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Improving the Museum Experiences of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Their Families: An Exploratory Examination of Their Motivations and Needs and Using Web‐based Resources to Meet Them
Author(s) -
Langa Lesley A.,
Monaco Pino,
Subramaniam Mega,
Jaeger Paul T.,
Shanahan Katie,
Ziebarth Beth
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
curator: the museum journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.312
H-Index - 8
eISSN - 2151-6952
pISSN - 0011-3069
DOI - 10.1111/cura.12031
Subject(s) - feeling , autism , general partnership , psychology , exploratory research , crowds , institution , medical education , developmental psychology , social psychology , sociology , political science , medicine , computer science , social science , computer security , law
Through a partnership with a local school, the Smithsonian Institution and the Information Policy and Access Center at the University of Maryland conducted an exploratory study to examine the motivations and needs of families visiting museums with children with Autism Spectrum Disorders ( ASD s). This study represents one of the first undertakings to study visitors with ASD s, especially children, through a primarily qualitative data collection. Interest‐driven enjoyment emerged as a primary motivation, though to relax and to socialize outside of the family boundaries were not ranked as important motives for visiting museums. Children, who were directly interviewed, gave positive assessments of their museum experiences, while parents commented that challenges, both museum‐ and family‐related (crowds, loud noise, not feeling welcome, and a child's unpredictable behavior) surfaced in public settings like museums. Parents desired a “typical family outing” with their ASD s child, stating that manageable and safe environments helped families experience a museum.