Purpose

The EASI provides a valid and reliable set of tests for assessing the key sensory integration functions that underpin learning, behaviour, and participation. It measures sensory perception, postural, ocular, and bilateral motor integration, praxis, and sensory reactivity. Test design minimises the influence of culture, language comprehension, and prior experience so that scores reflect sensory integration rather than exposure or vocabulary.

Who it is for

The EASI is designed for children aged 3 to 12 years and will be available to appropriately trained professionals in a low cost and accessible format.

Development priorities

• Comprehensiveness: Inclusion of the core functions required to assess sensory integration and to identify patterns of difficulty, so that participation challenges can be understood and addressed in context.
• Time: Total administration time of about 60 to 90 minutes. Future versions will use predictive technology to guide basal and ceiling points and ensure the most critical items are administered for a child’s age and level of functioning.
• Scoring: Simple and straightforward methods that support accurate interpretation and communication with families and teams.
• Materials: Forms and record sheets optimised for home printing, with measurements adapted for common paper sizes used internationally. Non-paper items are readily sourced or 3D printed at low cost. The kit is intentionally minimal, simple, and light to support equitable access and easy replacement.

Constructs assessed

The EASI is grounded in the constructs of Ayres Sensory Integration, refined through decades of research. Tests sample the following areas.

• Sensory perception
  • Tactile discrimination
  • Proprioceptive and vestibular perception
  • Visual and auditory perceptual functions as they relate to praxis and participation
• Postural, ocular, and bilateral motor integration
  • Postural control and equilibrium reactions
  • Ocular motor control, including tracking and saccades in functional contexts
  • Bilateral integration and sequencing for coordinated two-sided movements
• Praxis
  • Ideation, generation of novel actions, and use of affordances
  • Planning, sequencing, and organisation of action
  • Motor execution and adaptability in goal-directed activity
• Sensory reactivity
  • Patterns of over-responsivity, under-responsivity, and sensory seeking
  • Functional impact on regulation, attention, and engagement in routines
  • Safety and confidence in movement, including gravitational insecurity

Access, equity, and co-production

The EASI’s format, timing, and materials are designed to support equitable access across settings. Use is guided by professionals who work in co-production with children, families, and education and health teams. Results inform person-centred planning that aligns supports with the child’s everyday occupations.

Taken from EASI Manual 15 August 2018

About the UK and Ireland’s Normative Data Collection Project (INDC)

(INDC UK and Ireland 2018 – 2020)

The EASI data collection across the UK and Ireland was carried out by a dedicated network of therapists who gave their time and expertise. The timeline overlapped with the COVID-19 pandemic, which delayed recruitment and scheduling. Through sustained effort and real tenacity, teams resumed activity when services reopened and completed the data collection. Standardised protocols were followed, consent was obtained, records were anonymised, and fidelity and cross-scoring checks were used to maintain quality.

This completed work produced UK and Ireland normative data and contributed directly to the international EASI dataset. As a result, the EASI is now in use with normative data available to support assessment and additional clinical reasoning with children, young people, and adults across the lifespan.