CHAPTER 7 : CONCLUSIONS & WAYFORWARD

definitely help an autistic child identify and remember different spaces in the school. However, care must be taken to not use over-stimulating colours that might disturb the student.

7. Subtle demarcations of various zones within a space using materials, textures or partition walls is a good practice, which will in turn help students utilize the space efficiently and navigate through the space easily.

8. It is preferred to infuse wayfinding systems into the building elements itself. As students experience these elements, they should naturally be able to situate themselves and move through different spaces in the school with no confusion.

However, some centres may choose to follow a neurotypical approach, which would be to place maps and signage at different areas in the centre, so that students get accustomed to reading and processing such information.

9. Safety systems must be formulated such that it provides students with a sense of security without impacting their perceived 'freedom' within the space. It also becomes important to ensure that there exists a connection between the students and the community around them by promoting the chances for social interaction. This will help improve their cognitive and social skills.

The aforementioned practices work in tandem to successfully tackle overarching requirements for autistic children; the need for predictability/simplicity in their daily routine, control over sensory stimuli, safety and social interaction.

CHAPTER 7 : CONCLUSIONS & WAYFORWARD

From these studies, the inextricable link between physical environment and spaces of learning cannot be ignored. Especially for younger children between the ages of 3-8, interaction and engagement with the environment influences their learning process as understood from the theory of constructivism. As a result, providing a conducive learning environment will ensure that children are able to get the most out of the learning process. There then comes an added consideration when it comes to the design of spaces for children on the autism spectrum; since autistic behaviour is dependent on the sensory environment, any environment built for their use must account for this dependency. This becomes especially important for learning environments for young autistic children, as the learning process they undergo during these years can significantly help reduce or control their symptoms to such an extent, that they can live independently and become an active part of society as they grow up. The literature review and case studies conducted uncovered certain attributes/ parameters of the physical environment that could be harnessed to address these sensory issues. From the interviews conducted, it became clear that these parameters found their origins in intangible factors such as the need for routine, safety and control over sensory stimuli. While all the projects examined in this research did not have identical responses to each design parameter; the design/utilization of the spaces in these projects reflected an understanding of these considerations, and seemed to have clear gestures that addressed these concerns. These included the issues of sensory zoning, circulation, provision of open and green spaces, escape spaces, transition spaces, compartmentalisation, usage of colours, materials, textures, and so on. From the case studies conducted there also appears to be a difference in overall approach between Indian autism centres and international centres. Indian centres seem to follow a treatment-based approach towards intervention, following the medical model of disability, where the major objective is to treat the individual to help deal with their symptoms. International centres seem to veer from this approach, instead choosing to

follow the social model of disability, where efforts are made to remove barriers that seemingly exist in mainstream society that restrict life choices for people with disabilities.

These studies also bring out the importance of sensory design. By ensuring that the physical environment engages multiple senses, sensory design supports the diversity of the human condition. Each sense adds to the palette of information that the brain uses; visual and non-visual imageries work in tandem to help situate oneself in a particular environment, while also allowing for interactions with objects within the environment. The five senses merge and mingle, are deeply intertwined with memory and help make meaning out of interactions with the physical environment. Higher engagement with the senses in a particular environment results in meaningful and memorable dialogue with the environment itself. It enables the user to make the most out of the physical environment. In other words, the environment automatically becomes conducive to the specific function it was planned for as it calls for higher engagement. Sensory abilities are unique to each individual. As a result, sensory design encourages inclusivity, as it provides users with more opportunities of interaction within a space, keeping in mind the spectrum of sensory abilities. The purpose of this study was to explore the experience of learning environments, in this case, through the lens of a specific demographic; that of autistic children. The reason for this choice was two-fold; part of the reason being as mentioned earlier to uncover a set of specific design guidelines for a condition that specifically affected sensory abilities. The second reason was to come up with a framework for sensory considerations that can be made when one starts to design any learning environment in general. This, in time, can lead to the integration of most if not all students into the same learning environments which can provide higher levels of engagement, and is committed to ensuring inclusivity. Infusing inclusivity into all aspects of life including design becomes integral; it is especially crucial that this is introduced at the early childhood stage, as it promotes a culture of respect, understanding and empathy for each other’s differences. And as the