Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Parkholme School, of Peel District School Board, has a goal to “provide an individualized
program that assists all of [their] students to develop communication skills, life skills, and functional
academics along with opportunities for integration into the community (Peel District School Board,
n.d.). A significant element of the Parkholme curriculum is to provide “programs offering a strong
sensory component” (PDSB, n.d.) for students who require intensive sensory support. This is
partially done through regular visits to Parkholme’s Snoezelen Room. In addition to describing the
elements of the room, we must understand how the Snoezelen Room accommodates the sensory
needs of students with ASD. We form the basis of this understanding by acknowledging how
sensory information is typically processed and how that process compares to the sensory experiences
of individuals with Autism. Furthermore, an analysis of the room’s features, as they relate to meeting
the needs of hyposensitive and hypersensitive individuals, will assist us as educators to develop
future considerations when supporting students with ASD who have sensory processing difficulties.
The Snoezelen multi-sensory environment (MSE) at Parkholme has been equipped with
sensory features that fit the needs of students with sensory challenges. The room contains several
soft and spongy surfaces, such as white bean bags and a floor covered with blue gym mats. There is
a white hammock-like swing that students can sit in to experience side-to-side or front-to-back
movement. The walls are white in colour with portions of them coated in mirrors. There are several
light and sound features, as well. A digital projector reveals colourful or calming scenes which can
be customized to suit the preferences of the students using the space. Music can be added for
students who enjoy auditory-based sensory experiences. The overhead lights can be turned off while
ambient light, created by fibre optic thread and lit bubble tubes, create enough illumination for the
features of the space to be navigated. Students can bring a transitional sensory toy with them into the
room, if needed, but generally the room is used as it has been set up (Fitzpatrick, personal
communication, February 22, 2018). The features of the Snoezelen Room at Parkholme are typical
Teachmag’s online article, Snoezelen: A Special Environment for Sensory Challenges. See Appendix
Sensory Integration occurs when the brain works to effectively organize the sensations
experienced by both the body and the environment, making it possible to use the body effectively
within our surroundings (Tate, 2018). Integrating, or combining, all the information we get from our
senses occurs successfully when we are able to quickly take in sensory information, organize it in a
way the makes sense, and use it to function effectively in everyday activities (Pathways, 2016).
Sensory integration relies on five components that, when combined, work to create a cohesive
sensory experience (Tate, 2018). This occurs when the mind and body are aligned in a way that
allows the brain to perceive sensory input, orient the input in a way that allows us to decide what
needs our attention and what we can discard, interpret the sensory information using generalized
past experience, choose an effective response once the sensory input has been interpreted, and
execute an appropriate reaction based on the previous four components (Tate, 2018).
Sensory Processing Disorder, common in students with ASD, is observed when the
communication pathways from the brain to the body are disrupted in a way that limits the detection,
regulation, and interpretation of sensory information from the environment or the body (Tate, 2018).
When this occurs, an individual displays atypical behaviours and ineffective use of the surrounding
environment (Pathways, 2016). For students with Autism, this atypical behaviour results from either
a hypersensitivity or hyposensitivity to sensory information (Tate, 2018). According to the Ministry
of Education document, Effective Educational Practices for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder,
“some students are very (“hyper-”) sensitive in one or more sensory areas and may be more
comfortable in environments with reduced levels of sensory stimulation. Other individuals are under
(“hypo-”) sensitive and seek enhanced sensory experience” (2007, p. 49). According to Lisa Tran, an
ASD occupational therapist, a Snoezelen MSE “has the extraordinary power to soothe the overly
excited or stimulate the typically unengaged” (2009, para. 2). Tran further explains, “participants
select and receive sensory input (tactile, visual, and auditory) through the different objects in the
room, allowing them to claim their independence and experience the immediate consequences of
vestibular and proprioceptive sensory experiences in one. Students use their proprioceptive senses to
navigate body position, balance and motor skills (Tate, 2018) while getting in and out of the swing,
and use their vestibular senses to feel the direction, speed and movement of their bodies in space
(Tate, 2018). Navigating the bean bags and floor mats also creates opportunities for students to use
their vestibular and proprioceptive senses. The low-light environment allows students who are
hypersensitive to light to enjoy a less intense visual sensation, while those experiencing
hyposensitivity can direct their visual attention toward the pinwheel-motion lights, fibre-optic light
threads, or the tubular bubble lights. For tactile sensory input, hypersensitive students can lay in the
weightless hammock-swing, or rest on soft bean bags; while those seeking increased tactile input can
explore the room through touch, grasp the dangling light threads, or push buttons to change light
sequences and colours. Music can be used to enhance the environment for those seeking intensified
auditory sensations. In some cases, with students who are extremely hypersensitive to noise, sound-
cancelling headphones may be used in the sensory environment (Fitzpatrick, personal
The Snoezelen Room is used to alleviate issues created when students have difficulty with
sensory integration and processing (Tran, 2009). The therapies that occur in these MSE’s are
intended to mediate behavioural issues that stem from sensory disorders (Pathways, 2013a).
