Adapted Museum Lessons for Primary School Children with ASD: The Program “My Native Land”

Context and relevance. Modern museums increasingly engage in the educational support of children with various developmental disorders; however, systematic collaboration between museums and schools is still at an early stage. In the Rostov Region, there is a noticeable lack of practices aimed at the socio-cultural rehabilitation of children through museum activities. Objective To test and implement a supplementary education program designed to promote the socialization and creative habilitation of primary school children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and intellectual disabilities through the methods of museum pedagogy. Hypothesis. The inclusive educational program “My Native Land” fosters the development and socialization of children with ASD and contributes to improving inclusive educational practices within museum settings. Methods and materials The effectiveness of the museum lessons under the “My Native Land” program was assessed through observation of the activities of children with ASD, qualitative analysis and synthesis of the obtained data, questionnaires completed by teachers and parents, and analysis of checklists. An important principle of cooperation between museum and school educators was the principle of integration in pedagogy. Results. The program is implemented in a resource classroom for students with ASD at Secondary School No. 1 in Belaya Kalitva and in the Belaya Kalitva Museum of History and Local Lore as part of a regional project on inclusive museum programs for children with ASD in the Rostov Region. The study showed that the children adapted quickly to the museum environment, developed independence and communication skills, learned social norms and rules, and transferred new skills and impressions to the school environment and their artistic activities. Conclusion. The “My Native Land” program is an effective tool for the comprehensive development of children with special needs. Disseminating this experience among specialists from different institutions can expand their professional toolkit and create new opportunities for socialization through the enhancement of the cultural and developmental environment.