GestureTek's Multisensory Therapy Systems Help Students at Seneca School
Seneca School is a highly regarded specialized school that caters to students from 4 to 13 years of age who have been diagnosed as Developmentally Handicapped based on their physical, intellectual, behavioural and medical needs. Flaghouse, GestureTek's reseller in the healthcare market, introduced the school to the many opportunities for multi-sensory learning that the GroundFX interactive floor system presents. The technology is now installed in the school's playroom as part of the students' day-to-day curriculum. It's used as a virtual learning environment tool to help meet the broad spectrum of learning needs found in the whole of the student population. So strong is media interest in the Seneca School that both Global TV and the Toronto Guardian newspaper have run segments showcasing how the Seneca School's students benefit from these multi-sensory systems.
"The technology is limited only by your imagination," said music teacher Jean Miso, who writes songs and scripts on a certain theme, timed and synced to match GroundFX images for Seneca's monthly spirit assemblies. "As a teacher, it's awesome to find a technology where both autistic and medically fragile students can use it and get a lot out of it."
Seneca School has used GestureTek's GroundFX interactive floor display system in a variety of innovative ways. For example, in a school-wide performance of the popular children's book "Where the Wild Things Are", the technology's interactive imagery enhanced the show. In another example, one of the school's monthly concerts was coordinated so that students could control the images on the floor to match up with the script, actions and songs learned for the assembly.
Seneca School's principal, Stuart Garner, acknowledged the support of Ronald MacDonald House Charities in making the purchase of GroundFX a reality.
"This interactive multi-sensory system is a definite equalizer, helping our students achieve their full learning potential. Students become empowered by engaging in ‘cause and effect’ activity. Even those with limited mobility are delighted when they learn that they can control their environment with even the simplest of gestures," Garner added.
"The technology is so sensitive it responds to an eye blink from a child who can't conventionally engage with the world about them."
Stuart Garner
Seneca School Principal