May 17, 2018 - 21:31
[Here is my final project! The work consists of a short essay, two paintings, and an image-description file. Enjoy!]
Reframing the Art:
Making Museum Exhibitions Accessible to Autistic Children
by Fiona Smith
For many children and young adults on the Autism spectrum, museum galleries can be difficult or confusing spaces to navigate. The sensory overstimulation of noisy crowds, harsh lighting, cramped or high-ceilinged spaces, as well as the complexity of social interaction and verbal or nonverbal cues, can cause them increased stress and may compel them to avoid visiting such galleries in the first place. However, in recent years there has been a push for more developmental accessibility in museums, allowing young Autistic visitors to enjoy the exhibits as much as neurotypical children. For instance, the Smithsonian’s Accessibility Program details multiple guidelines for the inclusion of people with “[c]ognitive and [s]ensory [p]rocessing [d]isabilities”, including how to design physical space, use language, and provide online resources for visitors on the spectrum to have their own personal preparations along with the pre-structured space (Smithsonian, “Accessibility Program”). Similarly, Carol Gray’s Social Story™ approach to accessibility has revolutionized the accommodation and inclusion of children on the Autism spectrum where full access to these spaces is concerned. Various sensory-based accommodations must be incorporated into museum programs as well. Finally, training for museum staff and curators is essential to provide the least restrictive (and most satisfying) museum environment for Autistic children. This multimodal essay will include different resources for and visuals of the types of accessibility necessary for ASD-inclusive exhibits; accompanying this written portion is a series of infographic guides and image descriptions to further analyze the specifics of these access features.
In 1990, author and psychiatrist Carol Gray developed the first language and teaching philosophy around the design and utilization of Social Stories. In her own words, Social Stories are “a social learning tool that supports the safe and meaningful exchange of information between parents, professionals, and people with autism of all ages” (Carol Gray, “Social Stories™: What is a Social Story?”). This is a fundamental form of accommodation which provides access to the social, emotional, and language-related approaches to a given situation. But Social Stories do not merely present this information; rather, they are written with attention paid to details and formatted in accessible ways through voice, structure, and layout:
A Social Story accurately describes a context, skill, achievement, or concept according to 10 defining criteria. These criteria guide Story research, development, and implementation to ensure an overall patient and supportive quality, and a format, “voice”, content, and learning experience that is descriptive, meaningful, and physically, socially, and emotionally safe for the child, adolescent, or adult with autism. (Gray, “What is a Social Story?”)
Many Social Stories will emphasize parts of a situation someone on the spectrum would be sensitive to, such as sensory responses or social interaction: “This entrance can be very crowded and noisy…” “When we enter, a security guard will ask to look in everyone’s bags…” (The Met, “Social Narrative: Independent Family Visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for Children on the Autism Spectrum”, 3, 4). Specifics such as these allow the reader to customize their visit ahead of time according to their personal (and potentially fluctuating) needs and desires. In addition, stories must be written in a voice that is “physically, socially, and emotionally safe” and accessible to the child (Gray, “What is a Social Story?”); this allows information usually reserved for parents to relay to the Autistic child to be understood by the child themselves. Such autonomy is critical to their comprehension and enjoyment of their visit.
Another salient aspect of the ASD spectrum is sensory processing, and how complex it can be for Autistic children and young adults. Museum galleries tend to be spaces pervaded by excessive or distorted sound, lighting, even smell, and thus distract and overwhelm young Autistic visitors. As Smithsonian consultant Aditi Shrikant explains, “…[A]nything in the museum that is not part of the exhibit but is also stimulating – for example bright lights, loud sounds, big crowds – should be toned down, turned off or removed” (Shrikant, “How Museums Are Becoming More Sensory-Friendly for Those With Autism”). Social stories will often mention these factors, hinting at “[s]paces with low or subdued light…”, rooms that might be cold, or rooms that tend to get the least traffic (The Met, “Sensory Friendly Map of The Metropolitan Museum of Art for Visitors on the Autism Spectrum”). But preparation in advance is not the only solution to overstimulation. Many programs include special provisions such as “sensory cool down items” and quiet rooms; for instance, the National Museum of African-American History and Culture included a “take-a-break space” filled with “large mats, pillows and sensory toys, like a stretchy body sock and fidgets, which are stress balls, tangles, and other tools that can help someone to calm and focus” (Shrikant, “Museums”). Still other museums hold exhibits which include features highlighting a particular physical engagement, e.g., a plastic sign representing an ear, eye, or hand to indicate the sense(s) used to experience that exhibit (Shrikant, “Museums”).
