Sensory integration and sensory-adapted environments: The inclusion of children with autism spectrum disorders in early years education

The study aimed to compare sensory integration therapy and sensory-adapted modification of the educational environment as approaches to enhancing the participation of children with autism spectrum disorders in pre-school education. The study was conducted as a theoretical and analytical review of scientific, professional, international and regulatory-educational sources, followed by a comparison of the two approaches in terms of their impact on the child’s functional participation, adaptive behaviour and educational engagement. The study established that the participation of a child with autism spectrum disorders in pre-school education cannot be equated with mere physical presence in the group, as it entails genuine inclusion in educational, play, communicative and everyday activities. The study determined that sensory difficulties acquire pedagogical significance when they affect self-regulation, behavioural stability, contact with the teacher and peers, the ability to respond to instructions, and the ability to maintain participation in group situations. The study demonstrated that sensory integration therapy acts primarily at the individual level, creating the conditions for sensory regulation, adaptive response, praxis and the organisation of behaviour. Sensory-adapted modification of the educational environment operates at the level of the educational situation: it reduces sensory barriers, increases the predictability of routines, the structure of the space, the accessibility of instructions and the flexibility of participation methods. The study established that these approaches are not interchangeable: the first creates the internal conditions for participation, whilst the second ensures the accessibility of the pre-school activity. A model of a sensory-adapted pre-school environment has been developed, covering the identification of the child’s sensory needs, analysis of the physical and organisational environment, selection of pedagogical and environmental adaptations, and assessment of the child’s participation in daily activities. The practical significance of the results is determined by the possibility of using the proposed model to organise an inclusive pre-school environment in which support for children with autism spectrum disorders is directed towards expanding functional participation, adaptive behaviour and educational engagement, rather than merely reducing individual behavioural difficulties.