Autism-friendly means being aware of social engagement and environmental factors affecting autistic people, with modifications to communication methods and physical space to better suit individuals' unique needs.
Overview
Autistic individuals receive sensory information in the same way as allistic (non-autistic) individuals, but process it differently. This difference in processing can lead to sensory overload, causing them to become overwhelmed by the amount of information they receive and withdraw as a coping mechanism.Caldwell, Phoebe and Jane Horwood. (2008). Using Intensive Interaction and Sensory Integration: A Handbook for Those Who Support People With Severe Autistic Spectrum Disorder. Jessica Kingsley Publishers. p. 16. . Additionally, it may be that an autistic person is actually taking in more sensory information and is merely overwhelmed by the sheer amount of input. As such, they may experience difficulty in public settings due to inhibited communication, social interaction or flexibility of thought development. Knowing about these differences and how to react effectively helps to create a more inclusive society. It also better suits the needs of autistic individuals.Autism Awareness Presentation. The Autism Directory. Retrieved September 5, 2012.
Being autism friendly means being understanding and flexible in interpersonal conversation, public programs and public settings. For example, a person might think that someone is being rude if they will not look them in the eyes or does not understand figurative expressions of language like "it's a piece of cake", when in fact there may be a reason for this. Depending upon the individual's degree of language ability, a person who hears "it's a piece of cake" may take that literally and not understand that what is really meant is "it will be easy". For autistic people, being in an autism-friendly environment means they will have a manageable degree of sensory stimuli, which will make them calmer, better able to process the sensory stimulation they receive, and better able to relate to others.Caldwell, Phoebe and Jane Horwood. (2008). Using Intensive Interaction and Sensory Integration: A Handbook for Those Who Support People With Severe Autistic Spectrum Disorder. Jessica Kingsley Publishers. pp. 15-17. .
Environment Some autistic people may be hypersensitive to changes in sight, touch, smell, taste and sound; the sensory stimulus could be very distracting or they could result in pain or anxiety. There are other people who are hyposensitive and may not feel extreme changes in temperature or pain. Each of these has implications for making an autism-friendly environment.Nguyen, Anh. (2006). Creating an Autism Friendly Environment. National Autistic Society. p. 3. .
Social factors There are several factors in creating a supportive environment. One of them is adherence to a standard routine and structure. Since change of routine can be quite anxiety-producing for many autistic people, a structured, predictable routine makes for calmer and happier transitions during the day. Another important factor is creating a low-arousal space. Environments with the least amount of disruption will help autistic people remain calm. It is important to speak in quiet, non-disruptive tones and to use a physical space that has a low level of disruption. Having a positive, empathetic attitude and ensuring consistent habits in work, school and recreational activities also help to minimize anxiety and distress and help an autistic person succeed. This is the SPELL approach: StructurePositiveEmpathyLow arousalLinks.Nguyen, Anh. (2006). Creating an Autism Friendly Environment. National Autistic Society. pp. 5-6. .SPELL. National Autistic Society, United Kingdom. Retrieved September 5, 2012. Social Stories can be used to communicate ways in which an autistic person can prepare themselves for social interaction.Social stories: their uses and benefits. The National Autistic Society. Retrieved September 8, 2012.
Physical space
There are several ways that the physical space can be designed and organized to be autism friendly. It is important for rooms to be decorated with serenity in mind, like painting the walls with calming colors. Thick carpeting and double-paned glass help to minimize distracting noise (e.g., noise pollution). Materials within the rooms may be organized, grouped and labeled with words or symbols to make items easier to locate.Nguyen, Anh. (2006). Creating an Autism Friendly Environment. National Autistic Society. p. 7. . Where it is impracticable for physical spaces to be altered, tools such as Tesco Mobile's Sensory Support Boxes can be borrowed by people with heightened sensory perception to make them more tolerable.
Topics
Daily life Autism friendliness can have a significant impact on an individual's interpersonal life and work life, benefited by consistency across all areas of one's life.
