University as enabler for inclusion: the ceramicist, the tutor, the student and the autistic adult

Inclusion of people with disabilities, or ‘different’ abilities, is recognised as a major societal issue, in this instance, autistic people. This pedagogic small-scale investigation rethinks the university educator to student relationship, through an experiential brief, to design a ceramics college for autism. A collaborative, human-centred, case study perspective, encompasses not only an interior architecture student, a tutor with a ceramics research interest and a tutor with a research interest in autism, but also opens up dialogue with a professional ceramic artist and a young autistic person; the latter three, living in the same community. Intrinsically, it offers a cross-disciplinary approach utilising participatory-based learning within an inspiring, fully operational, workshop setting. Opportunities to hear the autistic voice, exploring sensory and behavioural needs first-hand, avoid pre-conceived internal dialogues and artificial objectives, encouraging exploration beyond purely the aesthetic. The paper describes the process of setting up and running a live ‘sensorium’ ceramics workshop, expanding effective learning beyond the design studio, teaching a complex subject area, wherein no two people are affected by autism identically. It explores how to discern the optimum learning environment and how sensory considerations, primarily offering choice, assist. Inherently, many design strategies developed for autistic people may also be of benefit for neuro-typical people, in different educational settings. In essence, the research creates and advocates the innovative ‘ASD-Uni-Outreach’ micro-teaching model as being sustainable and viable for piloting in alternative university courses, with community subject expertise. This good practice model maximises social interaction, provides a deeper level of autism understanding for the design student, and augments skills for young autistic people. The paper champions that unconventional users require unconventional approaches to knowledge gathering. The design of autism colleges is advanced through providing budding professionals with an insight into designing responsive spatial environments.