Social Narratives for the Museum, an Accessibility Tool for Visitors with Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities

Abstract

Resources such as Social Narratives offered to facilitate the participation of visitors with developmental disabilities in the museum experience are an example of universal design and can be used to prepare any first time visitor to come to the museum. While they follow guidelines established by Carol Gray, an educator seeking full participation of the students with Autism in her classroom, Social Narratives can vary in form and purpose to help museums enhance their engagement with their audience and becoming more welcoming to all, especially their visitors with IDD. After a review of the literature on the theme of accessibility in cultural institutions, more specifically in regards to visitors with developmental disabilities, this thesis analyzes three case studies of Social Narratives in NYC museums, and offers two Social Narratives (in English and in Spanish) for the Katonah Museum of Art.