Programs
in
Assistive Technology Education
for End-Users in Europe
This is a service organisation dedicated to user-centred research, training and evaluation to match people with the most appropriate technology for their use. Consequently it is heavily involved in numerous activities such as training/education for end-users, rehabilitation, research, providing services and public awareness raising.
The organisation is involved in educational activities aimed at very different targets, both of professionals and of end-users; these activities also embrace AT as a means for autonomy and for coping better with disability.
The institute was founded only in 1997, and from its inception has been dedicated to the field of education. The director, Dr. Marcia Scherer, has gained extensive experience over a period of more than ten years and the questionnaire was filled in with reference to this very experience.
The educational activities carried out over the past five years can be described as follows:
In all these activities AT plays a very important role, and all possible areas are considered and covered.
The titles of some educational initiatives has been included in
the following table, and a general and comprehensive description
has been then offered.
| ||||||
| Independent Living | top. work. | pers. with disab., rehab. profess. | ||||
| How to Be a Peer Mentor | series of seminars | pers. with disab. | ||||
| Rehabilitation Engineering | rehab. profess. | |||||
| Matching Persons and Technology | top. work. | pers. with disab., elderly, rehab. prof. |
Selection
The initiatives were publicised through leaflets distributed at universities, conferences, etc., but also via the Internet; both methods proved their effectiveness. Information was sent to a selected database, to user organisations, family associations, other organisations in the field and handed out at congresses, exhibitions, etc. No special criteria were adopted to select participants for the initiatives, while a preference for tutors with disabilities was expressed; these were selected on the basis of their expertise, ability to communicate ideas effectively regardless of the means used, and capacity to focus on the real needs of the audience.
Organisation
The educational activities took place in a setting dedicated to this activity. This venue was chosen for the range of characteristics it offered, namely comfort, aesthetics, seating arrangements for the participants, overall accessibility, accessibility of bathroom and availability of equipment. A number of services were made available during the course, including personal assistance when needed, assistance with travel reservation and accommodation for participants, coffee-break and lunch break on site. Those who enrolled as part of their college studies were charged a registration fee of $750 per credit hour.
Implementation
The methods used to deliver contents were traditional lectures and group discussions, together with brainstorming sessions and role-play. Group practice was also organised to assess the matching of persons and technology, using Dr. Scherer's MPT Model. Lessons were supported by overhead projection, slides, video, handouts and books for participants. Hands-on sessions were also held in the form of presentation/demonstration and individual use of products, as well as experimentation with products on the basis of objectives set by the tutors. Interactivity and learning by doing are the two key-words which best describe the pedagogical approach of the initiatives.
Participants presented themselves both through an introductory questionnaire and a self-introduction on the opening day; this information was then used to readjust contents on the basis of the real target, and to redefine the objectives of the particular educational activity carried out.
Finally, feedback was collected through a questionnaire and an open group discussion, and the information gathered was used to readjust the contents and methods of the next edition of the same course, as well as to reassess the organisation's entire educational activity.
Finally…
Some educational material concerning the workshop "How to Be a Peer Mentor" was annexed to the documentation. This is a publication entitled "Tools of the TRAID", where TRAID stands for a project called Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities which was designed for persons with disabilities who want to become "peer mentors" in the field of advocacy of AT for other persons with disabilities.
The mission of TRAID mentors is to help their peers realise their maximum potential, which can be done through support, knowledge, experience, and finding the right assistive technology. The whole process is called self-advocacy, which, according to the publication means "doing for yourself by gathering information to make decisions and choices of your own - not ones that other people make for you. We believe the task is yours to further your ability by: a) learning self-assessment; b) practising self-determination and self-advocacy; c) finding the right assistive technology."
TRAID mentors are persons with disabilities who are assertive and have the ability to consider, obtain and use AT. They practise self-advocacy and self-determination, and are familiar with technology and delivery systems. They have skills and capabilities which, coupled with training and ongoing support, enable them to assist the consumer to interact effectively with both AT and technology resources.
The book is divided into three parts and has the objective of helping the consumer to deal with the world of AT and manage the task of choosing and obtaining the right AT for him/herself. It is intended for individual use and contains numerous tools (question lists, diagrams, worksheets, charts) to help users answer important questions about who they are, what they need, and why they need it. Finding this out will make them become experts: "A better sense of self allows you to look outward with confidence to find choices. Choice is power. (…) Purposely setting goals keeps you moving forward rather than focusing on weaknesses and fears. This will occur when you practise self-determination and self-advocacy". The publication comes complete with a list of resources for finding information about Assistive Technology (catalogues, providers, associations, etc.).
The three chapters are organised as follows:
GETTING TO KNOW YOURSELF BETTER
Examples of Behaviours
Assertive Rights and Responsibilities
Support Listings
Support Illustration Diagrams
Worksheet for Matching Persons with Technology
Chart for Short-Term Goals
Chart for Long-Term Goals
Chart for Tracking Explorations
THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS
Selecting Assistive Technology Devices
Obtaining Assistive Technology From Suppliers and Service Providers
RESOURCES
Finding and Funding Assistive Technologies
Catalogues of Assistive Technology
Phone Listing of Resource Assistance