Incorporating the Behavioral Dimension in Designing Inclusive Learning Environment for Autism

Este artículo complementa otro de los mismos autores que ya comenté. En esta ocasión detalla más los 18 parámetros de diseño que se han elegido como importantes para las personas con autismo. Copio y pego, para abreviar:

1. - Provide Physical Structure
2. - Maximize Visual Structure
3. - Provide Visual Instructions
4. - Offer Opportunities for Community Participation
5. - Present Opportunities for Parent Participation
6. - Present Opportunities for Inclusion
7. - Maximize Future Independence
8. - Offer Generous Space Standards
9. - Provide Withdrawal Spaces
10. - Maximize Safety
11. - Maximize Comprehension
12. - Maximize Accessibility
13. - Provide Assistance
14. - Maximize Durability and Maintenance
15. - Minimize Sensory Distractions
16. - Provide Sensory Integration
17. - Provide Flexibility
18. - Provide Monitoring for Assessment and Planning

(numeración añadida)

Physical structure sets clear physical and visual boundaries to segment the environment so that each activity is clearly associated with a physical space (TEACCH, 2004, Stokes, 2001), for example by strategically placing furniture to define individual and group activity, play, reading, snack and other areas in a classroom (figure 1.1). The segmented areas are further organized for the activities to be performed in that area, for example the independent work area may further be organized so that a child clearly knows how to carry out an activity.

Visual structure incorporates concrete visual cues in the environment, to utilize visual strengths of individuals with autism, to  make them more independent (Hodgdon, 2005, Stokes, 2001). Visual structure may be used for different purposes in all environments in which children learn and play, for example in storage areas (figure 2.1), work areas or in common areas.

Visual Instruction is a way of giving necessary instructions or sequence of steps to follow an activity, using visual mode (Harker  & King 2004, Stokes, 2001). Depending upon an individual’s ability, it may be given in the form of written instructions,  photographs, pictures, line drawings or visual schedules in the spaces where activities are to be performed. The  instructions may be presented both in structured and naturalized teaching environments (figure 3.1), and other areas in the  school building.

Opportunities for Community Participation refer to involvement in the community activities in every day occupations. For  many pupils with autism the educational curriculum includes every day activities such as shopping, crossing the street, going to church or using public transport, thus, a location close to community activities (figure 4.1) is an advantage for educational  spaces (Siegel, 1998, Jordan, 1997). The schools may also develop an environment to support teaching of such skills. Such  activities may spontaneously lead to the integration in the community, as well as create training & job opportunities for the  children with autism.

Regular Parent Participation in educating children with autism is very important for long term success. Participation is essential  for goal selection in individualized educational plan to address their individual educational needs, parent teacher meetings and  many other times (BB-94, 2001, Jordan, 1997). Possibility to observe children without distracting them is very helpful to deal  with the issues together with teachers and therapists (figure 5.1).

Segregation of children with special needs is morally unjustifiable; it promotes isolation, alienation and social exclusion.  Children with autism should be given opportunities in the educational environment to interact with able bodied peers (Young, 2004, BB-94, 2001). In Inclusion, they are placed in inclusive settings with 1:1 aide, modified curriculum and environmental  support (figure 6.1) to accommodate their specific needs.

An environment that supports self help, domestic, vocational and Independent Living training help children with autism to live  with dignity in future (Mostafa, 2008, Harker & King, 2002). Since a lot of children with autism do not learn these skills like regular developing peers, they have these goals in their educational curriculum. Environment
supporting independent skill development includes provision of spaces supporting such training in the classrooms (figure 7.1),  school lawns, cafeteria etc

People vary in their attitude to the threat that loss of personal space or proxemics induces. People with autism can be sensitive  about this and get threatened by crowding and react accordingly (Humphrey, 2005, Harker & King, 2002). A Generous Space  Standard (figure 8.1) may help them deal with social stimulus comfortably.

Some people with autism are social isolates; many have difficulty in handling socially demanding situations and prefer to  operate on fringes of social groupings. Providing Withdrawal Spaces is helpful for children, to avoid unnecessary stress and  anxiety in socially demanding spaces (Harker & King, 2002, BB-94, 2001). Withdrawal area is used as a place for students to  get away from distractions and stimulations (figure 9.1) and regain some self-control.

