Scarborough Village school celebrates multi-sensory room

Scarborough’s first multi-sensory learning environment is to be unveiled this Saturday, Sept. 25, bringing new learning opportunities to the physically and developmentally disabled students at Scarborough Village Alternative Public School.

Coinciding with the school’s annual fun fair, the official launch of the new learning environment will demonstrate state of the art sensory equipment designed to stimulate students at the school with sensory difficulties.

Principal Maria Lo Bianco tried to explain the new room, but said is was, “something you really need to experience to get a better understanding of.”

The room, one of only three in Toronto schools, houses equipment to stimulate senses that particular students have trouble with.

For example, a student with hearing problems can listen to music through a machine that translates the beat into a vibrating platform. Other students with low vision can work on a station that coordinates tactile stimulation with changing coloured lights or work with an infinity light, which Lo Bianco said “looks like it goes on for ever and ever and they can manipulate it. It’s good for stimulating vision.”

The hope is that by stimulating senses that are underdeveloped, students will be able to improve in those areas.

There is therapeutic value, but it also provides a confidence boost for students that rely heavily on others in many situations.

“They really can’t control their environment. We take it for granted, where they cannot. This gives them that opportunity, which they find really rewarding,” said Lo Bianco.

The room was technically completed last spring, so the official opening of the space is intended to showcase its use and thank those who helped pay the $20,000 construction price tag.

With only about 200 students, Scarborough Village wouldn’t have such a progressive opportunity without external financial support.

The Toronto District School Board did contribute, but proceeds from last year’s fun fair as well as generous donations from Schaefer Family of Toronto and the Christopher Douglas Hidden Angel Foundation helped with funding.

The entire community is invited to the school, at 15 Luella St., to take a look at the new room at 10:30 a.m., before the fun fair begins, running from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The fair will include lots of games, activities, silent auctions, raffles, food and a steel pan band from a neighbouring church. Proceeds will be going toward upgrading technological equipment in the school.

Source: http://www.insidetoronto.com