In order that we could better understand the vocabulary of play of children with complex special needs, we ran a series of experimental play workshops with special schools and Mencap groups in Southampton.
We brought in different types of objects and equipment, for instance, a specially constructed ramp for wheelchairs which led to an enormous amount of excitement and "adrenalin rush" and made us think about how the ground surface could be a play element in it’s own right. Simple interactive sound and light set-ups that were triggered by the movement of wheelchairs got us wondering about how we could use this technology outdoors, and we came across the wonderful interactive sound equipment developed by Soundbeam for autistic children which allows you to create music through movement.
Working with special schools really stretched our imagination and expanded our ideas of what is possible and has led to a much more innovative scheme for Southampton.