Vacations As the break of routine in family vacations causes distress to some autistic people, many families may avoid taking vacations. Steps can be taken to help make for a successful family vacation. One is sharing information like pictures or internet web pages. There are organizations that will make accommodations, if requested, to better manage common stressors such as uncertainty, crowds and noise disruption. This includes theme parks that allow autistic people to skip long lines and airlines or airports that may allow for a dry-run prior to the trip. Another tip is to prepare prior to the trip so that there is a plan for managing boredom.TRAVEL TIPS FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER. 101 autism. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
Entertainment
Theatre
In the United States, the Theatre Development Fund (TDF) created a program in 2011 to "make theatre accessible to children and adults on the autism spectrum". Called the Autism Theatre Initiative, it is part of their Accessibility Programs, and was done in conjunction with Autism Speaks, Disney and experts who reviewed the performance for areas of modification. Adjustments that have been named for the initiative include: quiet areas in theatre lobby, performance changes that reduced strobe light use and noise, and areas where people can go perform an activity if they leave the theatre. Social Stories, which explain what the experience will be like (such as loud noises, needing a break and moving through a crowd), were made available prior to the performance. These performances included The Lion King and Mary Poppins.Piepenberg, Erik. (August 31, 2011). "Program Hopes to Make Broadway Friendlier to Those With Autism." The New York Times. Retrieved September 8, 2012.Autism Theatre Initiative. Theatre Development Fund. Retrieved September 8, 2012.Loud noises. Theatre Development Fund. Retrieved September 8, 2012.Needing a break. Theatre Development Fund. Retrieved September 8, 2012.Moving through crowds. Theatre Development Fund. Retrieved September 8, 2012.
On London's West End theatre was the premiere of the first autism-friendly performance of Wicked, on 14 May 2016.
Movie cinema Going to a movie theater can be an overwhelming experience for some autistic people. Crowding as people queue up to buy tickets, loud movie volume, and dark theater lighting can all be sensory overload triggers that keep some autistic people from ever seeing movies at the cinema. Some movie theaters are becoming more autism-friendly: the lighting is adjusted so it is not so dark, the volume is reduced and queues are managed to prevent crowding. In August 2011, non-profit organisation Dimensions UK partnered with cinemas across the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland to host autism-friendly screenings. They have partnered with over 300 cinemas, including cinemas from chains such as Odeon Cinemas, Cineworld, Showcase Cinemas, and Vue International. Adjustments include reduced sound, dimmed lighting, and omitted trailers, and attendees are permitted to bring their own food, make noise, or move around the cinema.
In the United States there are also "sensory-friendly" moviegoing experiences to be had through collaboration with the Autism Society of America. Monthly, AMC Theatres (AMC) will provide nights when autistic people and their families may experience an autism-friendly movie night. The program is also intended for other disabled people whose moviegoing experience will also be improved in such a setting.Sensory Friendly Films. Autism Society. Retrieved September 6, 2012.In Partnership with the Autism Society, We Bring AMC Sensory Friendly Films to Families Affected by Autism on a Monthly Basis to Select Communities. AMC Entertainment. September 06, 2012.
Santa Claus In Canada, malls operated by Oxford Properties established a process by which autistic children could visit Santa Claus at the mall without having to contend with crowds. The malls open early to allow entry only to families with autistic children, who have a private visit with Santa Claus. In 2012, the Southcentre Mall in Calgary was the first mall to offer this service. The children are given a booklet explaining the process, and upon arrival at the mall are placed in a waiting area near Santa Claus before their visit "to ensure their comfort".
Education Providing the best outcomes for an autistic child may be difficult, complicated by each child's unique way of managing communication and interaction with others, associated disorders that make each child's situation unique, and emerging understandings of neurodiversity. Teacher effectiveness can be optimized based upon their awareness of the differences amongst autistic people, acceptance that each child is unique, engagement of the child in social and educational activities and employment of teaching methods that are found to be helpful to developmentally disabled people.Carol Gray. Learners on the Autism Spectrum: Preparing Highly Qualified Educators. AAPC Publishing; 1 May 2008 [cited 17 September 2012]. . p. 35–.
Teachers play a key role in the success of an autistic student by helping them to understand directions, organize tasks and support their achievements. One example is organizing and grouping materials together for activities in specific ways.Breitenbach, Marlene. (2008). Basic Skills Checklists: Teacher-Friendly Assessment for Students with Autism or Special Needs. Future Horizons. .
Teachers give autistic students extra time to answer when they ask them a question. Autistic children take time to process information but they are listening and will respond.
Schools dedicated to being autism friendly, like Pathlight School in Singapore, designed their campus to offer students "dignity" in an autism-friendly environment. There the campus was architecturally designed, landscaped and the interior created with a simple color scheme. All of this helps to avoid triggering sensory overload. There is a high teacher to student ratio, a focus on nurturing, and a comprehensive life-skills training and education program.Leow Si Wan, "A Path to work life", The Straits Times, 28 April 2010.A Unified Whole. d+a magazine. Issue 53, 2010.
Empathising–systemising theory Empathising–systemising theory with video technology can be used to present information in an autism-friendly way that promotes understanding. For instance, computer applications or DVDs of actors making facial expressions to inform how body language provides clues about how someone might be feeling. Or, in the case of The Transporters, interesting items like trains are used to wear faces, drawing in the viewer into the faces.Eric Hollander; Alex Kolevzon; Joseph T. Coyle. Textbook of Autism Spectrum Disorders. American Psychiatric Pub; 18 October 2010 [cited 17 September 2012]. . p. 45.
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