Children with autism are vulnerable in the environment due to their impaired communication, imagination and sensory  dysfunction. Constant supervision is intrusive and difficult thus environment itself should be carefully assessed and managed for risks (Humphrey, 2005, Harker & King, 2004). Maximizing Safety refers to minimizing threats to the pupil  within the school buildings due to their own condition, unawareness or any disaster. For safety in educational environment there may be concerns for escapes, sharp edges (figure  10.1), non toxic materials etc.

Complexity is not harmonious; it causes stress to everyone. For low functioning children with autism confusion easily takes-over, with complexity in layout, spaces, shape and  form. Schools planned with simplicity and clarity maximizes Comprehension, thus less effort is required to understand, use and enjoy the building (Humphrey, 2005, TEACCH,  2004). A clear layout, organization of spaces, clear zoning, simple forms, and no visual clutter (figure 11.1) may assist children with autism to perceive the built environment  easily.

Children with autism have selective hearing and limited communication skills. With box vision and poor attention span, they miss important details in the environment. They have  poor coordination and balance and need assistance in spaces (Harker & King, 2002). All these conditions are similar to those with other disabilities, thus an Accessible Environment that supports children with physical and sensory disabilities (figure 12.1) is also helpful for children with autism

Majority of the children with autism need aide in regular classroom, for 1:1 teaching, parallel teaching or group teaching, and a good numbers of teaching assistants are present in  the teaching spaces with the lead teacher. Thus extra Space for Assistance is extremely helpful in the different areas like classroom, toilet (figure 13.1), dining areas etc. for  teaching children with autism (Harker & King, 2002).

Overall we see a pattern in the behaviors of children with autism, but individual behavior may vary a lot. They may be accidently or deliberately heavy on the built environment,  therefore, it becomes important that the building design reflects Durability and Easy Maintenance without mirroring the institutionalized feel (Humphrey, 2005, Harker & King,  2002). This is possible when architects design easy to clean surfaces, robust finishes (figure 14.1), strong furniture and equipments and fittings, those are serviceable and cheap to  replace.

Some researchers believe that autistic behavior is credited to a form of sensory malfunction, when assimilating stimulatory information from the surrounding physical  environment. Architect through his design has control over this input and he can design calm and Least Distractible Environment (figure 15.1) conducive to learning (Mostafa,  2008).

Sensory dysfunction makes children with autism either oversensitive or under sensitive to the sensory inputs (as discussed in earlier); this effects their perception and  understanding to the surrounding environment (Mostafa, 2008, Harker & King, 2002). Sensory Integration rooms or sensory areas provide multisensory opportunities in the environment (figure 16.1) that help children to integrate their senses for better understanding. Sensory integration calms children with under reactive senses and develops tolerance in over reactive children.

The combination of triad and sensory dysfunction result in broad spectrum of functional skills and interests in autism (TEACCH, 2004). Moreover, there are diverse teaching  methods used for children with new researches adding every year. Teachers use these methods depending upon individual child’s strength, weaknesses and interests (figure 17.1). Flexibility in designing educational environment helps to accommodate individual needs of children

 Lo que aborda este artículo, tras el diseño de las herramientas para la evaluación de estos parámetros, es precisamente los resultados de dicha evaluación. Las conclusiones pueden resumirse como sigue:
- La inclusión de los parámetros citados en el diseño mejora el rendimiento de los alumnos, incluso de los que no entran dentro del espectro autista (en escuelas de integración)
- Los parámetros referenciados son, en líneas generales, muy recomendados por los profesores, si bien hay diferencias entre los que trabajan en escuelas de integración y los que trabajan en escuelas específicas para niños con TEA, en lo referente a la valoración de cada uno de los parámetros.

Khare, R., & Mullick, A. (2009). Incorporating the Behavioral Dimension in Designing Inclusive Learning Environment for Autism. International Journal of Architectural Research, 3(3), 45-64.