DESIGN FOR BELONGING: AUTISM CARE

Everybody's brain works differently and therapy models in autism are often designed to try to create an appearance of neurotypicality in those with autism. In this course we are asking: How might we embrace neurodiversity and help families and clinicians support children with autism to become their fullest selves. This approach to design matters in autism care and is also fundamental for design for belonging in other contexts. Take this course if you are interested in learning how to design experiences that support belonging in general and help people create special places for families of children with autism. Students will work in collaborative teams to develop empathy for families and front-line clinicians in a new autism clinic, and then use those insights to build prototypes that create belonging for those different groups. This class is for students of all experience levels, and will focus on building skills related to learning with and from others, synthesizing information, and navigating ambiguity and complexity.