TEACHERS’ PERSPICACITY ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SNOEZELEN ROOM FOR EMOTIONAL THERAPY OF AUTISTIC CHILDREN 

Fadzidah Abdullah¹*, Mohd Hisyamuddin Kassim²,
Arita Hanim Awang³, Mohd Hizam Hussain⁴, Mohd Raziff Abd. Razak⁵

¹Assoc. Prof. Dr., International Islamic University Malaysia, MALAYSIA, fadzidah@iium.edu.my
²Mr, Multimedia University Malaysia, MALAYSIA, mhisyamk@gmail.com
³Asst.Prof. Dr., International Islamic University Malaysia, MALAYSIA, aritahanim@iium.edu.my
⁴Mr, Hashim Awang Primary School, MALAYSIA.
⁵Mr, University Kuala Lumpur British Malaysian Institute, MALAYSIA, mraziff@unikl.edu.my
*Corresponding Author

Abstract

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (2016-2030) has the initiative to transform the education system through out the globe, to develop holistic individuals. For autistic children, holistic development should address the autistic children's needs of emotional therapy as well. This research has the objective to examine teachers’ perspicacity on the implementation of Snoezelen Room for the emotional therapy of children with autism. In Malaysia, a Snoezelen Room was built at Hashim Awang Primary School to provide not only an interactive learning facility, but also to support the emotional therapy of autistic children.  The research uses both the qualitative and quantitative approaches. The secondary data is collected via table research, to review the circumstantial situation surrounding the development of Snoezelen room. Meanwhile, for the primary data collection, a survey questionnaire is distributed to teachers who involved directly with the teachers’ training program and implementation of the Snoezelen Room at the school. Those teachers have had special training to handle and teach children with autism. The collected survey data is then studied empirically by using statistical analysis approach, to generate intrinsic findings and conclusion. The quantitative analysis is divided into three parts which are demography of the respondents, Snoezelen Room preparation and Snoezelen Room implementation. All participated teachers gave positive feedback towards the implementation. They agreed that having a snoezelen room in the proximity of inclusive schools in Malaysia is deemed necessary to support the Malaysian national agenda of holistic educational approach. Hence, it is hoped that the Malaysian Education Ministry will establish more inclusive schools with the provision of Snoezelen rooms for holistic development of children with autism.

Keywords: Emotional Therapy, Autistic Children, Interactive Learning, Sensory Environment, Holistic Development, Inclusive Design, Inclusive School.