Implementing Neuroscience Principles to Support Habilitation and ...

TABLE 8-2 (CONTINLIED)
Reasons for Incorporating Various Sensory Qualities into Integrated Intervention Programs
Sensory System ArousallAlerting Descriptors DiscriminationIMapping Descriptors
Visual
Auditory
Olfactory1
gustatory
High intensity: To increase opportunity to
notice object; to generate arousal for task (e.g.,
cover blocks with foil for manipulation task).
High contrast: To enhance possibility of
locating the object and maintaining attention to
it (e.g., place raisins on a piece of typing paper
for prehension activity).
Variable: To maintain attention to or interest in
the task (e.g., play rolling catch with a clear
ball that has moveable pieces inside).
Variable: To maintain attention to or intere\t in
the task (e.g., play radio station after act~vating a
switch).
High intensity: To stimulate noticing the person
or object; to create proper alerting for task
performance (e.g., ring a bell to encourage the
child to locate the stimulu\).
Strong intensity: To stimulate arousal for task
(e.g., child smells spaghetti sauce at lunch).
Low intensity: To :~llow the visual stimulus to
blend with other salient features; to generate
searching behaviors. since characteristics are
less obvious (e.g., kind own cubby hole in back
of the room).
High similarity: To establish more discerning
abilities; to develop skills for naturally occurring
tasks (e.g., scoop apple sauce from beige plate).
Competitive: To facilitate searching; to increase
tolerance for natural life circumstances (e.g.,
obtain correct tools from equipment bin).
Rhythmic: To provide predictable and organizing
information for environmental orientation
(e.g., sing a nursery rhyme while physically
guiding motions).
Constant: To provide a foundational sti~nulus
for environmental orientation; especially important
when other sensory systems (e.g., vision,
vestibular) do not provide orientation (e.g.. child
recognizes own classroom by fan noise and
calms down).
Competitive: To facilitate differentiation of
salient stimuli; to increase tolerance for natural
life circumstances (e.g., after child learns to look
when his or her name is called. conduct activity
within busy classroom).
Noncompetitive: To facilitate focused attention
for acquiring a new and difficult skill; to calm u
child who has been overstimulated (e.g., move
child to quiet room to establish vocalizations).
Low intensity: To allow the auditory stimulus to
blend with other salient features; to generate
searching behaviors since stimulus is less
obvious (e.g., give child a direction in a
normal volume).
Mild intensity: To facilitate exploratory behaviors;
to stimulate naturally occurring activities
(e.g., smell of lunch food is less distinct, so
child is encouraged to notice texture, color).
From Dunn, W. (1991). The sensorimotor systems A framework lor assessment and intervention. In F. P. Orelove & D. Sobsey (Eds.), Educnting chi/-
dwrr ~'it/i I~IIIII~~IL' di.sd~ilitie~: A trut~.sdi.~(~i/~li~~~~r~
(11)l>ro(r(.h(2nd ed.). Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes. Reprinted with permission.