Designing Schools for Students with ASD and Other NDDs
NDDs, including ASD, places higher demands on the learning environment
Every tenth Swedish student has a neuropsychiatric condition. Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD), as it is known in the school world, is the collective name for a number of conditions – including ADHD and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The way NDD students experience things differently makes special demands of the learning environment, not least the physical environment. Stockholm is home to one of the world’s leading researchers in the field. Sven Bölte is Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Science and Director of the Centre of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND) at the Karolinska Institute. He co-authored a recently published literature review on the subject and he has also been involved as a consultant in constructing new schools.
What challenges do you come across in your work with schools being built today?
“We have seen that neuropsychiatric challenges have not been included in the context. You build with physical disabilities in mind, but not for students with invisible cognitive difficulties – and they have quite substantial needs.”
What is important to consider when adapting learning environments to NDD?
“I usually say that there are three parts. First we have the sensory aspects to consider. The environment should calm the senses. There should not be fragrances and the sound and light conditions should be good. There should not be too much crowding, reflections, disruptive patterns or materials that can cause injury. Sound can be dampened, storage units can be used to hide things. You can try to optimise ventilation and avoid fluorescent lighting. And you can offer a variety of food, because we know that many people with NDD have specific preferences.”
“The second part is about maximising visual control. Visual and acoustic clarity is required for students to navigate, find rooms and keep to a schedule. For example, clocks should not only work but also be set to the same time, and signage should be clear and simple. Thirdly, there must be an opportunity to screen oneself off. At workplaces, we often have screened-off, quiet corners, and students may also need this, even during breaks. Many people would benefit from having peace and quiet during lunch, and being able to retreat while eating their food.”
Sven Bölte, Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Science
Screened study spaces create security and focus – the Vibe screen series is available in a variety of designs that fit different types of environments in schools.
Learning environments with colours close to nature's own colour scale – green and earthy tones that go tone-on-tone create a calm atmosphere that promotes recovery and focus. Kinnarps Colour Studio has a specially developed range adapted for schools.
Safe corners, created through interior design or architecture, provide opportunities for privacy and study peace – an important part of an inclusive learning environment that takes into account children with NDDs.
How can schools and teachers create an inclusive physical learning environment for all children?
“Even though image support is used in many places, I think more can be done. Optical order and reduction of visible objects are important. Find a seating arrangement that works for everyone, and choose sound-absorbing materials. A lack of clarity and strong sensory impressions in the physical learning environment draw attention away and have cognitive costs. I think that neurotypical teachers can find it very difficult to understand how extremely sensitive a student with NDD can be.”
What could the cognitive costs be?
“If a student is disturbed by various sensory inputs, and there is a lack of clarity in the physical learning environment, it can drain all their energy away from their studies. Most people with NDD have difficulties with what we call executive functions – action planning, impulse control, flexibility and selfregulation. We cannot underestimate how much can fail when the physical learning environment does not work.”
5 tips: How to adapt the learning environment for students with ASD or other NDDs
1.
Simple floor plans, partitions, rest areas and zones for specific activities.
2.
Well-considered placement of windows, blinds and controllable light.
3.
Use sound insulation and sound dampening materials.
4.
Neutral and simple colour schemes and subtle patterns.
5.
Flexibility and customisation to everyone’s unique needs.
Read the full magazine
In the magazine Education Solution, we share knowledge and insights about how learning spaces affect the everyday lives of students and staff. You will explore how we together can create sustainable learning spaces for safety, focus, joy and an optimised learning.
