Virtual Reality as an Accessibility Tool to Cultural Heritage Sites for People with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Cultural heritage sites hold immense significance as they have the ability to embody human development. In many ways, cultural heritage is a representation of everyone for everyone, consisting of our shared history, traditions, and cultural diversity. Due to its relevance to our society, access to cultural heritage is seen as a fundamental human right. Despite this, the perceived lack of accessibility surrounding cultural heritage sites has been widely discussed in academic literature. This accessibility is especially overlooked when it comes to people with invisible disabilities. One community in particular that is often neglected in such conversations is people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A limited amount of accessibility initiatives exists for people with autism, and those that do have sometimes received mixed reactions. Recently, the use of virtual reality (VR) technology has joined the conversation surrounding accessibility. Virtual reality has been used both for virtual tours of heritage sites and as an intervention tool for ASD, but rarely has the combination of virtual heritage for increased accessibility for individuals with autism been discussed. This thesis seeks to answer the question: How can virtual reality contribute to the accessibility of cultural heritage for people with autism spectrum disorder? In-depth qualitative research was conducted through interviews with individuals with ASD and primary caregivers of children on the autism spectrum. Participants were asked about their experiences with accessibility at cultural heritage sites, their opinions on virtual reality and possible benefits and risks of the use of virtual heritage for the accessibility for the autism community. Results show that if developed and implemented correctly, virtual reality could contribute in an exceedingly positive way to the accessibility of cultural heritage sites for people with autism spectrum disorder. Certain structural factors, such as customisation based on hyperreactivity to specific sensory inputs and the ability to use virtual heritage for preparation or repetition of a visit could be advantageous to many individuals with ASD. However, specific constraints such as the possible apprehension towards head-mounted-displays, the divide between visitors with autism and neurotypical visitors paired with a lack of ASD awareness, and the abandonment of physical accessibility initiatives could influence the perceived usefulness and ease of use of virtual heritage for people with autism. Results conclude that a widely available virtual heritage option which prioritises the accessibility needs and wants of visitors with autism could simultaneously increase autism awareness amongst neurotypical visitors whilst providing visitors with autism with the possibility to adapt a heritage site in a way that feels comfortable to them. Furthermore, there should be an emphasis on the concept of co-creation with members of the autism community which takes into account the heterogeneous accessibility needs of visitors with ASD. Hence, this research highlights the importance of ensuring accessibility to cultural heritage sites for all individuals, regardless of ability.