A Population Excluded: Interior Design for Autism in University Dining Facilities

Schafer, Challie Tristin

Savannah, Georgia: Savannah College of Art and Design

2014-05

Thesis (M.F.A.) -- Interior Design

Savannah College of Art and Design -- Department of Interior Design

*Winner, Thesis Proposal Award

Bibliographical references: pages 51-55

"Currently, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is seen purely as a childhood disorder, and little research has been done about those individuals transitioning from childhood to adulthood. With an estimated 200,000 students with ASD expected to enter college in the next few years, giving these students the resources they need to succeed has become a pressing issue. Because ASD can affect an individual’s ability to communicate and deal with executive functions, college presents many more challenges than doing well in courses. The overwhelming sensory inputs of a college campus could potentially be creating environments that are difficult for students with ASD to navigate. Armed with the knowledge that an environment can affect young children with ASD, the question now becomes about how to support adolescents with ASD in the spaces where they transition into adulthood, like college campuses. Therefore, the intent of this research is to identify environmental factors which may directly affect behavioral responses from college students with ASD, and determine how this knowledge can be applied to the design of interior spaces on a college campus."

Dengiz, Esma

Moussatche, Helena

Somerset, Amy

English

Interior Design

Text

PDF : 99 pages, illustrations (chiefly color)

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