Design Strategy: A learning Environment

2015-2016

A Learning Environment

REDESIGNED A Communication Design Proposal for Bethany Special School

BETTER DESIGN . BETTER FUTURE

CONTENT OBJECTIVE

...1

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

...3

SPECIAL NEEDS EDUCATION

...5

CURRENT SITUATION OF THE ESTABLISHMENT

...7

DESIGN STRATEGY

...9

CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED

..11

CREATIVE SOLUTIONS

..13

PLAN OF ACTION

..23

CONCLUSION

..25

objective This is a design proposal to improve and enhance the learning environment of the Bethany Special School for children with mental and physical disabilities.

We aim to not only create a more conducive atmosphere for the children, but also revamp the infrastructural facilities within the school to enable their special physical requirements; which in many cases are limited and affected by their condition.

We are trying to create a more stimulating environment that enhances the learning process through various atmospherics.

In addition to enhancing the student environment, the designs implemented will also reassure and inspire confidence in the parents; thereby ensuring credibility and esteem for the institution.

Keeping in mind the difficulties faced by these children, the surroundings must most importantly facilitate learning and development without being over whelming. It will heighten their feeling of comfort and make it a space for them grow and overcome their own barriers.

The creative solutions ideated will aim to overcome or reduce the challenges these students with special needs experience in the following areas: • Academic • Behavioral • Cognitive • Health and hygiene • Sensory development • Physical support

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executive summary In searching for ways to help these children with learning disabilities, it is essential to remember that the children must look for ways to help themselves. Social and emotional tools are required to work through the challenges they face. In the long run, facing and overcoming a challenge such as a learning disability helps them grow stronger and more resilient.

Students with special learning needs require specific support, because they experience challenges in various areas that affect their ability to learn.

The Bethany Special School, established in 1983, facilitates the education and development for students that have certain intellectual disabilities such as Autism, Asperger’s syndrome, and

downs syndrome. In some cases, the students with these conditions are also physically handicapped as a result of their affliction. With the help of experienced staff members and caretakers, the school looks after the special learning needs that these children require and aims to provide a better future for them.

While the staff and curriculum structure at Bethany Special School fulfills every requirement for the students’ education and growth, it seems to be lacking the engaging and stimulating environment that would create more child-friendly and comforting surroundings that the children would greatly benefit from.

Our design team has identified certain limitations in the school which could be

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improved upon for the benefit of the students. Upon careful observation and research, we have created solutions which can be applied throughout the facility.

These changes can be easily adopted within the existing infrastructure.

The various areas on which the project will focus on includes: • Visual way finding signages • Communication design elements to create a colorful environment • Minor infrastructural improvements • Instructional guidelines to improve clarity in navigation • Classroom educational graphics • Engaging outdoor and play environment

special needs education Special schools were established as far back as the beginning of the nineteenth century, mainly for the purpose of providing education for children with sensory impairments. Over time, special schools were established to cater for the needs of children in other categories of disability. In the 1960s and 70s, following the publication of the Report of the Commission of Inquiry on Mental Handicap, there was a significant expansion in the provision of education for children with special educational needs.

Special schools were established in many places, initially for the purpose of providing education for children with mild or moderate general learning disability and subsequently for children in other categories of disability.

These special schools were designated as special national schools and operated under the rules for national schools. In places where it was not considered desirable or feasible to establish a special school, special classes were set up. The majority of special classes were established in mainstream

primary schools; a small number of special classes were also set up in post-primary schools.

Since their establishment, special schools and special classes have made a highly significant contribution to the education of children with special educational needs.

Teachers in special schools have gained considerable experience and have often developed a high level of expertise in meeting the special educational needs of their students.

One of the features of special schools is that, in accordance with the regulations of the Department of Education and Science, students may be enrolled from the age of four years and may remain on the roll to the end of the school year following their eighteenth birthday. This allows for a continuity of education as well as enabling resources to be concentrated in particular populations and geographical areas.

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However, one outcome of the establishment of a network of special schools and special classes throughout the country was the emergence of a special education system that operated largely, at both the primary and the post-primary level, in isolation from the mainstream school system.

