The likelihood of teaching a student with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has steadily increased over the past two decades. However, the practical information about working with students with ASD has not increased at a similar rate. Teachers may therefore be unaware of simple modifications they can make to their classrooms to meet the needs of…

This guide outlines the levels and patterns currently recommended for classroom lighting. (Author)

Eighteen significantly different classroom lighting systems were measured and analyzed in order to determine how contrasts from different light sources affect the ability to see visual tasks in the school room. Using criteria and techniques established from previous lighting research, the lighting systems are evaluated according to their…

Details the dramatic changes in school lighting. Describes how lighting will be more closely integrated into the "smart" school building of tomorrow and how lighting systems will evolve with schools as technology changes. Claims that direct/indirect lighting systems will serve computer users as well as reduce energy and maintenance costs. (RJM)

Reviews and evaluates studies of the effects of light, color, and air quality on the learning environment. Concludes that studies suggest a role for light in establishing and maintaining physiological functions and balances and a need for improved air quality in airtight, energy efficient buildings. (JHZ)

This study collected data on the physical development, attendance, and school performance effects of four types of school lighting on elementary students over a two-year period. Results indicated that regular exposure to the lights had important nonvisual effects on students. Full-spectrum fluorescent lamps with ultraviolet supplements were found…

Discusses how modern schools require specific lighting systems to accommodate computers and other technologies. Describes special needs for direct and indirect lighting when considering visual display terminals and projectors, and the kind of lighting system best suited for distance learning. Offers ideas on classrooms' physical layout. (RJM)

Successful approaches employed by a principal of a school for blind students in supporting regular class teachers of mainstreamed visually handicapped students are reported. Four factors of importance in evaluating the environment are described: (1) appropriate work space (height of chairs); (2) color contrast problems (work surfaces of adjacent…

Research gathered by the Functional Efficiency Division of the National Building Research Institute, South Africa, is aimed at providing lighting conditions under which the school child can produce his maximum effort with the least strain and fatigue. These favorable conditions are outlined along with specific examples of their realization in…

The quality of indoor lighting can influence task performance, social interaction and communication, health and safety, visual comfort, student behavior, and aesthetic judgments. These by-products of lighting are examined in this literature review in an effort to define the conditions that are associated with good lighting quality. Lighting…

Poor lighting conditions in classrooms result not only from low intensity light but also from too high intensity light, an uneven distribution of light, and glare. Since visual tasks in a classroom constitute 62 percent of a student's time in school, suggestions are made of ways lighting conditions can be improved. The principles and…

Various factors of the classroom environment that can contribute to a more complete learning atmosphere are explored. The author presents a review of certain research findings that may serve as guidelines in the development of an environmentally coordinated classroom. The importance of providing a classroom which promotes a multisensory approach…

From a series of lectures, a selection of eight are oriented principally toward the biologically developing child, and the physiological operations in visual process. The numbered lectures are--(1) The Coordinated Classroom, its Philosophy and Principles, (2) An Outline of a Biological Point of View, (3) The Evolution of Structure--despite man's…