Sensory Integration Skills

Student Needs	IPRC Exceptionalities	Diagnosed Conditions
Aggression Management Anger/Frustration Management Anxiety Management Articulation Skills Attendance Strategies Attention Skills Assistive Technology Skills Blind/Vision Impaired Bullying Management Skills Central Auditory Processing Deafness Depression/Sadness Management Disengagement/Motivation Strategies Eating Disorder Strategies Emotional Regulation English Language Skills Executive Function Fine Motor Skills Gambling Disorder Grief Management Gross Motor Skills Hearing Intellectual Ability – High Intellectual Ability – Low Listening Comprehension Skills Low Vision Memory Skills Mental Health Strategies Metacognitive Skills Mobility Skills Non-Verbal Reasoning Organizational Skills Personal Care Personal Safety Phonological Processing Processing Speed Self-Advocacy Skills Self-Esteem Self-Harm/Suicide Management Self-Regulatory Skills Sensory Integration Skills Sequencing Skills Social Skills Substance Abuse Strategies Task Initiation Time Management Skills Transition Skills Verbal Ability Visual-Motor Skills Visual-Spatial Processing	Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Behaviour Blind and Low Vision Deaf and Hard of Hearing Developmental Disability (DD) Giftedness Language Impairment Learning Disabilities (LD) Mild Intellectual Disabilities Multiple Exceptionalities Physical Disability Speech Impairment	Acquired Brain Injury Alcohol-Related Neuro-developmental Disorder (ARND) Angelman Syndrome Anxiety Disorders Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Auditory Processing Disorder (Central) Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Bipolar Disorder Blind/Vision Impaired Brain Injury Cerebral Palsy (CP) Conduct Disorder (CD) Concussions Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Deafness Depression Disorders Down Syndrome Eating Disorders Epilepsy Fetal Alcohol Syndrome/Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAS/FAE) Fragile X Syndrome Gambling Disorder Intellectual Disabilities Klinefelter's Syndrome Learning Disabilities/Specific Learning Disorders Muscular Dystrophy (MD) Neurological Disabilities Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTS) Prader-Willi Syndrome Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) Seizure Disorders Selective Mutism Spina Bifida Tourette Syndrome Turner Syndrome (TS) Usher Syndrome William's Syndrome

Key Special Education Practices
Accommodations Alternative Programming Assistive Technology Board Special Education Plans Community Resources Differentiated Instruction Create an Inclusive & Positive Class Climate Identification Placement and Review Committee (IPRC) Individual Education Plan (IEP) Ministry of Education Resources Modified Programming Non-teacher Professional Assessments Teacher Assessments Safety/Emergency/Crisis Response Plan Professional Development Reporting on IEP Progress Tracking/Documenting Transition Plans

Characteristics notebook pencil

Students with sensory integration skills needs are usually either over (hyper) or under (hypo) sensitive to input from the environment that comes visually, auditorally, kinesthetically (touch), by taste and/or smell. The student may exhibit a range of behaviours to either block out over-stimulation or to get stimulation from a sense. These behaviours could include hitting/pinching of self, plugging ears, closing eyes, screaming, repetitive behaviours, rocking, over eating, difficulty transitioning from or to activities, inability to concentrate, distractibility, headaches, task avoidance, withdrawal, etc.

Biting Tube

Biting Tube Removable Insert

Tactile Sensory Aid

Metal Sensory Aid

Tactile and Visual Sensory

Weighted Vest

Inside of Weighted Vest

What it is

An area of student need, involving difficulty with the way that the brain takes in information from the senses.

Teaching Strategies

Instructional

• Consult and implement strategies recommended by an occupational therapist, physiotherapist and/or speech-language pathologist.

• Develop alternative programming in the student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP), with attainable goals related to sensory integration.

• Track behaviours to determine sensory needs.

• Communicate regularly with parents/guardians and other staff.

• Directly teach calming strategies and appropriate sensory seeking/avoidance strategies.

More...

Environmental

• Access a sensory room, if available.

• Reduce trigger sensory input.

• Provide a calming/time-out space.

• Provide assistive devices to support sensory needs (task lighting, colored paper, items with preferred textures, roller boards, etc.).

• Provide relaxation tools (stress balls, material in different textures, etc.).

Assessment

• Minimize triggers and maximize appropriate sensory strategies as per the student’s needs.

• Accommodate the student’s sensory needs.

• Break tests/assignments into chunks.

• Allow for frequent breaks.

• Encourage the use of stress reduction strategies during testing.

Resources

• Sensory information and Devices	• Sensory Integration Articles and Resources Various strategies by topic.
• Sensory Room 101

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Sensory Integration Skills