This arose from a general acceptance that the requirements of children with special educational needs could be best met through placement in special schools and special classes.

Mainstream primary and post-primary schools were not often seen at the time as practicable and appropriate settings for these children. An effect of the availability of a special education system that could successfully meet the needs of students with special educational needs was the inhibition of including students with special educational needs in mainstream schools, particularly post-primary schools.

While special schools were often still seen in the early 1990s as providing the most appropriate placement for students withspecial educational needs, a very

heightened awareness of the necessity to create a more equitable society demanded a shift away from the segregated model of provision to one of access to and inclusion in mainstream schools.

The broad aims of education for students with special educational needs reflect those that are relevant to all students and include : • Enabling the student to live a full life and to realise his or her full potential as a unique individual through access to an appropriate broad and balanced curriculum.

• Enabling the student to function as independently as possible in society through the provision of such educational supports as are necessary to realise that potential.

• Enabling the student to continue learning in adult life.

bethany special school With a total of around 75 students, these children are divided into eight classes/levels, according to their chronological age and ability. In the classroom, children are taught functional academics, language and communication skills, social skills, ADL skills (Activities of Daily Living), gross and fine motor skills, prevocational and vocational skills. They also attend computer classes to gain technological exposure.

Each child has an IEP (Individual Education Plan) which is formulated at the beginning of the academic year by the Vice Principal, class teacher and parents. Assessments are done thrice a year. Reports are given to the parents during the Parent Teacher meetings. Children are also given Speech and Occupational Therapy if required.

CURRENT SITUATION

The school is equipped with six class rooms as well as a weaving studio, bakery, and computer lab distributed within two storeys. A staff room and administrative office is located on the ground floor facing the entrance. Narrow corridors separate the student areas from the staff lounge and bathrooms. The weaving and computer facilities are located on the second floor, in closer proximity to the classrooms above for more advanced level students.

The interiors are limited to a palette of gray and white, basic wood furniture and cement floors. The bathrooms are small but clean, bright, and well-maintained.

Classrooms are provided with simple shelving units for placing backpacks and belongings, as well as a separate teacher’s

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cupboard. Visuals are simple, in the form of basic educational charts on the walls.

The outdoor grounds comprise of a small shaded seating area, as well as a grass lot for basic activities such as ball playing and hopscotch. There is a small section demarcated for students to play soccer and other ball games.

The entire facility is securely surrounded by a stone wall and gate, as the premises are located on a main road.

DESIGN STRATEGY AND PROCESS Every design process follows certain steps such as: • Observation • Empathy • Ideation • Implementation • Prototyping • Testing Following this strategic process, our design team made observations using the AEIOU and POEMS techniques, which enabled us to better identify the specific concerns and how they could be rectified.

A : ACTIONS E : ENVIRONMENT I : INTERACTION O : OBJECTS U : USERS

Based on a study conducted by the National Council of Educational Research and Training, children respond best to sensory learning techniques. Children with learning disabilities assimilate information easily when it is presented in interactive forms. A sensory design approach widely incorporates visual, auditory, tactility, and olfactory factors.

P : PEOPLE O : OBJECTS E : ENVIRONMENT M : MESSAGE S : SERVICES

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VISUAL

Colour can play an enormous part in the initial attraction of an activity or atmosphere in a room. It can be used to describe the environment, delineate areas within the room, changes in surface levels of play equipment or as an activity in itself. Colour is the first concept toddlers learn. It is used both consciously and unconsciously all the time.

For people with visual impairment colour can provide an enormous amount of spatial information. By highlighting walls from floors and ceilings, and doors from walls, the space is made more readable for them.

Collared displays on shelves, coloured mats on floors, the children’s art on the walls can go on softening spaces, providing constant change, and visual richness.

TACTILE

Texture is equally important to colour. Children are extremely sensitive beings and should be given texturally rich environments. It is useful for denoting changes in areas and function of spaces and features, right down to denoting which is the right or wrong play piece.

