Leo loves to learn and often is very hands-on when he discovers new things. I thought he would love Strong Museum, but I didn't think about the sensory overload that would happen as soon as we walked in the door. We were in and out in about an hour and I felt horrible.
I wanted him to have the chance to explore a museum that brought me joy when I was younger, but without an established sensory-friendly day for children with autism* I was at a loss of what to do. However, it got me thinking: what if there was a way I could create a sensory-friendly experience that could be had at any time using a personal device? It would be fairly accessible, it could be adjusted to individual preferences based on what the child is sensitive to and it wouldn't necessarily involve a lot of cost in regards to technology once the app or program is created.
Ideally, I would like to create a prototype for this app, detail the process of creating and curating the content and craft my thesis around the following questions: Can museums use personal devices to create a more inclusive, sensory-friendly visitor experience for children on the autism spectrum? Rather than creating a separate experience for children on the autism spectrum, could personal devices allow a sensory-friendly visitor experience within the museum's regular hours of operation?
I'm excited about pursuing this topic. Any feedback is welcomed and appreciated!
Thanks for reading!
*Strong has piloted a program called Sensory-Friendly Sundays this year. At the time of my initial visit with Leo, this option was unavailable to me.
I really like your idea, and love that it's coming from a place of personal experience and passion. I don't quite know what an app to help with a sensory-friendly experience would look like, but you seem to have a clear idea of where you're heading and I'm excited to see how it works out!
ReplyDeleteThank you! Although I haven't nailed down all the specifics, one thing I would definitely include in the app would be things to help cope with the over-stimulating environment (ie, option to listen to curated music via headphones to distract from the excessive noise, fidget-toy like games to do on screen that are related to the content in a given area, etc.). Often when my little cousin has meltdowns, all it takes is a song he likes or his favorite app to calm him down. It helps ground him when we can't control the environment he's in. So, essentially, it would be creating a sensory-friendly tool kit that can help guide a child through the museum. :) Hope that helps clear things up.
DeleteI think that this is a super important topic to address. People who are on the spectrum should not be limited to special dates and times to go to museums. Museums are meant to be places of learning for all individuals no matter their learning ability. I think that looking at effective examples of creating reflective spaces would be a good place to start. There are difficulties with this topic, specifically that other peoples actions are difficult to control, but it is definitely worth addressing.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to seeing what you and Peter can report after your site visit this weekend. Consider developing a schema/framework to help museum professionals in undertaking the development of a project/program. Perhaps you could consider, too, an event focused around your app prototype/launch centered on World Autism Awareness Day, 2019 (April 2 I think).
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