The design and use of multisensory environments (MSEs) possess great application potential for variety of purposes that effects on learning and behavior. Multi-Sensory Environment (MSE) can briefly be defined as designated and controlled space designed to alert or calm the person’s senses in order to enhance several purposes like playing, learning, health promotion, rehabilitation and over all increasing quality of life, feeling better and happier. The Nordic-Baltic project SPEDUCULT (hamk.fi/speducult), coordinated by HAMK Smart Research Unit, was taken place between five countries and nine partner institutions, within an activity framework of five seminars, workshops and survey between 2017-19. The project’s main purpose was to carry out survey to find out current understanding and cultural landscape of MSE in Nordic and Baltic countries. The survey was carried out between 2018-2019. Main areas of interests were in how widely the MSE approach was taught and practiced at national and at Nordic-Baltic level, how was it used, what kind of technology and practical equipment were in use, how they were designed and finally, what kind of networking there was to be found. The survey was done together with partners 1) Denmark: Via University College & ISNA-mse International snoezelen association-multi sensory environment (DK-ISNA-mse), 2) Estonia: Käo Basic School, 3) Finland: Häme University of Applied Sciences & City of Helsinki, Department of Social and Health Care, Services for the Disabled, 4) Norway: NTNU- Norwegian University of Science and Technology & The Oslo School of Architecture and Design (AHO) and 5) Sweden: Lund University, Certec & City of Gothenburg, Eldorado. The survey’s main focuses areas were defined as 1) MSE Therapy, Learning & Recreational settings, 2) MSE education of therapists, teachers, designers & other practitioners, 3) Design of MSE services, and 4) MSE collaboration & Network. In collecting the MSEs data, collaboration was done with the national multisensory societies and networks (Norske Sanserom, Svenska snoezelen nätverket, Snoezelnätverket Södra sverge, Snoezelnet.dk and Suomen multisenso/Papunet). The survey questionnaire was originally done in English and then translated to Danish, to Estonian, to Finnish, to Norwegian and to Swedish. It was implemented by using the Webropol online survey and analysis tool. The survey was introduced as a voluntary action to members of the networks and to key persons of these societies and networks. 122 organisations were reached. Results showed the formal education of the MSEs staff was pedagogics (63%) or occupational therapists (50%). Staff was trained by other practioners (63%) or self-taught by courses (51%). 46% had official MSE education. In all countries MSEs were used for recreational & resting purposes (97%), to develop interaction and communication (92%) and used for Therapy, Learning & Recreational settings (83%). MSEs were rarely designed by professional designers (15%). Only one third (31,52%) of respondents had membership of national MSE society or a network.

2022