What does it mean to be an Inclusive Zoo/Aquarium? Insights from a Study with the Autism Community.

The Modeling Zoos and Aquariums as Inclusive Communities of Science for Autistic Individuals (MoZAICS) project aims to develop an evidence-based framework of inclusive practices for zoos and aquariums to support science learning for autistic individuals across the full zoo/aquarium experience including the general visit, programs, exhibits, internships, volunteering, and employment opportunities. The autism community study is one effort as part of this grant initiative to understand how autistic individuals define inclusion and envision inclusive zoo/aquarium experiences. Specifically, the MoZAICS autism community study explored the following overarching questions: 1) How does the autism community – including autistic individuals, family members/caregivers and advocacy groups – define and think about inclusion in zoos/aquariums?; 2) What does the autism community identify as assets and potential barriers to inclusion for autistic individuals at zoos and aquariums?; and 3) What differences exist in how each of these groups defines and thinks about inclusion? Data collection included in-depth interviews with autistic individuals across the country as well as focus group discussions with parents/caregivers of autistic individuals as well as representatives from autism advocacy groups. In this poster, we share details of: 1) how we engaged the autism community in designing the study; 2) what strategies we used to recruit a diverse sample; 3) how we made study participation accessible; and 4) what we learned from the autism community about inclusive practices and experiences at zoos/aquariums.