Inclusive Museum Programs Research Organization Principles Based on Evidence-Based Approach

Abstract

Russian museums have rich practical experience in excursion and educational activities with different audiences, including visitors with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). On the part of museum staff involved in inclusive activities, there is an increasing demand for consulting and methodological assistance from specialists in the field of helping people with ASD. On the one hand, employees strive to make their programs more professional and identify clear criteria for evaluating the results of their activities, on the other hand, they need knowledge about the principles of interaction with a new audience for museums, the rules for collecting feedback to improve their own activities. The Russian Committee of the International Council of Museums (ICOM Russia), together with the Federal Resource Center for Organization of Comprehensive Support for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders of the Moscow State University of Psychology & Education, conducted a study of the process of interaction between the creators of inclusive museum programs and the target audience, representing a multigroup cross-section of program implementation indicators in various museums. For each participant of the pilot group (more than 30 museums), an individual design of interaction with the target audience was created within the framework of the existing inclusive program and relevant tools for collecting feedback were developed. The first results of the study indicate the interaction between museum staff implementing inclusive programs for visitors with autism and specialists with experience in comprehensive support for people in this category, including in the context of sociocultural integration (such as the creation of the “Let’s go to the museum!” program), efficiency.