The students enrolled in the Intermediate Unit 1 autistic support classroom at Carmichaels Area Elementary School will now have even more of an opportunity to learn through sensory experiences provided through our area’s local chapter of the Autism Speaks Foundation. The classroom started the new year off with great news that they were awarded the $3,446 grant from the foundation, which will provide students access to new sensory equipment.
Sensory experiences are critical to the education of students with autism spectrum disorders. Based on a review of research, Baranek (2002) estimated 42%–88% of students with autism have a sensory processing disorder, which interferes with the students’ abilities to respond appropriately to light, sound, smells, and textures. Without a means to regulate the sensory information, students may experience anxiety and demonstrate self-stimulatory or self-injurious behaviors. Moreover, the sensory processing disorder and subsequent behaviors interfere with the students’ ability to attend to and participate in learning.
The IU1 autistic support classroom at Carmichaels Area Elementary currently serves six students who are diagnosed with autism, ranging in grades kindergarten through fifth grade. Through this grant, new equipment will be purchased to provide the sensory experiences needed to increase the access to learning opportunities for current and future students with autism attending this program. The new sensory items from the grant will provide sensory experiences in the areas of vision, spatial awareness, fine/gross motor, and coordination while providing a calming experience and reducing anxiety. Dr. Kristin Szewczyk, IU1 Special Education Supervisor of the classroom states, “The sensory experiences will be integrated into the current curriculum. Students will be given the opportunity to participate in sensory activities each day. I would like to thank Autism Speaks for making this possible for our students.”
The vision of this grant is to increase autism awareness within the school district, community, and in the overall IU1 region while providing our students with access to best materials and resources for their needs. IU1 welcomes parents, community representatives, and school districts to visit the program to experience the benefits that sensory equipment has on the students in the program.
Students at the Carmichaels Area Elementary School are ahead of the game and looking forward to experiencing their new sensory equipment. Through the support of foundations such as Autism Speaks, IU1 is pleased to continue to bring new and innovative programs and resources to the students within our region.