APPROPRIATE EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENTS FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISTIC SPECTRUM DISORDER (ASD) : A STUDY ON THE SPACES OF SINGAPORE �S MAINSTREAM SCHOOLS

Abstract

The understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and its prevalence, is seen to be increasing worldwide, and with no medical treatment available for the symptoms, education and nurture remain the key modes of helping a child with ASD reach their potentials. Current literature and theory integrate the importance of the physical environment of educational spaces and educational pedagogy. As the understanding of ASD improves, so does the understanding of the influence of the built environment on children with ASD, and fundamentally the school as an educational envrionment. Recent literature dictates design parameters believed to encourage appropriate educational environments for children with ASD, and where appropriate implies that the needs and spatial rights of children with ASD can be met through the school design and planning. This dissertation aims to integrate the recent literature on educational environments for ASD, with the ideals of inclusive education, to explore the potential for ensuring mainstream schools in Singapore are designed to meet the needs and spatial rights of children with ASD. The study aims to uncover where Singapore’s mainstream schools meet the current recommendations or where there are shortfalls, thus making recommendations on aspects that could be improved, to create more appropriate educational environments for children with high functioning ASD.