According to Dr. Claire Giuffrida, an expert in occupational therapy, “the research does indicate that
providing these additional sensory experiences are related to [positive] changes in behaviour and
motor skill, and social development, and emotional development” (Pathways, 2013b).
Analysis:
Although the Snoezelen Room at Parkholme is bigger than the sensory rooms I had
previously seen on placement, it is similar in its set-up and features. This had me wondering what
the difference is between a sensory room and a Snoezelen Room. According to Globe Star, experts
in the concept of Gentle Teaching for individuals with ASD, “it is common for the term ‘Snoezelen
Room’ to be used interchangeably with other names, especially ‘Multi-Sensory Room’… But
fundamentally, they all refer to the same thing” (Globe Star, 2018). At first, the elements included in
the room appeared obvious and expected: White walls make the projection of digital scenery most
practical, the light features are uniquely eccentric, and bean bag chairs are a trendy addition. But,
after asking questions of the staff, diving into our course content more fully, and engaging in online
research, I began to appreciate that the room’s groovy vibe was not the main point of its existence.
By analyzing the features of the room, looking in-depth at the potential function for individuals with
special sensory needs, I discovered that each of the elements has specific sensory-supportive
characteristics that suit both the sensory-seeker and the sensory-averse. For example, a bean bag
chair can be used by the hypersensitive to relieve the weight of her body as she lies motionless in its
comfort, while the hyposensitive individual may push all his weight into the bean bag, rolling back
and forth in order to feel every bump and seam. Each element in the room has a purpose, meeting the
sensory needs of individuals anywhere on the sensory-processing continuum. The most valuable
aspect of my visit to the Snoezelen Room at Parkholme was the opportunity to see the features first-
hand and ask relevant questions of Parkholme’s staff. This first-hand experience triggered my
curiosity and provoked further research, resulting in a more complete understanding of the issues
related to sensory processing and the use of MSE’s to support these needs.
Future Considerations:
Through this examination of the Snoezelen Room at Parkholme I have become much better
prepared to support students with ASD who experience sensory processing difficulties.
Understanding the tendency to hyposensitivity and hypersensitivity will help me to recognize the
types of sensory issues a student may be experiencing and will assist me in understanding how to
intelligently advocate to meet their needs. I now understand how the elements of an MSE can be
customized to meet the sensory preferences of a student with ASD, delivering a soothing effect on
students who regularly experience feelings of sensory deprivation or sensory overload (Parkholme
When supporting students with sensory needs, I can look to the MOE’s documents, policies
and procedures. Effective Educational Practices for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder
reminds us that “it is important to be aware of the sensory preferences or sensitivities of a student and
to determine possible elements in the environment that might have an impact on a student’s learning”
(MOE, 2007, p. 49). This practice signifies the importance of “providing a variety of sensory
materials and/or equipment that will mitigate a student’s particular sensory needs” (MOE, 2007, p.
50). One valuable way to in which this can be done is by advocating for the use of MSE’s whenever
Conclusion:
Through visiting Parkholme’s Snoezelen Room and by engaging fully in our course content, I
have come to understand that individuals with ASD may have special sensory needs and that those
needs can be met by using a Multi-Sensory Environment. Although the Snoezelen Room is often
used as a relaxation chamber (Fitzpatrick, personal communication, February 22, 2018), I have come
to see how the environment is also a valuable learning space used to “improve the student’s
functional performance [and] enhance the student’s ability to interact with his or her physical and
social environments” (Tate, 2018). Multi-sensory Environments create opportunities for students
with special sensory needs to explore and learn in an independent fashion, but also gives students
who do not participate in traditional extracurricular activities an opportunity to interact with peers in
an appropriately physical way (personal communication, February 22, 2018). I have discovered that
the benefits of the Snoezelen Room are tremendous, and I have confidence that this experience will
http://globe-star.org/services/more-options-and-programs/snoezelen-multi-sensory-room/
Ministry of Education (2007). Effective educational practices for students with autism spectrum
Pathways. (2013a). Importance of sensory integration [YouTube video file]. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=295&v=1_Iuj8dr9oY
Pathways. (2013b). How occupational therapy helps with sensory integration issues [YouTube
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https://pathways.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Sensory-Integration-Brochure-English
20161.pdf
Tate, J. (2018). Autism spectrum disorders (asd) educ 16859; week 4 [PowerPoint presentation].
Tran, L. (2009). Snoezelen: a special environment for sensory challenges. Retrieved from
http://www.teachmag.com/archives/1016
Appendix: Pictures taken at Parkholme Snoezelen Room