us. We extend our gratitude and respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and to all Elders past and present, for their wisdom, their resilience, and for helping this Country to heal.
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