Enhancing Student Engagement for Students With Special Educational Needs. The Use of Sensory Dogs in Classrooms: One Teacher’s Journey

Leisa Hanson

doi:10.60867/00000162

This research investigated the role of a sensory dog in enhancing emotional regulation, engagement, and participation in learning for secondary students with additional needs in a mainstream school environment. Amid rising numbers of students with complex social, emotional, and behavioural needs across Australia, the study responds to a growing imperative for schools to adopt creative, relational, and proactive approaches to inclusion. Sensory-dog programs represent an emerging practice within this landscape, yet little research has explored their impact in mainstream secondary settings. The purpose of the study was to examine how a sensory dog supported the daily learning experiences of three students with diverse disability profiles and stress responses. Guided by the research question “In what ways can a sensory dog enhance and improve the learning environment and engagement of SEN students?” the study also explored how teachers interpreted the role of the dog in their practice and considered broader implications for schools and education systems. An autoethnographic narrative methodology, incorporating three ethnographic narratives, was employed to capture the relational, emotional, and sensory dimensions of students’ experiences over time. The sensory dog was recognised as a sentient participant rather than an intervention tool, with the dog’s welfare, safety, autonomy, and capacity to withdraw from interactions prioritised throughout the study. Critical incidents, teacher insights, and student interactions with the sensory dog were documented to illuminate micro-level shifts in behaviour, communication, and engagement. This approach provided a nuanced understanding of how sensory-dog interactions supported students to regulate emotions, reconnect with learning, and participate more fully in schooling. The findings demonstrate that the sensory dog contributed to enhanced emotional regulation, reduced escalation, improved re-engagement with tasks, and strengthened communication and social connection. Students experienced increased feelings of safety and trust, which supported their capacity to participate in learning. Access to the dog enabled students to de-escalate more effectively, return to class, and sustain engagement. The dog also functioned as a social mediator, reducing barriers to interaction and supporting relationship building with peers and staff. Outcomes were strongest when interventions were individualised and responsive to each student’s specific needs, including timing, context, and relational support. Teachers reported shifts in their interpretation of behaviour, greater pedagogical flexibility, and improved confidence in managing student distress. This research contributes to an emerging body of knowledge at the intersection of inclusive education, trauma-informed practice, and human–animal interaction. It offers new insights into the role of sensory dogs as coregulators in learning environments, providing evidence to guide future practice, inform policy development, and support more relational, responsive approaches to inclusive education.

Enhancing Student Engagement for Students With Special Educational Needs. The Use of Sensory Dogs in Classrooms: One Teacher’s Journey

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