Autism Magazine: inclusive identity in graphic design

Abstract

This article presents a qualitative content analysis research of the 27 editions of the quarterly journal Autismo (Autism), the first in Latin America to address the theme. For this study, excerpts were selected, processed, analyzed, and interpreted that demonstrate the advancements in terms of editorial graphic design, social inclusion, and social innovation present in the magazine. The graphic analysis was based on the principles of graphic design (layout, grid, hierarchy, typography, and colors) and compares changes that occurred, from the perspective of these principles, in the publications’ structure over the years. Observations about inclusive design were made considering the dynamics of Autism, which incorporated autistic people into its creative process. Regarding the concept of social innovation (which proposes to create new ideas and social collaborations in the field of design), from 2010 until the 27th edition, the magazine brought together people (parents of autistic individuals, autistic individuals, professionals, researchers) and produced unprecedented content in Brazil about autism, forming a community of collaborators that expanded the visibility of neurodivergence nationwide.