Scenario 1 – Pre-intentional: Reflexive

Some practitioners believe behaviours at this level should not be regarded as communicative. In their study of pupils based in a sample of special care units, Evans and Ware (1987) found that 80% of teachers reported that the pupils had no communication skills. Other studies (Ware, 1994) have reported that interactions by adults with pupils typically last less than one minute and occur infrequently; adults tend not to notice that the pupils are responding and, probably as a result, rarely respond to pupil initiated interactions. A priority is to enhance opportunities for interaction between pupil and adult.

Interacting in a multi-sensory environment

Multi-sensory environments offer one way of improving social interaction (Hepworth, Glenn et al; Bozic). Glenn et al (1996) describe one pupil, Susie, whose mother had commented “I didn’t think she would be any good for research [into using multi-sensory environments]; I thought she was too handicapped”. Despite these misgivings, Susie demonstrated changes in behaviour, especially in social situations. For her, a dark room environment was least preferred, while bubble tubes and a vibrating mat gained her attention. Multi-sensory environments can be used to:

• increase opportunities for interaction to take place
• introduce stimuli gradually – distraction-free – the chance to go into the room and shut the door
• increase opportunities for the pupil to make a choice, even at a very basic level
• reduce the number and frequency of interruptions from ordinary classroom activities – this can be vital to both adult and pupil

Example 1a – Using the technology indirectly

If working with a pupil who shows few responses, or if the staff member is new to multi-sensory environments, aim simply to relax with the pupil in a multi-sensory environment, using the technology indirectly. The focus is on enhancing one’s relationship and interaction with the pupil. A basic set-up might consist of:

Example 1b – Focusing on touch

This activity continues with a similar set-up to that above, perhaps a few sessions later.

Example 1c – Building on relaxation

So far technology has been low-tech and used indirectly, almost incidentally, to support learning objectives of participation and social interaction based on trusting another person. A mix of relaxation and movement can be helped by slightly more sophisticated technologies.

Example 1d – Moving along

Some fibre-optic combinations change the coloured light pattern when touched or moved rather than cycling through colour sequences independently.

Set-up	As above, try with and without music. Dim lighting. Use the same diffuser oil.
Fibre optic plume	Place strands of the plume on an area of the body that seems to have shown some movement. You may wish to change position so colour changes happen across more of the visual field.
Objective	A subtle variation to help the pupil begin to control their world. Focus remains on interacting with people. Technology is a means to this end.
Note	Colour perception does not depend on being able to see colour hues alone (if it did and pupil had no colour vision, he or she would see no change).

Example 1e – Encouraging inclusion

Multi-sensory environments offer exciting opportunities for including all pupils using themes: for example a water or jungle theme. One school began a jungle theme by inviting pupils (in ones and twos) from a mainstream class based in the adjacent school.

Example 1f – Adding to the multi-sensory environment

Here we have illustrated only a few of the many activities that can be carried out using this sort of technology. Nor are multi-sensory environments to be solely used with pupils communicating at this level. The environments are flexible and offer learning opportunities for many more pupils. But before making huge investments in new technologies ask yourself what will be the purpose. Often very different pieces of equipment will be used to address very similar learning objectives. If these have been met, is it worth spending more money to address the same end?

A more complete, but still relatively basic, multi-sensory environment would include – in addition to that all-important distraction-free area – equipment to stimulate:

Such environments provide sensory stimulation, opportunities to interact socially with people and physically with objects. Suppliers of this and a whole range of other equipment include TfH and SpaceKraft.

Training courses are also available, to be run in school so that several members of staff can attend. Led by independent consultants the school is then not ‘locked in’ to a particular supplier. Finally, courses can be run either before installation, helping to identify needs, or after installation (or both, if preferred).

Example 1g – Assessment explored in a multi-sensory environment

Hepworth (1992) investigated the use of multi-sensory environments in Condover Hall – a school run by the Royal National Institute for the Blind. She stresses the need to incorporate the use of multi-sensory rooms into an existing programme of learning. In her work learning objectives included:

• enhancing relationships, communication and mobility
• a private area for staff to explore communication

Often staff will report that their view of a pupil can be changed after spending time in the environment. How the pupil responds to changes in that environment provides valuable assessment information. A pupil who appears not to respond to people, objects or other events might, if given the opportunity, respond differently to some part of the multi-sensory environment. A head turn towards (or even away from) a coloured light source on one side might be a clue to investigate further visual responses in a pupil diagnosed as cortically visually impaired.

Tip: Even if a pupil is diagnosed or registered as blind, never assume that he or she sees nothing at all.

Set-up	Very dim lighting, no music or other sounds, no diffuser.
Bubble tubes or columns	These produce visually interesting changes in colour as oil bubbles ascend and descend the column of the light tube. Unlike fibre-optic lights, they produce a stable colour change, perhaps from blue to orange to green and so on.
Objective	Observe visual preferences between dim light and bubble light on, vary position (not all in one session). Gradual change in lighting may allow pupil the necessary time to respond. Note too that the lights emit a low frequency ‘hum’ which can be heard but also produces vibration in the column of light. This can help in assessing vision, response to touch, visual field preferences to name but a few.

Key skills and equipment

The key skills for the above examples are the ability to:

• select, set up and use multi-sensory equipment – either already available in school or purchased following consultation with other staff
• use multi-sensory equipment and environment in order to encourage trust and interaction
• recognize and use equipment both indirectly and directly to support learning
• (where school setting allows) involve mainstream pupils in devising themes to reflect pupil IEPs
• undertake additional assessment using multi-sensory environment

The key equipment is:

• designated multi-sensory environment, e.g. room, area set aside, distraction-free
• controllable lighting, e.g. overhead lighting controlled by suitable dimmer switches
• soft play mat(s)
• tactile materials such as space blanket, rustly paper
• cassette recorder with relaxing music
• (optional)
• aromatherapy diffuser and / or
• fibre-optic light strands or plume
• additional equipment suggestions are given in Example 1f

Recording behaviours

Because it is often difficult to interpret observations made of a pupil whose behaviours are inconsistent, it is vital to introduce a robust recording system. For staff inexperienced in using this technology and perhaps in recording observations, it is best to begin with a simple recording system. Useful approaches include:

Below is an example of how responses that have been recorded in time sampling can be assigned to different communication categories.

Examples of responses observed and related behaviour categories:

An example of a recording sheet for sampling of observed responses. PDF file - 34 k)

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