The A.T that we created..A Sensory Board

For our AT invention we created a sensory board. Our sensory board was made from various materials we found at the dollar store. A sensory board should provide students with a variety of tactile sensations (i.e. soft, hard, rough, smooth etc.). Our sensory board was designed for students that may be tactile defensive or tactile seeking. A student with tactile defensiveness over-responds to tactile sensations because their brains do not accurately perceive touch sensations. As a result they may be sent into fight or flight over small, everyday touch sensations. A tactile seeker enjoys and needs tactile sensations. They are the students that can be seen running their hands or fingers across walls, railings, or other objects in their environment. It is also common for them to constantly touch other people. Tactile seekers have a hard time refraining from grabbing and handling everything.


The tactile defensive student would benefit from using the sensory board because it helps them become desensitized to the sensations that are causing them to go into fight or flight. It can sometimes be a long and difficult process but I have seen it work over time. For the tactile seeker, the sensory board provides them with an appropriate means of getting their tactile needs met and therefore can serve to help them remain calm. In both cases, the sensory board could be used in any environment. One of the benefits of creating your own sensory board is that it can be made small enough to carry anywhere. It can also be tailored to meet the tactile needs of the individual student. For this reason, I think it is better to make your own sensory board than to buy a commercially developed one. You will also save a lot of money by making your own.