Color

APPROACH test visual clutter

The use of color is very important when designing a therapeutic environment for students with learning or behavioral disabilities Especially when there are multiple types of users sharing learning spaces Not one approach tailors to all The need for a space such as, a classroom or therapy room to be flexible is overwhelmingly imperative Intrinsically, there are several key points to keep in mind when a design involves color:

• Diverse users respond differently to color spectrum. • It is important to create a low contrast environment between materials and colors to support visual learning. • An imbalance of colors can lead to overstimulation of the brain if not careful. • Student color perception changes with age. • Lighting and color play a key role in supporting low stress environments for students and staff. • Low color contrast environments support eye health and reduce the probability of headaches. • Color choices should support color perception abilities.

Age

Student color perception changes with age. In general, younger students respond to warmer colors whereas adolescent students respond better to cooler tones. (Engelbrecht, 2003). Student’s neurodiversity supersedes the typical reactions. It is important to tune the spaces to fit the needs of the students while keeping it flexible for future user groups as demands change. All users respond well to natural materials.

Lighting

Since color plays such an important role in the ability of students to visually see content, the lighting needs to coordinate with the color selections so as to provide the space proper color rendition. Cool colors paired with cool fluorescent lighting produce a cold, quiet and large appearance. Warm colors under warm incandescent lighting make a space feel small, active and louder (Gaines and Curry, 2011). Paint and Materials will have to be reviewed under the various lighting conditions prior to installation to determine the most suitable conditions.

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Scientists have discovered that people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have irregularities in their eye structure. The rod and cone cells undergo variations due to chemical disproportions and neural deficiencies (Ertem, 2017). Many people in the spectrum perceive colors more vigorously in comparison to those displaying typical neuro-development. Thus, it is best to avoid patterns and high contrast between surfaces as it can become busy and distracting for a person suffering from sensory overload. Colors with high luminance such as yellow, red and pink should be used minimally (Chon Fu, 2020).

A study on color preference in young boys with ASD found that brown, blue and green were favored while yellow was strongly avoided (Grandgeorge and Masataka, 2016 ). It is no surprise that colors which are also found in nature are those being gravitated toward. Natural scenes support relaxation and recovery, especially after experiencing stress (Tchounwou, 2015).

Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Students with ADHD have distortion along the blue-yellow spectrum. They are challenged in processing color compared to neuro-typical students. This color distortion occurs in the structure of the eyes/brain which can lead to a worsening of symptoms. Sometimes, color preferences in ADHD learners are varied – some are comfortable with bright colors while others find these colors to be over-stimulating. Overall, color stimulation, in a balanced capacity, improves attention and motor skills which are often found to assist in academic performance (Gaines and Curry, 2011).

Depression

Students with depression display a reduced visual contrast sensitivity. This means that the vibrancy of colors is altered (Bubl, Kern, Ebert, Bach and Tebartz van Elst, 2010). However, this does not mean to create dull and monotone environments as that approach could worsen depression. Cool colors can also lead to more introverted behavior which may be non-beneficial in a classroom environment. Students with depression can have increased heart rates in rooms with red colors which then can be hypothesized that it begins to hamper ability to focus (Morton, 1998).

Muscular Dystrophy or Downs Syndrome

Students with Muscular Dystrophy have been found to have red and green impairment which then causes challenges to contrast and visual learning (Costa, Oliveira, Feitosa-Santana, Zatz, 2007). Similarly, Downs Syndrome often causes contrast sensitivity as well as, acuity difficulties. Natural daylight, which is a whiter light source can help to improve contrast compared to artificial light (Cairns, 2017).