The Impact of Acoustical Environmental Design on Children with Autsim

Abstract

In recent years, research has shown that the educational environment has a profound effect on learning and performance among students, especially those with autism. Many design solutions that target autistic populations have been introduced for implementation in both mainstream and special education classrooms. Classrooms serve as the major setting for emotional, cognitive, social, and psychological development for all students. Additionally, for most students with autism, education is centered on learning skills for future independence.

If classrooms and learning environments are not designed to accommodate students with developmental disabilities, it can be assumed that they will not learn these important skills and may struggle to live in our society. Acoustics is one of the most important issues in the interior design requirements of these children.

This study consisted of two main stages. The first stage was to evaluate the current situation by distributing a questionnaire to teachers and professionals associated with programs serving children with autism. The second stage involved observing the children‟s behavior in classrooms with varying noise levels and a short interview with teachers every day of the observation.

The findings of this study demonstrate that there is a strong correlation between the level of noise and inappropriate behaviors of children with autism. The findings led the researcher to recommend a preliminary framework of design guidelines using a quantitative and qualitative analysis to transform the data into tangible knowledge.