For this project my class focused on the United Nation’s Sustainable Development goal #4, “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”. With my class placed into groups of 3-4, we were tasked with creating a deliverable on a pressing issue relating to this goal.
My group and I decided to tackle the inclusion of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) within k-8 classroom environments. Interest in this topic was shared between my groupmates and I since we have experiences that have made this topic very relevant in our lives.
We were given four options for our deliverable: a brochure, Infographic, Presentation, or Recommendation Report. We jumped between a brochure and Recommendation Report for a bit before we decided to go with an infographic. We chose this deliverable type because our target audience is college students studying to become educators, specifically for the k-8 range, and we felt as though an infographic was the most effective way to send an important message as concisely as possible.
After we decided our deliverable type, target audience, and purpose, we had to research to find what inclusive practices work for individuals with ASD. From our secondary research we concluded that the use of integrated classrooms (classrooms where both Neurotypical and Neurodivergent students work together) resulted in younger students developing inclusive and supportive attitudes towards individuals with ASD.
We also conducted primary research in the form of a survey that was disseminated to UCF students, as well as an interview from a student. Our results echoed what we had concluded from our secondary research and gave us more insight into the effects of a student’s early education experiences on their perception of individuals with ASD.
Below you can find a write up that contextualizes the infographic we made, as well as the infographic itself.