Programs
in
Assistive Technology Education
for End-Users in Europe
This is an umbrella organisation made up of associations in the field of disability; its main activities are information/advice, public awareness raising and study/evaluation of products. Educational activities began 5-10 years ago and although they are destined exclusively for professionals, embrace the themes of independent living and AT.
The educational activities carried out over the past 5 years can be classified as follows:
The role played by AT is very important in the training courses and seminars, and varies in the other educational activities. The areas considered range from household activities, self-care and health maintenance to mobility, communication, hearing, vision, reading/writing, etc.
This organisation has included description of five different seminars
or courses.
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| Accéder à l'ordinateur
(Approaching computers) | mon. sem. | rehab. prof., fam. | ||||
| Aménagement du logement
(Home arrangement) | mon. sem. | rehab. prof. | ||||
| Aides à l'autonomie et maintien à domicile
(Aids to autonomy and home care) | mon. sem. | fam., soc. work., pers. ass., other | ||||
| Albatros - accueil des personnes handicapées
(Albatross - hospitality for persons with disabilities) | mon. sem. | other | ||||
| Albatross - accueil des personnes handicapées
(Albatross - hospitality for persons with disabilities) | mon. sem. | other | ||||
| Déplacement et manutention des personnes à mobilité réduite
(Movement and care of persons with mobility impairment) | mon. sem. | rehab. prof., pers. ass., other |
Selection
The initiative was publicised by means of leaflets sent out to the organisation's address database, but also handed out at congresses and exhibitions; word of mouth was also considered a effective for spreading information, but the most successful means was advertisements in specialised periodicals. Participants were selected exclusively on the basis of their personal interest, and teachers (no preference for those with disabilities) were chosen on the basis of their level of expertise.
Organisation
The seminar was carried out off the organisation's premises and the choice of venue involved considering overall accessibility and the accessibility of bathrooms. A near complete range of organisational services were offered: assistance with travel reservation and accommodation, coffee and lunch breaks, recreational activities and farewell sessions; a co-ordinator was appointed for the whole initiative. An enrolment fee of FF 4,700 was charged.
Implementation
The seminar was based on lectures, group discussion, group work and simulation, with the support of overhead projection, video and handouts. The hands-on sessions involved presentation and demonstration of products, but also experimentation under the supervision of a tutor. The two key-words chosen to describe the preferred learning styles (good presentation and learning by doing) probably reflect the dual nature of the seminar, which was both theoretical and practical.
Participants presented themselves on the opening day, and this information was important for readjusting contents and methods on the basis of the real target, but also for redefining the general objectives of the whole seminar. Personal impressions and a final questionnaire were the tools for collecting feedback, which, once again, was used as an instrument for further reflection about the educational activity. A special form of follow-up was carried out, whereby extra time was allotted for responding to any further requests made by the participants.
Further remarks
Other kinds of seminars on this topic are foreseen for the future, with changes to be made in duration and presentation modality.
Selection
The initiative was publicised by means of leaflets sent out to the organisation's address database, as well as user organisations and, rehabilitation centres, but also handed out at congresses and exhibitions. Participants, who were all adults, were selected on the basis of their professional experience; teachers belonged to the organisation itself, and were chosen not only on the basis of their level of expertise, but also for specialisation and out of habit - no preference was expressed for persons with disabilities.
Organisation
The seminar was carried out in a variety of places both on and off the organisation's premises, but the choice of venue always took into account overall accessibility, the accessibility of bathrooms and the possibility for accommodation. A near complete range of organisational services were offered: assistance with travel reservation and accommodation, coffee and lunch breaks, recreational activities, and welcome and farewell sessions. A co-ordinator was appointed for the whole initiative. Participants were charged an enrolment fee of FF 500.
Implementation
The seminar was not based on a precise pedagogical methodology, since it involved lectures, as well as group discussion, group work, simulation, and brainstorming; these activities were supported by overhead projection, video, handouts, and specific software. The hands-on sessions were mainly based on presentation and demonstration of products, but also experimentation under the supervision of a tutor. The two key-words chosen to describe the preferred learning styles are interactivity and discussion, giving the impression of dynamic lessons where interaction is considered crucial.
