F&N Sensory Integration Room in SK TTDI 2

Saturday May 28, 2011

Special kids get some help

FOR THE 68 special needs students at Sekolah Kebangsaan Taman Tun Dr Ismail (SK TTDI) 2, the future seems brighter thanks to the brand new F&N Sensory Integration Room.

The room, which cost RM100,000, was donated by F&N Beverages Marketing Sdn Bhd and has already begun to bear fruit.

“We have made three groups of people happy with this gesture.

“While the Sensory Integration Room was supposed to help the special needs children, it is also helping the facilitators and the parents,” F&N Beverages national corporate affairs manager Datuk Kamal Harun said.

He added that most children with special needs are diagnosed late and, as such, had to endure harsh labels such as “slow” and “trouble-maker” because of their disruptive behaviour and lack of concentration in class.

Reaching out: Tengku Syed Badarudin (second from right) and F&N Beverages Marketing Sdn Bhd human capital and corporate affairs general manager Simon Sim (right) having a chat with one of the special needs pupils.

“Every child deserves a proper education regardless of whether they have been diagnosed with autism, ADHD or other learning disabilities.

“We hope that by expanding the F&N Sensory Integration Room effort, this issue will get sufficient attention and increase the awareness of Malaysians on children with special needs,” Kamal added.

This is the second F&N Sensory Integration Room to be opened in as many years. The centre will provide the special needs students with the latest apparatus and tools needed for sensory integration therapy.

The room comes equipped with a platform swing, a flexidisc, protective mats, a target panel, a resistance tunnel, a trampoline, a rope wall ladder and several other interesting equipment.

Though it may look like a playground, each tool has a distinctive purpose in fostering sensory integration.

These equipment have been shown to increase spatial awareness, concentration, relaxation and alertness while stimulating sensorial experiences which help the brain organise and interpret information.

SK TTDI 2 headmistress Maznon Mohd Sidin said classroom teaching alone was inadequate for these children as they needed extra guidance to cope with their lessons and boost their concentration.

“The Sensory Integration Room gives our teachers and facilitators the tools to do so and, more importantly, we can now cater to the needs of these students without having to leave the school grounds,” she said.

Last year, F&N Beverages invested more than RM80,000 to set up the first F&N Sensory Integration Room at Sekolah Kebangsaan SS 19, Subang Jaya which has proven beneficial in improving the social, community, motor and academic skills of the 30 special needs children at the school.

The success at SK SS19 Subang Jaya has spurred the beverage company on to this second venture.

F&N Beverages will conduct periodical check-ups every six months over the next two years to monitor and ascertain the progress of the students based on their individual requirements and achievements.

“We are extremely happy that F&N Beverages selected our school. I only hope they will continue their good works so that more schools and special needs children in Malaysia can benefit,” Maznon said.

The second F&N Sensory Integration Room was officially opened by Fraser & Neave Holdings Bhd chairman Tengku Syed Badarudin Jamalullail.