Designing Inclusive Futures:
Interactive / Co-Design Approach to Classroom Renovation for Children with Developmental Learning Disabilities
Introduction
Current Classrooms
Problem Statement
Children with developmental learning disorders face significant challenges in current classroom environments, impacting their academic and social development. The existing design and infrastructure limitations, coupled with a lack of inclusivity and inadequate consideration for diverse learning needs, create barriers to an optimal educational experience. These challenges necessitate a comprehensive reevaluation and redesign of classroom spaces to foster inclusivity, accommodate diverse learning styles, and enhance the overall well-being of students.
Key Issues
Inclusive Design Constraints:
- The current classroom infrastructure lacks inclusivity, particularly for children with mobility issues.
- Efforts to accommodate physical disabilities are constrained by financial and technical limitations.
Teacher-Centric Design:
- Classroom design decisions are often based on individual teacher preferences, lacking a standardized approach.
- The absence of formal manuals or training programs leads to inconsistent classroom organization and design.
Objective
Environmental Distractions:
- Layouts and sizes do not align with the specific needs of children with learning disorders, contributing to distractions.
- Insufficient attention to visual aesthetics and interactive elements hinders engagement and concentration.
Changing Student Demographics:
- The increasing number of students with learning disorders demands a shift in educational approaches.
- Traditional classroom settings may not adequately cater to the diverse learning styles and needs of these students.
The primary objective is to propose a co-design/interactive design framework for classroom architecture that addresses the aforementioned challenges. This approach aims to create an inclusive, student-centric, and technologically enhanced learning environment, fostering academic success, social development, and overall well-being for all students, particularly those with developmental learning disorders.
Timeline
Discover
Define
Develop
Deliver
- Observation Research
- Questionnaires
- Interviews
- Group Discussions
- Data Analysis
- Goal Setting
- Brainstorming
- Drawing and Presentation
- Role Play
- Participatory Design
- Peer Review
- Co-design
- Prototyping
- Picture Generation
- VR Prototyping
- User Testing
- Feedback Loop
- Iterative Design
Project in Numbers
Develop
One of the initial stages in the interactive and co-design process for the classroom involved a workshop. The workshop commenced with research distributed beforehand to the director, teachers, social worker, and parents. Given the age and attention deficits in children, the research took on an interactive and playful approach, resembling a workshop where problems and solutions were explored. Following this, each child illustrated their ideal classroom, presenting it to the group. Other children then added sticker comments or likes to each project. Subsequently, the children collaborated to propose a classroom design, taking into account the insights gathered in the previous step. This collaborative approach proved invaluable in understanding the genuine wants and needs of the students.
- Brainstorming
- Drawing and Presentation
- Role Play
- Participatory Design
- Peer Review
- Co-design
Develop
Building on the foundation of research, workshops, and collaborative proposals, the project took a bold step forward by incorporating AI into the visualization phase. Leveraging DALL-E 3 with prompts derived from prior stages, the AI generated images. Children provided feedback by using stickers on each image, enriching our understanding of their preferences. While the AI-generated pictures lacked architectural precision, they served as rapid prototypes, expediting the design process compared to traditional methods like sketching or renders. This agile approach allowed for quick iterations and aligns seamlessly with the dynamic co-design process involving children.
- Prototyping
- Picture Generation
- VR Prototyping
- User Testing
- Feedback Loop
- Iterative Design
First Proposal
Following prior steps, I have proposed a classroom incorporating children's insights. The space features an activity zone, library, relax-creative area, storage, and play space. Utilizing natural colors, materials, and plants creates a conducive environment. Variable table layouts, dual-purpose curtains for shading and acoustics, and personalized chalk walls enhance each classroom's experience. The design aligns with inclusivity, ecology, and incorporates co-design and interactive elements from earlier stages.
Test / Iterate
VR testing played a pivotal role in garnering feedback for the classroom proposal. Overall, feedback was positive, highlighting the aesthetic appeal of the flooring, furniture, and colors. However, concerns were raised by the social worker about impractical curtains, the potential for children hiding behind them, and a lack of hooks on benches.
Students expressed mixed opinions, with positive remarks on the climbing wall and furniture but dislikes for the doors. Suggestions included adding a classic couch, incorporating real graffiti instead of a whiteboard wall, and considering a yellowish tone for the color scheme. Some students also mentioned the absence of football goals.
The social worker reiterated concerns about insufficient storage for teacher's supplies and apprehensions related to climbing and ropes. Suggestions included larger shelves at the back and the addition of a railing on the ground to alleviate fears. Overall, the VR testing provided valuable insights, guiding potential adjustments to enhance the classroom design.
Second Proposal
Upon analyzing the feedback, the classroom design underwent iterations, incorporating selected suggestions to enhance its functionality and safety. Notably, in response to safety concerns, curtains were replaced with roll curtains, necessitating additional acoustic insulation. Storage for both teachers and children was expanded to address concerns raised by the social worker. Furthermore, the wall color underwent a subtle shift towards a warmer tone, aligning with the feedback regarding the color scheme. These changes reflect a thoughtful consideration of the relevance and impact of each statement on the overall classroom environment.
Feedback
The feedback was overwhelmingly positive. One child ran to his mom shouting that he just had the best class in his life. This was a humbling experience and a very rewarding feeling. Other kids were happy that they had a chance in decision-making and the creative process. Directors' feedback is expected by the end of February.
Reflection
The children were very interested in the topic and were very proactive and creative. I am confident to say that I successfully created an atmosphere where they could feel secure to express themselves and to communicate with me and each other openly. Despite their diagnoses, I managed to keep them focused and entertained.
One challenge was respecting the time I had set for the workshop. Since some tasks like Crazy 8 took the kids too long, this was limited to only one proposal. In the future, I would consider using other methods and giving more time for the workshop, although it’s hard to keep children focused for more than two school classes. I would also include teachers more in the process since their needs were only considered in the research phase and not in the design itself, which might be important since they also need to be comfortable in the classroom space.