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Abstract or Description

Sensory experiences shape how we move through the world: how we learn, focus, connect with others, and sustain energy across the day. For neurodiverse individuals in particular, sensory input is often central to how environments are experienced. Stress, fatigue, withdrawal, or overwhelm often emerge from a mismatch between a person’s sensory needs and the environments they are navigating, rather than from individual deficits or lack of effort. Lighting, noise, movement demands, unpredictability, clutter, and even well-intentioned routines can either support ease and participation or place additional strain on the nervous system. This Sensory Profile is designed to help individuals and educators notice patterns, build awareness, and make intentional design choices whether in classrooms, campuses, workplaces, or daily life by better aligning environments to human nervous systems.

Publication Date

9-2-2026

Keywords

neurodiversity, sensory system, environmental design

Disciplines

Disability and Equity in Education | Special Education and Teaching

Sensory Profile: Understanding Soothers and Stressors

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