Innovative Academic Course on Integrative Interventions for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders Erasmus Project

Project Title

Innovative Academic Course on Integrative Interventions for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for higher education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2017

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Disabilities – special needs; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; ICT – new technologies – digital competences

Project Summary

The aim of our project was to respond to a clearly identified need, the lack of courses on ASD in some countries of the EU, including project partner countries.
We started with three objectives:
• To develop an innovative academic course on ASD, based on the integrative view of case management;
• To create a European Virtual University Clinic for ASD (EVUCASD) which will host the Open Educational Resources developed in the project;
• To share the curriculum model, tools, and materials with other universities, stakeholders, practitioners to improve the curricular offer at national and European levels.
We reached all objectives above through different actions:
1. We developed an innovative approach of ASD intervention, based on five dimensions approach, in an ecological paradigm. Our particular approach combines the traditional therapeutic approach with education, family counseling and advocacy, and social action. All of our intellectual outputs reflect this particular approach.
2. We also wanted to create a social virtual space for learning, sharing experience, and networking. We developed a Virtual Platform that has the necessary function for the assumed objective. The platform hosts both our online course, a forum, and resources in four languages.
3. We performed dissemination activities in the form of multiplier events and networking, in sending intellectual outputs to schools, NGOs, libraries, and universities. We reached a European dimension by making available all the intellectual output online, with open access, by sending some of the materials in different universities and libraries across Europe.
We also had four learning activities with 160 students as beneficiaries. The total number of students and professionals involved in the project’s activity is around 1000.
Our methodology was open coordination. We consulted beneficiaries, students, and teachers, in order to adapt our materials to their needs. Also, we favored a blended learning approach, with the MOOC as an online tool for learning.
We estimate positive and long-lasting effects on:
1.Higher education programs in the field of ASD in the partner’s countries. We managed to embed our course in the curricula in three universities, at the undergraduate level (Zagreb University), Master level (ULBS Sibiu and WUT) and Postgraduate level (West University of Timisoara). In the last case, the new PG program is accredited by the National Qualification Agency and by The Behavior Analyst Certification Board, Inc.® (BACB®) from the USA
2. A European virtual network of specialists in ASD (psychologists, psycho-pedagogues, teachers, including parents who will become specialists in educating their child) who can interact and learn from and with each other in the EVUCASD.
3. Improved awareness in the field of ASD. The increased awareness about autism could be seen in all three partner countries. In Italy, the course was part of teacher training for the last two years. This year it also started to be included in the curricula of the University of Ferrara. In Croatia, the University of Zagreb is the main trainer in the field of autism. Their expertise extends also in Bosnia, where our course is used in teacher training in the field of ASD. In Romania, especially the special schools have now the first manual for ASD.
Overall, we consider that our project succeeded in meeting the proposed objectives and results.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 180008,08 Eur

Project Coordinator

UNIVERSITATEA DE VEST DIN TIMISOARA & Country: RO

Project Partners

• UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI FIRENZE
• SVEUCILISTE U ZAGREBU EDUKACIJSKO-REHABILITACIJSKI FAKULTET
• UNIVERSITATEA LUCIAN BLAGA DIN SIBIU