Autism and Sensory Processing at school
Content analysis conducted as part of a study by Howe and Stagg (2016) revealed sensory sensitivity to affect the participant’s learning and that sensory experiences were largely negative. Results suggest that schools need to create individual sensory profiles for each autistic pupil.
Research by Butera et al (2020) concluded that sensory needs should be considered as factors influencing academic performance.
A study conducted in French schools (Rattaz et al, 2020) found a relationship between sensory processing and inclusion in mainstream classes, with an atypical sensation seeking profile found in children in the partial (77.2%) or very partial (81.3%) inclusion groups, and an atypical sensation avoiding profile found in most children who were attending schools partially (82%) or full-time (80%). There was more irritability and hyperactivity in the very partial or partial inclusion groups as compared to the full-time inclusion group.
Sound
The recurrence of noise is a significant problem for pupils with sensory sensitivities. An inability to filter out or being highly sensitive to unwanted noise is therefore a major challenge for many autistic pupils that can negatively impact their ability to engage fully in school (McAllister & Sloan, 2016).
A substantial body of research has shown auditory stimuli to have the greatest negative impact on engagement and/or educational performance for students (Fernández-Andrés et al, 2015; Kanakri et al, 2017; Kinnealey et al, 2012; Sanz-Cervera et al, 2017 – in Mallory and Keehn, 2021).
Pupils in a study on autism-friendly schools (McAllister and Sloan, 2016) suggested the bell be removed and replaced with a sound-system speaker in each classroom that could announce the end of the timetabled period at a lower volume.
An exploratory study on the impact of noise on autistic children (Kanakri et al, 2017), nearly all (95.77%) of the teachers surveyed observed children covering their ears, while most strongly agreed that noise control is an important issue for children with autism (79%).
Further empirical reports suggest that behaviours related to noise include covering ears, academic underachievement, oppositional or aggressive behaviour, self-stimulatory behaviour, head-banging, and disruptive behaviour (Kanakri et al, 2017).
A survey on the impact of sensory processing differences on learning and school life for pupils with autism spectrum disorders (Jones et al, 2020) found that auditory differences are perceived to affect learning most frequently, with 78% of teachers and 70% of parents stating differences within this domain affected learning all the time or frequently.
Sensory differences were perceived to cause distress, which was expressed through emotional and physical reactions including “lashing out,” “agitated behaviours” or responding with “meltdowns, tears, screaming, tantrum like behaviour.” Within the auditory domain, loud unpredictable noises were the most common source of distress (Jones et al, 2020).
Research into Family Experiences of Decreased Sound Tolerance in ASD (Scheerer et al, 2021) found that loud, sudden, and high-pitched sounds were most commonly cited as distressing; most often causing autistic children and young adults to cover their ears or yell, while producing stress, irritation, fear, and anxiety. Overall, findings indicate that DST leads to fewer opportunities for autistic children and young adults to participate at home, at school, and in the community.
A qualitative metasynthesis conducted by Williams et al (2019) noted how pupils described sensory issues as impeding their learning, with noise making it hard for them to concentrate and collaborate with peers.
Another survey on sensory sensitivities found that noise was a major concern for autistic pupils, who mostly reported feeling ‘anxious’ and ‘uncomfortable,’ closely followed by ‘frustrated,’ ‘annoyed’ and ‘physical discomfort,’ all of which were linked with difficulties in learning and concentration (Howe and Stagg, 2016). 88% of participants were negatively affected in the classroom by noise.
Research on Auditory Sensory Over-Responsivity (ASOR) in Autism (Carson et al, 2022) indicated that an increase was observed in both prevalence and severity of ASOR during middle childhood when compared to early childhood. In fact, greater severity of ASOR was reported at every level (mild, moderate, and severe) in middle childhood.
