Accessibility Opens the Door to a World of Possibilities
What does the word accessibility mean to you?
Wheelchair ramps, automatically opening doors, and braille on elevators, I imagine you would say. Yes, that is what accessibility means in the world of architecture and physical environments, but what does accessibility mean for learning environments? It’s often easier to understand how an environment should be designed for people with varying physical abilities, but it’s harder to know what people with neurodiverse profiles might need to be successful in a learning experience. As a school-based occupational therapist working in public schools, I found that helping people think about this kind of accessibility was a challenge, since much of what gets in the way of access for a neurodiverse learner lies in the realm of behavior and compliance. Non-compliance or inappropriate behavior is often a result of poor engagement in the context of a learning environment. Having a good understanding of how engagement can improve access is where educators begin when designing inclusive environments for people who are neurodiverse.
In architecture, the wheelchair ramp, which is intended for people who use wheelchairs, is also used by people with strollers, people with walkers and crutches, and roller skaters. Similarly, in learning environments, leading with strengths and interests increases the engagement of all learners—those with and without disabilities—and allows students to take control of their learning, encourages awareness of learning, and produces learners who are flexible, connected, and motivated. The concept is called Universal Design and it applies to architecture and learning environments alike. Leveling the playing field in learning environments, just like in a building, makes learning accessible and meaningful for everyone.
Wide Open Possibilities
When a student with autism is able to access a learning environment, the sky's the limit!
We experience wide-open possibilities every day at Islands of Brilliance (IOB). Our students, armed with the ability to create and the desire to establish connections, thrive without the barriers they typically experience in other environments. In our workshops, students drive their learning experiences with their creativity—the student comes to the workshop with what they want to learn and the mentor brings the “how” to make it happen.
For example: in a recent Foundation Workshop, IOB student Aaron brought his love for dogs and business logos to his mentor, Paola, who helped him channel both into a learning experience in Photoshop. Paola learned that Aaron wanted to “dogify” different logos. She then showed him how to create hybrid letters using existing fonts and tools in Photoshop. Because Aaron was highly engaged in this experience, he paid close attention to how to put his ideas on the screen. He could also later talk about what tools and techniques he learned in Photoshop, developing skills in the area of reflective practice, a key to improving self-awareness. Additionally, the trust and connection built between student and mentor allowed Paola to offer feedback to Aaron to improve the design and learn even more tools and techniques in Photoshop. As their relationship grew and Aaron’s satisfaction with his projects increased, he could see the benefits of sharing what he learned, exploring opportunities outside of his interest area, and leveraging relationships to accomplish personal and professional goals.
IOB offers several layers of distance learning that are designed to provide access to students. Our most accessible layer, the Sandbox Workshops, are open and creative environments where students “test the waters” of what it means to put their strengths and interests first in a learning experience. The Doodle Lounge Workshops, Smactivities Workshops, and Natterdays Workshops are all Sandbox Workshop experiences where we get to watch our students create, make peer connections, and practice social emotional learning.
Students in the Doodle Lounge, for example, draw with their IOB friends and share when they wish, receiving positive feedback on their creations. Students who have much to share about their interests can participate in Natterdays Workshops and practice incorporating their ideas into a shared storytelling experience, learn how to accept the ideas of others, and immerse in the IOB culture of positivity around interests. Smactivities Workshop students have the chance to try something new while creating with friends from the comfort of their homes. In a recent Smactivities Workshop, mentors asked students to bring pieces of cardboard and empty milk cartons to build a “tiny town.” Mentors provided tips to create a tiny town and encouraged students to leverage their own interests, bringing unique ideas, creativity, and personality to their project. One student made a tiny town for her homemade stuffed animals. As with all Sandbox workshops, the structure is there for the student to bring the “what” and the mentors bring the “how” for engagement and satisfaction.
New Levels of Accessibility
At IOB we have upped our game in terms of accessibility with our suite of distance learning workshops. Until we pivoted to distance learning, all of our workshops were in-person experiences for our students and mentors. Accessibility at IOB during an in-person workshop meant that we helped students leverage their interests and strengths for engagement. The students who now participate with us online have even fewer barriers with which to contend. For example, many of our neurodiverse students had issues with transportation to our studio, managing sensory issues when with a group of people, or managing anxiety related to participating in a new activity in a new place. In our online workshops, all of those barriers have vanished and our student engagement is higher than ever. Additionally, many students tell us that they prefer online workshops and that using their own equipment in their homes has increased their comfort level. IOB has even been able to expand and serve more students in new cities as a result of our pivot to distance learning.
This increased accessibility will also be present next month during the kick-off to our annual fundraiser, Colors & Chords, on November 21. For the last five years, IOB has held the live music, art, and tech spectacle at Turner Hall in Milwaukee. The event space was redesigned and maximized annually to provide engagement opportunities for all attendees to create, explore, and connect. We created an environment that IOB students and families found accessible and enjoyable. This year's event takes us to Gratitude Island—a virtual world imagined and created by our Digital Academy students. Many of the features and experiences that were present at our in-person event can still be discovered on the island—and now from the comfort of your own home on your preferred device. More importantly, we are excited that our students have been able to play an even larger role to help make this year's event—our sixth—the best and most brilliant one yet.
What does accessibility mean to you? At IOB, it's part of our DNA.