Participants presented themselves on the opening day, and this information was important for readjusting contents and methods on the basis of the real target, but also for redefining the general objectives of the whole seminar. A final group discussion and a final questionnaire were the tools used for collecting feedback, which, once again, was used as an instrument for further reflection on subsequent editions of the same course. No follow-up was carried out.
Further remarks
Other kinds of seminars on this topic are foreseen for the future, with changes to be made in duration and presentation modality.
Selection
The initiative was publicised by means of leaflets sent out to the organisation's address database, user organisations, rehabilitation centres and voluntary services, but also handed out at congresses and exhibitions and spread by word of mouth. Participants, all adults, were selected on the basis of their professional experience; the sole teacher belongs to the organisation itself.
Organisation
The seminar was carried out on the organisation's premises in a space set up especially for that purpose, and special attention was paid to overall accessibility; coffee-breaks were offered.
Implementation
The seminar was largely based on lectures but with the addition of group discussions and brainstorming, supported by overhead projection, video and handouts. The hands-on sessions were mainly based on presentation and demonstration of products, but also comprised experimentation under the supervision of a tutor. The two key-words chosen to describe the preferred learning styles are interactivity and discussion, giving the impression of dynamic lessons where interaction is considered crucial; simulation is also cited.
Participants presented themselves on the opening day, and this information was important for readjusting contents and methods on the basis of the real target. A final group discussion and a final questionnaire were the tools for collecting feedback, which, once again, was used as an instrument for further reflection on subsequent editions of the same course. No follow-up was carried out.
Further remarks
Other kinds of seminars on this topic are foreseen for the future, with changes to be made in duration and presentation modality.
Selection
The two editions of this seminar were publicised in the field through personal contact, and participants, who were all adults, were not selected in any way. Teachers belonged to the organisation itself but were also selected on the basis of their expertise. A preference was expressed for teachers and tutors with disabilities, and these were chosen on the basis of membership of the organisation itself and their level of expertise.
Organisation
The seminars were carried out in different places chosen for their accessibility; teachers were invited to organise preparatory meetings. A fee of FF 500 per hour was charged.
Implementation
The seminar was based on lectures with the addition of group discussions and simulation, supported by overhead projection, video and handouts. Although no hands-on session was organised, the two key-words chosen to describe the preferred learning styles are interactivity and learning by doing.
Participants presented themselves on the opening day, and this information was important for readjusting contents and methods on the basis of the real target. A final questionnaire was distributed to collect feedback, which, once again, was used as an instrument for further reflection on subsequent editions of the same course. No follow-up was carried out.
Further remarks
In the future, deeper study on group dynamics will be needed, as well as improvement in the pedagogical tools.
Selection
Advertisements were placed in specialised journals and leaflets were sent out to the organisation's address database, but also to user organisations and voluntary services, as well as being handed out at congresses and exhibitions; the event was also publicised by word of mouth. Participants were selected according to age (adults and the elderly), professional experience, and physical capacity to engage in practice activity. The teacher belongs to the organisation itself.
Organisation
The seminars were carried out in different places, as well as on the organisation's premises, and overall accessibility was taken into account; coffee-breaks were offered.
Implementation
The seminar was based on a variety of pedagogical methods that includes almost all of the options listed, and supported by overhead projection, video and handouts. Hands-on sessions largely consisted of presentation and demonstration of products, together with use and experimentation of products. The general thrust was towards strong participant involvement, since learning by doing and simulation were chosen as the preferred learning styles.
Participants presented themselves on the opening day, and this information was important for readjusting contents and methods on the basis of the real target. A final discussion and personal impressions were used to collect feedback, and the information received was used as an instrument for further reflection on subsequent editions of the same course. Follow-up in the form of further in-depth study of the contents was organised.
Further remarks
In the future, deeper study on group dynamics will be needed, as well as improvement in the pedagogical tools.