This paper describes a modeling and simulation framework called VisualSense for wireless sensor networks that builds on and leverages Ptolemy II. This framework supports actor-oriented definition of sensor nodes, wireless communication channels, physical media such as acoustic channels, and wired subsystems. The software architecture consists of a set of base classes for defining channels and sensor nodes, a library of subclasses that provide certain specific channel models and node models, and an extensible visualization framework. Custom nodes can be defined by subclassing the base classes and defining the behavior in Java or by creating composite models using any of several Ptolemy II modeling environments. Custom channels can be defined by subclassing the WirelessChannel base class and by attaching functionality defined in Ptolemy II models.