Programs in
Assistive Technology Education
for End-Users in Europe

Name of the organisation
    UNIVERSITA' DI PADOVA
    Commissione Disabilità e Handicap
Address
    Riviera Tito Livio, 6
    Palazzo Storione, Aula A
    Padova
    ITALY
    Telephone: +39 49 8273043
Key Person of the organisation
    Roberto Mancin, head of computer services

This special students' rights office of the University of Padua is engaged in information/advice activities, but also in care, research, pressure group activities and public awareness raising. Educational activities also embrace independent living and coping better with disability, as well as the role of AT, and are mainly addressed to persons with disabilities.

Educational activities began less than 5 years ago and those carried out so far can be classified as follows:

  • information activities, in all the considered forms except for periodicals, addressed to persons with disabilities, professionals, and University teachers;
  • activities addressed to the individual, in the form of advice, information services, advocacy, addressed exclusively to persons with disabilities.

The role played by AT in these initiatives is important and many areas are considered, including general accessibility issues, mobility, communication, vision, hearing, reading/writing, cognition, learning, employment, etc.

TRAINING COURSES AND SEMINARS
Title of the initiative
Typology
Year
Duration

(in hrs.)
Number partic.
Target
Number teachers
Corso universitario

(University course)

1996 1997
75
30-300
 pers. with disab.
1

Selection

The initiative was publicised through leaflets, posters, and via the Internet, addressing organisations in the field and students; information was also spread by word of mouth. Participants were selected on the basis of their school diploma, while the teacher was chosen on the basis of expertise.

Organisation

The initiative took place on the organisation's premises, considering the environmental aspects of comfort, overall accessibility and accessibility of bathrooms. Personal assistance was offered when needed, and lunch breaks organised. Only one teacher was involved.

Implementation

Lectures with the aid of overhead projection and handouts formed the basis of the educational activity, while the hands-on sessions involved personal use of products. Information on participants was collected through a presentation form and used to readjust the contents and methods of the activity. Feedback came from the collection of personal impressions, and used to update the organisation's statistics. Follow-up was carried out by direct contact.

Further remarks

Over the years the course organisation has been upgraded, with the provision of personal assistants for participants; while contents are now taking on a more interdisciplinary nature. This service was once provided on a voluntary basis, but is now guaranteed by an institution. In the future increased use of technical aids is foreseen.