Lighting around school

Recommendation 153
Provide ample but soft lighting, avoid drop shadows

Chapter (theme)
Installations and appliances (lighting)

Because of
disturbed perception and weak Central Coherence

In order to
address, firstly, sensory sensitivities for light (and sound-) effects and, secondly, to prevent the familiar, daytime reality from turning into something strange and frightful in the evening.

Elaboration
With respect to lighting at schools operating in the evening hours or at night for those individuals with disturbed perception it is advisable to provide enhanced lighting of the whole area around the school. For example, Walter (26) was afraid to go outside in the evening because he couldn’t make sense of the shadows cast by the standard outside lighting. His perception was unable to differentiate between shadow and depth: what is this dark blob? A shadow or a hole in the ground?

The experience of constancy is part of an effectively functioning Central coherence even when it cannot be perceived. In fact, it has to be assumed. For example, as we drive at night on a poorly lit road, we assume the road is there; for many people on the spectrum, such a leap of faith is impossible.
This point also relates directly to sightlines necessary to observe and supervise vulnerable youngsters.