While accessibility features and programs in museums are a necessity, they are only as effective as those who manage them. Staff must be trained frequently and sufficiently to cover what they need to know when aiding families who have children on the spectrum. Some organizations take pains to incorporate both self- and staff-accommodation; for instance, Major League Baseball instated both Social Stories and staff training into their program in which employees “were given index cards with information about how to interact with those with autism” (Shrikant, “Museums”). Similarly, Meredith Gregory’s program at the New York Transit Museum is another comprehensive example. A central component of her training regimen involved “someone with a disability or a parent of someone with a disability [leading] the training” (Shrikant, “Museums”). Gregory makes it clear that museum staff need to hear directly from the target audience: “[All] of [these] resources are…helpful, but none of that matters if the staff isn’t trained properly… If there is a family and they are having a really hard time in line, the security guard…[needs] to know what to [do]…if the child is having a meltdown” (Shrikant, “Museums”). Having fully-trained staff on board and readily available means that young visitors feel comfortable trusting the adults on site, but also that staff know when not to interact with Autistic visitors, since many on the spectrum struggle with social and verbal cues (Shrikant, “Museums”). As Elise Freed-Brown, a nonprofit organizer, says, the best way to ensure all these policies are enacted effectively and sensitively is to respond to feedback from the community itself (Shrikant, “Museums”). “ ‘Create with, not without,’ ” she says, echoing a popular mantra of the Autistic community – “Nothing About Us Without Us” (Shrikant, “Museums”; ASAN, “Autistic Self-Advocacy Network”).
To expand my representation of the abovementioned accommodations, I have included a series of images which visualize the strategies outlined here. These two artworks, which I call ‘infographicomics’, are entitled “What Does a Museum-Accessible Social Story™ Look Like?” and “What Does Sensory Accommodation Look Like?”, respectively. These infographicomics were created with full accessibility in mind, including aspects of visuals and text (and interplay between the two) which make viewing them, and understanding the nuances of these concepts, easier. However, because visual information is not automatically accessible to everyone, I also created image descriptions to accompany them – and because vision is a spectrum just like Autism, these images include other forms of visual accessibility such as large text, tonal contrast, high resolution, and an analogous color palette. The infographicomics can be read on their own or alongside this essay, to ease eye strain, explain academic jargon, or simply in the interest of time. In short, please enjoy the multiple modalities of this project, and look for ways in your life in which accessibility for people on the Autism spectrum can be diversified.
IMAGE DESCRIPTIONS
Image # 1
Picture of an online document cut off on one side, overlaid on an indigo background. The document’s text (also partially cut off) reads: “I am going to the American Museum… [of Natural] History. This museum has an entrance…” Below is more cut-off text which reads, “We will visit two exhibits today. The… may see other families in this area…[if] it is too crowded, I can tell my pare[nts].” Below this text is an purple and blue image which depicts a museum gallery. Two people are walking in the foreground toward an exhibit in the background. Finally, underneath this image is an accessible bathroom symbol with a woman and a wheelchair symbol on it, and more cut-off text which reads, “If I need to use the bathroom, …look for a sign like this one.”
The title overlaid on indigo reads, “What Does a Museum-Accessible Social Story™ Look Like?”, in a bolded teal font. Below are three bulleted segments.
