Programs in
Assistive Technology Education
for End-Users in Europe

Name of the organisation
    OSPEDALE DI CIRCOLO
    Servizio di Recupero e Rieducazione Funzionale
Address
    Viale Borri, 57
    Varese
    ITALY
    Telephone: +39 332 278201
    Fax: +39 332 811970
Key Person of the organisation
    Romano Puricelli, head physician

A provider of health and social services whose main activities are: training/education, information/advice, rehabilitation, care and research. In addition, for over a decade the organisation has also been carrying out educational activities both for families and professionals. This work has embraced independent living and coping better with disability, as well as the role of AT.

The educational activities carried out over the past 5 years can be classified as follows:

  • non-residential training courses, addressed to rehabilitation professionals and families;
  • seminars, in the form of monographic seminars and topical workshops, (no additional information given);
  • information activities, in the form of conferences and round tables (no additional information given);
  • activities addressed to the individual, in the form of advice and information services.

The role played by AT is important, and the related areas covered are household activities, recreational activities, health maintenance, self-care, but also mobility and communication.

TRAINING COURSES AND SEMINARS
Title of the initiative
Typology
Year
Duration

(in hrs.)
Number partic.
Target
Number teachers
Insegnamento all'uso di AT

(Teaching the use of AT)

n/r train. c.
1995 1996
20
20
fam., rehab. prof., soc. work.
3


TEACHING THE USE OF ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY

Selection

Leaflets were the sole communication channel used to circulate information, but trust was also placed in the word of mouth mechanism. Participants were selected on the basis of their professional experience, while teachers were chosen according to their level of expertise; no preference was expressed for teachers with disabilities.

Organisation

The training course took place on the organisation's premises in a space set up especially for that purpose, and special attention was paid to overall accessibility and accessibility of bathrooms; coffee-breaks, welcome and farewell sessions were organised. A co-ordinator was appointed to oversee the whole initiative.

Implementation

Lessons were prevailingly in the form of lectures with group discussions; common educational aids were used such as overhead projection, slides, video and handouts. Presentation and demonstration of products formed the basis of the hands-on sessions. The main pedagogical thrust seems to be learning by doing. No information on participants was collected at the beginning, but their final impressions were collected by means of a questionnaire, and this information was useful for deciding changes in the future. No follow-up was done.

Further remarks

Over the years, experience has shown the need for a co-ordinator to oversee the initiative, and for larger rooms for the lessons. In the future families will be more closely involved and a more suitable venue found.