Elizabeth Hoskin
Audrey Girouard
ABSTRACT
To provide universal accessibility, public community spaces such as museums must be designed considering the experience of all patrons, including visitors living with Autism Spectrum Disorder. To develop a better understanding of the experience of visitors with autism at the Canada Science and Technology Museum, we invited four school children and one adult male for a visit, all of whom identified as being on the spectrum. They were joined by their support persons. We interviewed the adult, his caregiver and the teaching staff accompanying the school children. We analyzed our interviews and observation notes using thematic analysis to formulate key findings and suggestions to enhance the experience for autistic people. They include adding elements at a variety of developmental levels, offering options to reduce sensory stimulation, improving navigational resources and providing more resources for support persons.
- CDC. 2018. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Data & Statistics. (November 2018). Retrieved April 3, 2019 from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/data.html.Google Scholar
- Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) Introduction (2019). Retrieved April 22, 2019 from https://www.naeyc.org/resources/topics/dapintroductionGoogle Scholar
- Tina S. Fletcher, Amanda B. Blake, Kathleen E. Shelffo. 2018. Can Sensory Gallery Guides for Children with Sensory Processing Challenges Improve Their Museum Experience? Journal of Museum Education 43, 1: 66--77. https://doi.org/10.1080/10598650.2017.1407915Google ScholarCross Ref
- Ingenium. 2019. Canada Science and Technology Museum. Retrieved April 3, 2019 from https://ingeniumcanada.org/scitech/index.phpGoogle Scholar
- Ingenium. 2019. Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification. Retrieved April 3, 2019 from https://ingeniumcanada.org/awards/rickhansen-foundation-accessibility-certification.Google Scholar
- Shui-Fong Lam, Bernard P.H. Wong, Doris Leung, Daphne Ho, Peter Au-Yeung. 2010. How Parents Perceive and Feel about Participation in Community Activities: The Comparison between Parents of Preschoolers with and without Autism Spectrum Disorders. Autism 14, 4: 359--377. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1362361309346558Google ScholarCross Ref
- Lesley A. Langa, Pino Monaco, Mega Subramaniam, Paul T. Jaeger, Katie Shanahan, Beth Ziebarth. 2013. Improving the Museum Experiences of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Their Families: An Exploratory Examination of Their Motivations and Needs and Using Web-based Resources to Meet Them. Curator: The Museum Journal 56, 3: 323--335. https://doi.org/10.1111/cura.12031Google ScholarCross Ref
- Brenda Smith Myles, Terri Cooper Swamson, Jeanne Holverstott, Megan Moore Duncan. 2007. Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Handbook for Parents and Professionals. Praeger Publishers, Westport, Connecticut, US.Google Scholar
- Kayla M. Pirri. 2016. Ready, set, go! Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder: decisions of readiness to visit a museum. Master's Thesis. Boston University (BU), Boston, Massachusetts, US.Google Scholar
- Johnny Saldaña. 2009. The Coding Manual for Qualitative Researchers (1st. ed.). SAGE Publications Ltd., London. 58--64.Google Scholar
- Catherine J. A. Salthouse. 2017. Gateway to Inclusion: Understanding the Structure of Autism Early Open Events in Museums. Master's Thesis. University of Washington (UW), Seattle, Washington, US.Google Scholar
Index Terms
- Assessing the Experience of People with Autism at the Canada Science and Technology Museum
Recommendations
OBA: An Inclusive Botanical Garden for Children with ASD
Universal Access in Human-Computer InteractionAbstractIn recent years, the mission of museums has expanded, adding to the preservation of cultural heritage the need to reach ever new users, including those with special needs. Accessibility has become a central issue in enabling people with physical, ...
Sounds of Play: Designing Augmented Toys for Children with Autism
PETRA '23: Proceedings of the 16th International Conference on PErvasive Technologies Related to Assistive EnvironmentsThis paper presents a study on the design of augmented toys for children with autism. The goal of the study was to develop an interactive game that could improve social interaction and cognitive skills in children with autism, as well as create an ...
Are autistic children more vulnerable online? Relating autism to online safety, child wellbeing and parental risk management
NordiCHI '20: Proceedings of the 11th Nordic Conference on Human-Computer Interaction: Shaping Experiences, Shaping SocietyMany autistic children are active online users. Research suggests that they are subject to distress and poor wellbeing following online safety threats. However, it is unclear if autistic children are more likely to experience online safety risks ...
Comments