This year, Eudunda Area School has unveiled a new space dedicated to helping students with autism and other special needs to have the best experience they can at school.
Speaking with EAS' Autism Inclusion Teacher, Vanessa O'Brien, she shared that a lot of research and planning went into the space, which has been dubbed the "Engine Room."
"Over the last two years, we have worked really hard at understanding what autism is and how we can best support the kids that are at our school, so we've done a lot of different things leading up to this," Vanessa said.
One of the first things Vanessa and the team implemented was an ID card system, which helped them focus on the students' strengths and what individual support they could be offered.
The system eventually drew the team's attention to how many students have autism and sensory processing issues.
"We looked at when their behaviours changed in the class and what was a missing factor, and we didn't really have like a breakout room or a safe space where they could go to…regulate their behaviour to re-enter back into a classroom," Vanessa said.
Vanessa said she was given a budget and got to work converting what was once a storage room at the school, into the space which the students needed, with the help of Aspiring Futures in Adelaide.
A plan was soon formulated, and Vanessa said the Aspiring Futures team even donated a personalised sensory board to help EAS get started.
Despite what could be considered a small space, Vanessa and the team have certainly got the Engine Room well-equipped, with a variety of fun and colourful sensory-regulating apparatus.
This includes gross motor active equipment, a crash mat, sling, mellow mat with sensory mat, a squeeze chair, a projector and calming music just to name a few.
Even the walkway to the area is designed specifically to help the students decompress as they enter the space.
Vanessa said that she and the team has noticed a real change since the room was established for the students.
