Programs
in
Assistive Technology Education
for End-Users in Europe
A provider of health and/or social services mainly engaged in activities of training/education, information/advice and research. Educational activities began more than 10 years ago and also embrace the importance of training for independent living and coping better with disability, while AT plays a certain role. These activities are addressed to personal assistants, persons with disabilities and rehabilitation professionals.
The educational activities carried out over the past 5 years can be classified as follows:
In all these initiatives AT plays a very important role, while the most commonly represented areas are: employment, legislation, communication, learning, reading/writing and cognition.
Two different series of seminars were described by this organisation.
These are outlined in the table below, and this is followed by
detailed description of each series.
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| I supporti tecnologici alla comunicazione alternativa simbolica
(Technical aids to support symbolic alternative communication) | n/r train. c. | rehab. prof., educ. prof., social work., pers. ass., other | ||||
| La conoscenza degli ausili
(Knowing technical aids) | mon. sem. | rehab. prof., educ. prof., social work., pers. ass., other |
Selection
This initiative was publicised through leaflets and advertisements in specialised journals, as well as via the Internet, which proved to be the most effective channel of communication. Information was sent out to the organisation's address database, to other organisations and rehabilitation centres, and handed out at congresses. Participants were selected on the basis of their professional experience and personal interest, while teachers were selected for membership of the organisation itself and level of expertise: no preference was expressed for teachers with disabilities.
Organisation
The initiative took place on the organisation's premises in a space already fitted out with the necessary facilities, and particular attention was paid to overall accessibility and accessibility of bathrooms. Welcome and farewell sessions were organised. Teacher co-ordination was ensured by preparatory meetings. Participants were charged a token fee of It. Lire 50,000.
Implementation
Contents were transmitted exclusively through lectures supported by overhead projection, slides, video and handouts; hands-on sessions comprised presentation and demonstration of products. Discussion and good presentation are the two key-words used to describe the pedagogical preferences.
Information on participants was collected through a presentation form and an introductory questionnaire, and then this information was used to update the organisationÕs statistics as well as to readjust contents and methods on the basis of the real target. A final questionnaire was also distributed to collect the participants' final opinions, information which was used to improve subsequent editions of the same initiative. No follow-up was done.
Further remarks
In the future new topical workshops will be organised, introducing different issues such as educational software.
Selection
This initiative was publicised through leaflets sent out to the organisation's address database, to other user organisations and rehabilitation centres, and handed out at congresses. Participants was selected on the basis of territorial location, while teachers were selected for membership of the organisation itself, level of expertise, and for their membership of leading businesses in the field.
Organisation
The initiative took place on the organisation's premises in a space already fitted out with the necessary facilities, and particular attention was paid to overall accessibility; welcome and farewell sessions were organised. Teacher co-ordination was ensured by preparatory meetings.
Implementation
Contents were transmitted exclusively through lectures supported by overhead projection, and accompanied by presentation and demonstration of products. Also in this case, discussion and good presentation are the two key-words used to describe the pedagogical preferences.
Information on participants was collected through a presentation form and an introductory questionnaire, and then used to update the organisationÕs statistics but also to readjust contents and methods on the basis of the real target. A final questionnaire was also distributed to collect the participants' final opinions, information which was used to improve subsequent editions of the same initiative. No follow-up was done.