INCLUSIVE COLOUR (CONT) . AUTISM
Compartmentalisation Compartmentalisation can involve organising a class roomor an entire building in a way that limits the amount of sensory stimulation for each activity. Each area is clearly defined for the purpose, this can be done through visual clues to help students prepare for the task in hand. A change in floor colour, furniture or levels of lighting, or colour zoning can help separate one activity from the next. Sensory Zoning Sensory zoning for children with Autism recognises activities as being either high or low stimulus, and consequently grouping activities of similar levels next to one another. This reinforces the concept of transition and allows students to adjust and transition fromone activity to the next.
Magda Mostafa recommends a graduated approach, a highly controlled environment where high focus is required and a less controlled environment for more relaxed activities. Magda Mostafa is an architect and while studying for a PHD she was asked to design a school for autism. Realising how little information there was on autism she changed her research topic and devoted her focus on architecture for autism. Mostafa is widely recognised for producing evidence based research and is credited for creating The AutismASPECTSS TM Design Index: https://www.autism.archi/ASPECTSS Acoustics The level of acoustic control should reflect the function of the space. To avoid the ‘greenhouse effect’, varying levels of acoustic control should be applied to different spaces. In areas where a high level of concentration is required, such as one to one discussion work, background noise and echoes should beminimised. Graduated levels of sound proofing can slowly prepare students to adjust to typical levels of noise.
In areas where focus is not a central function, some background noise can help desensitise the pupil to everyday noise and sensory experiences. Escape Space An escape space is beneficial to all ages not just children, somewhere to offer relief fromover stimulation. Transitions The concept of transition zones takes into consideration that students may need time to adjustas they move from one activity to the next. Safety Safety should be at the forefront of any design approach but it is paramount for children whomay not have a sense of danger or pain receptors to signal that a surfacemay be sharp or the water temperature is scalding hot. Spatial Sequencing Spatial sequencing organises an area in a logical order based on the scheduled use of the space. The activities can easily flow around the room, ideally in a one way motion, to support those who require consistent routine and structure. This concept works with sensory zoning.
Escape space
Compartmentalisation
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