Abstract/Summary

The school environment plays a critical role in the early years of a child's learning journey. This is especially true for autistic children, whose ability response to school environments significantly differs from that of their non-autistic peers. Autism is a complex developmental condition characterized by social and communication differences, repetitive behaviours, sensory reactivity differences, and need for consistency and routines. The impact of indoor environmental quality (IEQ) parameters of school environment on the behaviour of autistic pupils represents a nascent area of research. The review represents a leap forward by providing comprehensive framework that explain the interaction between IEQ, autistic sensory processing and behaviours. Also, through a systematic review, this paper aims to synthesize and critically assess the existing studies on how IEQ parameters affect autistic behaviours within classroom settings. A total of Eleven relevant studies were identified, indicating a nascent correlation between IEQ parameters—primarily lighting and acoustics—and various autistic behaviours. Other parameters impact such thermal has less attention while the air quality is not studied. Furthermore, there is a significant lack in quantitative research that could support architectural design practices for classrooms catering to autistic pupils. The notable differences in educational outcomes and classroom designs for autistic pupils as compared to those in mainstream schools highlight the insistent need for further research into the impact of IEQ. Such investigations are essential not only to bridge current knowledge gaps but also to guide the development of educational spaces that meet the unique needs of autistic pupils, enhancing their learning and development.