OLFACTORY

Smell is also an extremely influential sense in determining one’s impression of a space.

The smells in an environment contribute to atmosphere, welcome and comfort.

AUDITORY

Most environments are full of sound. Some of this adds to the richness of the space; while much of it detracts from the atmosphere of the space. For children who are visually impaired, sound is their greatest source of information yet it can also be their greatest source of distress, due to poorly placed features and activities that suddenly produce loud sounds or rooms that are too noisy all the time. Some children with disabilities greatly enjoy experimenting with sound. Auditory response in a cause and effect activity is usually simple to implement and very rewarding for these children. Activities involving sound have a more enduring interest for the children when the sound responses are more musical or have a greater range of tones than when a single noise or note is issued repeatedly from the activity.

CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED OUTDOOR:

INDOOR:

• The outdoor environment is not stimulatory. Students resort to more harmful, less constructive forms of play and interaction.

• Overall dull environment with lack of appropriate color; does not enhance interaction or stimulate their senses.

• Student safety is compromised in certain areas. For instance, the parking area where children play soccer is not properly cordoned off from the allotted play area.

• Navigational difficulties: students find it difficult to navigate or find their way or move around in a particular environment.

For example, class rooms and corridors.

• No adequate facilities to eat lunch or snacks during breaks; as there is no appropriate cafeteria • Lack of instructional tools to promote basic hygiene and cleanliness within restrooms • Lack of organization and proper storage equipment within classrooms.

• The general environment is lackluster; It does not enhance interaction or stimulate their senses.

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CREATIVE SOLUTIONS These are the following changes and design elements that we have proposed to be included in the establishment.

They serve the dual purpose of being functional as well as visually appealing.

Separate solutions have been put forward for both outdoor and indoor requirements. The students have been carefully observed while interacting both with each other and the environment, to better the intended outcome.

The various target areas in the school that have been considered for this process include : • The outdoor grounds • The corridors • The classrooms • The staffroom/teachers lounge • The cafeteria • The restrooms

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OUTDOOR GROUNDS: • A set of purely visual signage designs to indicate various outdoor elements that the students interact with: - A ball to represent sports - A tree to represent the outdoors - A bench to show seating areas

• Between the soccer area and the shaded open enclosure, we suggest a chain link fence to allow for visibility of the students, but to simultaneously prevent injuries which are often caused as a result of unruly ball practices.

• For the physically disabled, wheelchair ramps should be installed in strategic locations. This will enable all students, regardless of ability, to access areas they are entitled to.

• There is an empty depression in the ground containing harmful constructional debris which is easily accessible to students. This negates the safe environment that is desired in the outdoor area. This could be easily remedied by converting the area into a low cement platform that can be used as a stage during the school’s annual Vishwa Milan function, and for other co-curricular activities such as music and dance. The wall behind would now be accessible and could be converted into…

• A chalkboard wall for students to draw and engage themselves with. Some students are not interested in sports and this would provide a useful diversion during recess.

• The empty grass patch can play host to a series of numbered stepping stones, which lead to the enclosure. They can be spaced apart for skipping games and educational purposes as well; for instance, to learn numbers with each step.

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• Colorful cubes add a unique design element to the outdoor space. These are purely for aesthetics; the bright colors are sure to heighten the children’s spirits and lend a more vibrant feel to the atmosphere.

INDOOR | CORRIDORS: • A set of purely visual signage designs to indicate various departments within the school that the students interact with: - Staffroom - Classroom - Restroom - Weaving unit - Cafeteria - Computer Lab

The weaving unit, computer lab and cafeteria signages place on the stairs indicating the areas on the next floor.

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• Handrails can be implemented in the corridors for easy support whenever required. It serves as an assistive tool for those who have physical limitations or disorientation anchored to the wall.

• A large, floor-to-ceiling glass window panel will be featured on one side of the corridor to illuminate the otherwise narrow and seemingly claustrophobic corridor space, without distracting students while they are in their classrooms.

