Inclusive educational environment for children with autism in Malaysia primary schools: addressing the issue of way finding

Inclusion of children with autism in the mainstream school falls under a regulation in Malaysia. However, existing school buildings still lack in providing enabling environment for children with autism. Moreover, current building standards and policies fail to address the wayfinding design requi...

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Main Authors: Rahaman, Farjana, Abdul Rahim, Asiah, Abdullah, Fadzidah
Format: Book
Language:English
Published: IIUM Press, International Islamic University Malaysia 2018
Subjects:
Online Access:http://irep.iium.edu.my/68160/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/68160/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/68160/1/68160_Inclusive%20educational%20environment%20for%20children%20with%20autism%20in%20Malaysia%20primary%20schools.pdf
id iium-68160
recordtype eprints
spelling iium-681602018-12-24T01:04:08Z http://irep.iium.edu.my/68160/ Inclusive educational environment for children with autism in Malaysia primary schools: addressing the issue of way finding Rahaman, Farjana Abdul Rahim, Asiah Abdullah, Fadzidah HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare LC Special aspects of education NA Architecture NA2545.A1 Architecture and people with disabilities Inclusion of children with autism in the mainstream school falls under a regulation in Malaysia. However, existing school buildings still lack in providing enabling environment for children with autism. Moreover, current building standards and policies fail to address the wayfinding design requirements of these children in mainstream educational settings. The present research implies that wayfinding performance of children with autism can be improved by providing an appropriate environment design. This research employs both qualitative and quantitative research methods based on environment and behavior studies. Objectives of this study are (1) to identify different architectural elements that impact on the wayfinding of children with autism and able bodied children, (2) to investigate the existing condition of the primary school buildings in Malaysia in terms of inclusive wayfinding design and finally (3) to suggest a model as a set of tools for design practice that would ensure an appropriate and inclusive learning environment for children with autism, in the context of Malaysia. This research is conducted in five stages. First, through a rigorous literature review on autism and architecture for autism, five design aspects for an enabling environment for autism are identified. At the second stage, based on existing knowledge on wayfinding and school design, twenty wayfinding design parameters are developed that are directly related to these design aspects for an enabling environment for autism. In the third stage, three evaluation tools; Wayfinding Design Parameter Rating Scale (WDPRS), Environmental Assessment (EA) and Performance measure for Children (PMC) are developed and methodology is designed. In the fourth stage, previously identified twenty wayfinding design parameters are further evaluated by the teachers and experts for their relevance using WDPRS. Then an empirical study is carried out in both special and inclusive schools to investigate the performance of children (PMC) in the presence of the twenty wayfinding design parameters as environmental assessment (EA). Finally, based on the findings, design model with a set off tools for wayfinding in inclusive educational spaces is developed to aid the architects and designers IIUM Press, International Islamic University Malaysia 2018-06-01 Book NonPeerReviewed application/pdf en http://irep.iium.edu.my/68160/1/68160_Inclusive%20educational%20environment%20for%20children%20with%20autism%20in%20Malaysia%20primary%20schools.pdf Rahaman, Farjana and Abdul Rahim, Asiah and Abdullah, Fadzidah (2018) Inclusive educational environment for children with autism in Malaysia primary schools: addressing the issue of way finding. IIUM Press, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. ISBN 978-967-418-654-8 (In Press) http://www.iium.edu.my/office/iiumpress
repository_type Digital Repository
institution_category Local University
institution International Islamic University Malaysia
building IIUM Repository
collection Online Access
language English
topic HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare
LC Special aspects of education
NA Architecture
NA2545.A1 Architecture and people with disabilities
spellingShingle HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare
LC Special aspects of education
NA Architecture
NA2545.A1 Architecture and people with disabilities
Rahaman, Farjana
Abdul Rahim, Asiah
Abdullah, Fadzidah
Inclusive educational environment for children with autism in Malaysia primary schools: addressing the issue of way finding
description Inclusion of children with autism in the mainstream school falls under a regulation in Malaysia. However, existing school buildings still lack in providing enabling environment for children with autism. Moreover, current building standards and policies fail to address the wayfinding design requirements of these children in mainstream educational settings. The present research implies that wayfinding performance of children with autism can be improved by providing an appropriate environment design. This research employs both qualitative and quantitative research methods based on environment and behavior studies. Objectives of this study are (1) to identify different architectural elements that impact on the wayfinding of children with autism and able bodied children, (2) to investigate the existing condition of the primary school buildings in Malaysia in terms of inclusive wayfinding design and finally (3) to suggest a model as a set of tools for design practice that would ensure an appropriate and inclusive learning environment for children with autism, in the context of Malaysia. This research is conducted in five stages. First, through a rigorous literature review on autism and architecture for autism, five design aspects for an enabling environment for autism are identified. At the second stage, based on existing knowledge on wayfinding and school design, twenty wayfinding design parameters are developed that are directly related to these design aspects for an enabling environment for autism. In the third stage, three evaluation tools; Wayfinding Design Parameter Rating Scale (WDPRS), Environmental Assessment (EA) and Performance measure for Children (PMC) are developed and methodology is designed. In the fourth stage, previously identified twenty wayfinding design parameters are further evaluated by the teachers and experts for their relevance using WDPRS. Then an empirical study is carried out in both special and inclusive schools to investigate the performance of children (PMC) in the presence of the twenty wayfinding design parameters as environmental assessment (EA). Finally, based on the findings, design model with a set off tools for wayfinding in inclusive educational spaces is developed to aid the architects and designers
format Book
author Rahaman, Farjana
Abdul Rahim, Asiah
Abdullah, Fadzidah
author_facet Rahaman, Farjana
Abdul Rahim, Asiah
Abdullah, Fadzidah
author_sort Rahaman, Farjana
title Inclusive educational environment for children with autism in Malaysia primary schools: addressing the issue of way finding
title_short Inclusive educational environment for children with autism in Malaysia primary schools: addressing the issue of way finding
title_full Inclusive educational environment for children with autism in Malaysia primary schools: addressing the issue of way finding
title_fullStr Inclusive educational environment for children with autism in Malaysia primary schools: addressing the issue of way finding
title_full_unstemmed Inclusive educational environment for children with autism in Malaysia primary schools: addressing the issue of way finding
title_sort inclusive educational environment for children with autism in malaysia primary schools: addressing the issue of way finding
publisher IIUM Press, International Islamic University Malaysia
publishDate 2018
url http://irep.iium.edu.my/68160/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/68160/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/68160/1/68160_Inclusive%20educational%20environment%20for%20children%20with%20autism%20in%20Malaysia%20primary%20schools.pdf
first_indexed 2023-09-18T21:36:44Z
last_indexed 2023-09-18T21:36:44Z
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