With support from Viva, a sensory integration room built to international standards has been launched at the Step Forward Center. The project was designed and equipped after detailed research, combining global best practice with solutions adapted to the local context.
An area that had long been used for storage has been converted into a space aimed at supporting children with special educational needs. The room includes specialized equipment and technology intended for both therapeutic and educational use.
A central feature is the Tobii eye-gaze system, which helps specialists carry out observation and assessment while also serving as a communication tool for children with autism. The system can measure a child’s visual communication, attention level and response to external stimuli, and it is also used to control interactive elements in the room, including the rain effect, the colored water tube and the interactive sky.
“What I saw inside leads me to conclude that our collaboration has been a success. A functional system has been created that integrates therapy, learning, and sensory regulation,” said Viva General Director Armen Avetisian. He added that the project is expected to deliver long-term benefits for children, specialists and parents.
Camille Matta, founder and CEO of “Consort World” and an assistive technology expert, said the room allows specialists to work with recorded data rather than assumptions alone. According to him, that can speed up the development of individualized intervention plans, reduce stress for children and make therapy sessions more effective.