• The staircase can feature numbered steps, which lead to the upper floor in an instructive manner. In a bright shade of blue, it can be visually appealing and educational as well so the students can count each step as they ascend.

• Footprint pathways function as a navigational floor design which can be easily identified by the students.

Specific paths will be featured in different colors based on the destination, such as staffrooms, classrooms, and restrooms.

INDOOR | CAFETERIA: • A set of purely visual signage designs to indicate various functions within the cafeteria that the students interact with. These are the messages that are to be replaced with the graphics: - ‘Save water’ - ‘Wash your hands’ - ‘Use the trash can’ - ‘Wash the dirty dishes’

• A step-by-step visual poster will instruct students on how to properly wash their dishes in the form of simple, easily interpreted graphics.

• Directional colored line decals will be placed as floor graphics to highlight various paths to different stations, such as the lunch tables, sinks, and food counters. This has been shown on the adjacent page.

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• Fun cartoons and illustrations related to food and nutrition will be placed on the wall so as to create an engaging, comfortable & enjoyable environment.

INDOOR | RESTROOMS: • A set of purely visual signage designs to indicate various functions within the restroom. These are the messages that are to be replaced with the graphics: - Washing hands - Flushing the toilet - Using the trash can - Saving water

• A step-by-step visual poster will instruct students on how to properly brush their teeth in the form of simple, easily interpreted graphics.

• Checkered blue and white tiles and yellow doors will add a sense of cleanliness and brightness to the small environment.

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INDOOR | CLASSROOMS: • The color scheme of the classroom will be perfectly balanced between cheerful and mellow. The floor will be plain white tiles for simplicity, while the walls will be a very pale shade of yellow. This will brighten the overall effect without looking overwhelmingly or alarmingly vivid.

• To enhance the comfort and feeling of ease for the students, the furniture will be changed to soft seats with sturdy wood seatbacks. This will ensure that they are in an optimum level of comfort that does not veer into the extreme and cause them to fall asleep in the class.

• The existing wall cubbies will be redesigned in different colors and structure to encourage the children to organize their belongings in a more compartmentalized manner. It will appear visually attractive within the classroom.

• General sound levels can create learning problems for students with auditory issues. Sensory bombardment and loud noises can trigger inappropriate actions.

A design solution that can assist in managing sound levels includes installation of sound absorption materials, i.e carpet installation or rubber pads under furniture legs.

• Creative boards displaying students’ basic details, for emergency situations as well as fun identification, will be one of the indoor communication strategies.

• Educative posters and wall art will be placed depending on the level of learning in that particular classroom.

PLAN OF ACTION With regard to the school’s financial standing and infrastructure, certain changes take precedence over others.

A suggested plan of action is to prioritize those design changes which have a greater impact on the students’ learning situation and wellbeing first.

Within a 6-month timeframe, the following can be executed: • Stage construction in the outdoor grounds which eliminates debris and heightens safety • The chain link fence to enhance safety and organization • The indoor footprint pathway, to reduce chaos and create a quick ease of navigation.

• The classroom ambience, color scheme, and furniture changes should be put into immediate effect so as to ease the transition for the students.

• The bathroom environment should be renovated as indicated. This will boost the hygiene factor significantly.

• The cafeteria should be revamped and refurnished as per the given recommendations. It is a necessary addition to the minimal space which is currently allotted for dining purposes.

Within 1 year, the remaining environmental enhancements should be included, such as visual and communication design: signages, footpaths, and color additions to different spaces.

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CONCLUSION Creating thoughtful, engaging learning environments that incorporate these design guidelines gives consideration to the less apparent challenges of a growing population of children with disabilities.

By connecting children with each other, nature, and the broader world, an opportunity to have fun is provided, and some relief from an overwhelming outside world is achieved. They are provided a safe space in which they can not only be themselves, but also develop as individuals and come into their own.

All children need love, encouragement, and support, and for those with mental disabilities, such positive reinforcement can help ensure that they emerge with a strong sense of self-worth, confidence, and determination.

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AARUSHI SAXENA | APOORVA SRIPRASAD | DIVYA RV | VISHAL SINGH