Finding meaningful employment remains a significant challenge for neurodivergent individuals and people with disabilities in Thailand. Despite their potential contributions, only 311,259 out of 857,117 working-age individuals with disabilities—or just 36 percent of this population—currently participate in the workforce. Neurodiversity at Work Research Centre (NWRC), a collaborative project between Sasin and Steps, hosted an event titled “Inclusive Solutions: Leveraging Assistive Technology and Accommodations” on November 13, to explore assistive technologies and workplace accommodations that can open more job opportunities for people who are neurodivergent or disabled. Two leading coffee shops, Café Amazon for Chance, which employ individuals with hearing impairments, and Dots Coffee, run by staff with visual impairment, have successfully paved the way for people with disabilities. According to Phuree Smittinet, Project Manager of Café Amazon, employing people with disabilities has led to a 20 percent increase in revenue, driven by a loyal customer base that includes people within the disabled community. Some of the technologies Smittinet invested in to assist baristas with hearing impairment include automatic grinding machines, point of sale (POS) screens, and a whiteboard with instructions on how to communicate with the baristas—all of which can also be used in regular Café Amazon stores. Gavin Kuangparichat, Founder of Dots Coffee, focuses on quality and service of drinks rather than overtly advertising disability as a selling point. “Often, customers leave the store not knowing that their drink was made by visually-impaired people,” he said. The success of his shop comes from training staff on specialized skills, such as spatial awareness around hot equipment, to ensure they can confidently perform all tasks. He also incorporates assistive technologies including a banknote reading app, which scans banknotes by ensuring every banknote is read and identified correctly. Unlike other coffee shops, he avoids touch screens on machines, which tend to be less efficient than traditional buttons and dials, even for sighted staff. Baristas use pump dispensers for liquids like milk and water. The pump speeds up the process, prevents spills, and ensures consistent quantities poured according to recipes which simplifies the processes. Assistive technologies, such as those implemented by Café Amazon for Chance and Dots Coffee, along with workplace accommodations, include products, equipment, and systems that enhance working and daily living for persons with disabilities, enabling them to work effectively. Dr. Ohmar Khine, Executive Director of NWRC said that current access to these technologies is limited, often restricted to specific programs or those with formal diagnoses. This gap, as noted by UNICEF (2022), points to the need for broader availability of assistive technologies and user-friendly tools that can support diverse abilities in the workforce. “Accommodations are not an undeserved benefit, they are tools that enable all employees to work more efficiently, regardless of their abilities,” said Dr. Khine, who did a three-month pilot study that indicates that assistive technology can improve career readiness skills by 21 percent, and improve mental health issues by 5 percent. These results convey that small, thoughtful adjustments and accessible tools can have a significant impact on productivity and well-being. Despite the promise of assistive technology, significant barriers remain. Dr. Khine emphasized that hiring practices and application processes are not inclusive, with online interviews and application interfaces often lacking essential accessibility features. Research by Fisher et al. (2024) reinforces that many job roles fail to account for the diverse skill sets and capabilities of neurodivergent and disabled individuals, thus limiting their opportunities for meaningful employment. Stuart Hill, Director of Assistiv CIC, shared insights from his work in supporting people with learning disabilities and autism. After speaking with individuals affected, he realized that many face rejections in the job market due to misconceptions about their capabilities. Hill’s non-profit organization uses innovative approaches, such as Near-field Communication (NFC) stickers, to provide prompts and detailed guidance to people with disabilities on the job, making workplace tasks manageable and accessible. Prae Sunantaraks, DEI Advisor at Vulcan Coalition, who is visually impaired, reminded us that true inclusivity means listening to the needs of people with disabilities, rather than making assumptions. “I am not offended when people ask us what we are,” she said, “We would be offended if people make assumptions of what we want or need, or what would be best for us.” Inclusive employment through assistive technologies and supportive workplace accommodations benefits not just individuals with disabilities but entire organizations. As society progresses, focusing on these solutions can help build workplaces where diversity thrives and all employees have the opportunity to reach their potential. Supported by Steps and Sasin Inclusion Ambassador & Director of Research at the NWRC, Dr. Drew B. Mallory, Sasin has implemented its own inclusion policies, which make space for learning and physical accommodations for students and staff. More information about Sasin Inclusion, CLICK HERE.