Touch
A study assessing the sensory profile in autistic and neurotypical children (Inmaculada Fernández-Andrés et al, 2015) found that in the classroom environment, touch and hearing were the most affected sensory areas for autistic children. In the classroom, children are often seated in groups, and they are frequently exposed to unpredictable tactile input, which may even be invasive for them (Dunn, Myles, et al., 2002; Dunn, Saiter, et al., 2002). The authors propose reducing unpredictable auditory and tactile inputs in the classroom (Inmaculada Fernández-Andrés et al, 2015)
Another study (Jones et al, 2020) found that, following auditory, tactile experiences were reported as being second in terms of sensory areas with the most impact on learning. Teachers reported that tactile differences were most prominent in situations such as assembly, group work, and transitioning through corridors. Parents and teachers noted tactile sources which could affect learning as including other children and clothing.
In a study on the sensory environment and participation of autistic pre-school children (Piller and Pfeiffer, 2016), participants identified a variety of situations where a child would avoid an activity due to the sensory components. Participants frequently referenced the tactile components of activities that students avoided. For example, a child would avoid a task, such as craft time, because of the involvement of glue in the task.
Ashburner et al (2008) found a significant negative correlation between tactile hypersensitivity and hyperactivity and inattention in a comparative study of autistic and non-autistic schoolchildren.
Visual
In a review of empirical studies about environmental factors that influence the way autistic pupils attend to and process information, Martin and Wilkins (2022) observed that autistic students are likely to have difficulty focusing on the teacher unless competing visual distractions are minimized.
Wall displays should relate to what students are learning so that if students focus on the visual displays rather than the teacher, they will still be focusing on relevant information (Martin and Wilkins, 2022). Barrett et al. (2015) indicated that bulletin boards should have neutral-coloured backgrounds with bright highlights, and Shuffrey et al. (2018) found that autistic students were more responsive to large, high contrast stimuli. Providing information through visual cues capitalizes upon students’ strongest learning modality, and Kabot and Reeve (2010) recommended using visual cues throughout the classroom to maximize the participation and independence of autistic students.
Teachers in Gaines et al’s (2014) study felt that using colours as visual cues to guide students was beneficial for all students, and the researchers recommend providing colour coding and symbols in all areas within the school to keep the physical environment organized. Although colour preference in individuals is highly variable, special education teachers in the Gaines et al. (2014) study felt that autistic students preferred blue and green.
Research by Winterbottom and Wilkins (2009) found that classrooms are frequently over-lit with both fluorescent lighting and excessive daylight (Martin and Wilkins, 2016). They recommend window shades to control light levels and glare but advised against Venetian blinds as they create a pattern glare that can provoke headaches and migraines. Due to their efficiency, fluorescent lamps tend to be the standard choice in classrooms. However, the flicker they create can cause headaches and eye strain, and it can adversely affect performance on visual search tasks (IEEE Power Electronics Society, 2015).
A recent study (Pulay & Williamson, 2019) compared student performance in LED and fluorescent light conditions and showed that all students showed more engaged behaviours with the LED lighting condition, with the most change evident for students diagnosed with a developmental delay.
An eye-tracking study (Hanley et al, 2017) found that the presence of visual displays had a significant impact on attention for all children, but to a greater extent for autistic children. Banaire et al (2020) similarly found that non-autistic children pay significantly greater attention to target stimuli than children with ASD in the classroom environment.
Special education teachers in one study reported that freestanding, dimmable lighting positively influenced the behaviour of autistic students (Gaines et al, 2014).
Research into the Effect of Classroom Modification on Attention and Engagement of Students with Autism or Dyspraxia(Kinnealey et al, 2012) found increased frequency and stability of attending and engagement and improved classroom performance, comfort, and mood amongst 4 males students aged 13-20 following the installation of sound-absorbing walls and halogen lighting.
An arts-based student voice study (Zazzi and Faragher, 2018) notes feature congestion – the crowding of decorations and features such as student work displayed in the classrooms – as a key issue for autistic students.
Smell
A study conducted in Japan (Kumazaki et al., 2018) found that autistic students had difficulty simultaneously processing visual and smell stimuli. These findings suggest teachers should limit the competing stimuli to which students are exposed while learning new information. In particular, teachers should try to only present information through one modality at a time (e.g., visually), as this will increase the likelihood autistic students being able to effectively process the information (Martin and Wilkins, 2022).
References:
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