Social interaction in multi-sensory environments

Children with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD) present a particular challenge to those who work with them. The spread of multi-sensory environment centres in the UK is seen as a potentially important development. The initial emphasis of such centres was on the provision of leisure and pleasure in a secure, socially interactive situation. This chapter focuses on the current research in a multi-sensory environment. Ware argues that within the National Curriculum new aims need to be developed, as otherwise for year after year children are simply assessed as working towards the lowest level. She believes that when teachers work with children with PMLD they should be enabling them to participate as far as possible in what happens to them. The methods developed to study young infants, who lack control over most movements and have very limited means of communication, can also be used to study children with PMLD.