Programs in
Assistive Technology Education
for End-Users in Europe

Name of the organisation
    BIRMINGHAM INDEPENDENT LIVING CENTER
Address
    206 13th Street S.
    Birmingham, AL 35233
    USA
    Telephone: +205 2512223
    Fax: +205 2510605
Key Person of the organisation
    Judy R. Roy, lead transitional specialist

This organisation is mainly composed of persons with disabilities and their families, and is largely involved in training and educating end-users. Begun 5-10 years ago, these activities are addressed to all possible users (persons with disabilities, families, the elderly, personal assistants) but also to professionals. They also encompass the importance of training for independent living or 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 a target of persons with disabilities, families, educational professionals and personal assistants;
  • seminars, in the form of topical workshops and series of seminars, addressed exclusively to a target of persons with disabilities;
  • information activities, represented by conferences, round tables and exhibitions, addressed to a wider target of persons with disabilities, families, educational professionals and personal assistants;
  • activities addressed to the individual, represented by peer counselling, information services, advocacy and self-help, addressed exclusively to a target of persons with disabilities of all ages.

The compiler has stressed the fact that AT plays a certain role in activities addressed to the individual, where all the considered areas are covered.

TRAINING COURSES AND SEMINARS

Educational activities carried out over the past five years have been listed, and a general description of these is given below.
Title of the initiative
Typology
Year
Duration

(in hrs.)
Number partic.
Target
Number teachers
Single switch access non-res. train. c. families
Funding sources for Technology non-res. train. c. pers. with disab., elderly
Cognitive Retrieving and Computer Technology non-res. train. c. pers. with disab., elderly
Computers & AC non-res. train. c. pers. with disab.

Selection

The courses were publicised through leaflets (sent to user organisations, family associations and other organisations in the field) and advertisements in category journals, but the most effective channel for spreading information was the social service agency referral. The sole criterion adopted for selecting participants was territoriality, while teachers and tutors (selected with a preference for persons with disabilities) were chosen for the level of their expertise.

Organisation

Activities took place both on the organisation's premises and in different places, found as need arose; the latter venues were chosen for their overall accessibility. Course organisation included personal assistance when needed, and assistance with travel reservation and accommodation of participants. During the organisation phase, preparatory meetings were held for the teachers to co-ordinate their activity.

Implementation

Lectures supported by all the possible educational aids (overhead projection, slides, video, software for content presentation, handouts for the participants) and accompanied by group discussion and brainstorming were the preferred methods for content delivery. Hands-on sessions were also organised, in which products were presented or demonstrated but also experimented with by the participants. The strong accent on participation is borne out by the choice of preferred pedagogical key-words, interactivity and simulation, which perhaps are also linked to the hands-on sessions. Information on participants was collected through the presentation form, and is used to redefine the objectives of the particular educational activity carried out. In addition, progress meetings for the teachers were held. A final questionnaire is the medium for collecting participant feedback, and this is used to readjust contents and methods of the next edition of the same course.

Further remarks

Over the years the focus of the courses has shifted to better serve individuals and groups that were previously under-served.