The first bulleted headline in teal is ‘Directions’, and below it, in a pink handwritten font, the bullets read:
- use first person referents for clarity
- states directions for who, what, where & when
- non-judgmental tone of voice
- accurately states (contextual) information
The second bulleted headline in teal is ‘Pictures’, and the pink bullet points read:
- visualize room layout so reader knows what they might see, hear, or touch
- visualize potential social interactions
- help to show how/where directions will take place
The third bulleted headline in teal is ‘Symbols’, and the pink bullet points read:
- identify information in a recognizable pictorial format
- allow verbal or social cues to be presented more accessibly
A caption in the bottom corner of the image, overlaid on indigo, reads, “Art by Fiona Smith. Please see reference page for full citations.”
Image # 2
Picture of a gray room overlaid on an indigo background. The room has pale purple walls and floor; the features of this room are drawn in dark purple. In the center wall is a white banner which reads, “QUIET SPACE”. On the left wall near the floor is a shelf with lots of toys and fidget spinners. A caption above this shelf, in bolded teal font, reads “fidgets!” pointing down with an arrow. In the center of the floor is a fuzzy circular rug surrounded by a box of building blocks, a beanbag chair, a spring-coil toy, and a plastic infinity-loop toy. The caption below the carpet reads, “tactile surfaces!” The caption above the toys and blocks reads, “toys!”
The title of this image, at the top in bolded teal font, reads, “What Does Sensory Accessibility Look Like?” A caption in the bottom corner of the image, overlaid on indigo, reads, “Art by Fiona Smith. Please see reference page for full citations.”
WORKS CITED
Autistic Self Advocacy Network. “Autistic Self Advocacy Network.” https://autisticadvocacy.org/.
Gray, Carol. “What Is a Social Story?” Social Stories: What Is a Social Story?, Carol Gray, carolgraysocialstories.com/social-stories/what-is-it/.
Shrikant, Aditi. “How Museums Are Becoming More Sensory-Friendly For Those With Autism.” Smithsonian.com, 5 Jan. 2018, www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/how-museums-are-becoming-more-sensory-friendly-for-those-with-autism-180967740/.
Smithsonian. “The Accessibility Program.” Smithsonian Institution, www.si.edu/access.
The Met. “Social Narrative: Independent Family Visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for Children on the Autism Spectrum.” Resources for Visitors on the Autism Spectrum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2015.
The Met. “Sensory Friendly Map of The Metropolitan Museum of Art for Visitors on the Autism Spectrum.” Resources for Visitors on the Autism Spectrum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2015.
INFOGRAPHICOMICS: REFERENCES
“What Does a Museum-Accessible Social Story™ Look Like?”
TEXT
Gray, Carol. “It Is NOT a Social Story If...: A Screening Instrument.” Carol Gray Social Stories, Carol Gray, 2015, carolgraysocialstories.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/It-is-NOT-a-Social-Story-if….pdf.
Gray, Carol. “Answers to the Social Story Quiz.” Carol Gray Social Stories, Carol Gray, 2015, https://carolgraysocialstories.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Answers-to-The-Social-Story-Quiz-.pdf.
VISUALS
The Met. “Social Narrative: Independent Family Visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for Children on the Autism Spectrum.” Resources for Visitors on the Autism Spectrum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2015. https://www.metmuseum.org/-/media/files/events/programs/progs-for-visitors-with-disabilities/social-narrative-children.pdf.
“What Does Sensory Accessibility Look Like?”
VISUALS
Harpaz, Beth J. “Travel Airport Quiet Rooms.” Quiet Rooms for Autistic Children Popping up at Airports, Chicago Tribune, 12 Apr. 2017, www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/travel/ct-quiet-rooms-for-autistic-children-popping-up-at-airports-20170412-story.html.
“Fidget Toys for Autism.” Google Search, Google, www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS746US746&biw=1920&bih=949&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=Oyn-WtTJCYf4jwTniqnYCw&q=fidget toys for autism&oq=fidget toys forautism&gs_l=img.3..0j0i24k1.139036.141291.0.141512.6.5.1.0.0.0.76.286.5.5.0....0...1c.1.64.img..0.6.287...0i7i30k1.0.wsmvBzOW4vw.