The "Grupo de Expertos" (Experts Group) activity is an exemplary collaboration between “Centro Ocupacional Padre Villoslada” and a social integration vocational programme carried out at “La Blanca Paloma” VET Centre.
Through a structured, four-phase process, social integration students develop and implement personalised support plans for individuals at the occupational centre for people with disabilities. This project demonstrates the value of inclusive learning environments and highlights effective practices for educators.
“Grupo de Expertos” Activity Phases
Presentation of the project: This is the initial phase where the project is explained at the VET Centre by professionals of the Occupational Centre. It involves introductions, outlining the project's goals, and setting expectations for the collaboration.
Students are also warned they will be “models” for the Occupational Centre users, implying that they must behave accordingly. The Occupational Centre educators prepare the Centre users for the activity.
Phase 1: Initial assessment through direct observation: In this phase, students observe the users of the occupational centre in their daily workshop activities related to the group the students are assigned to. The goal is to identify areas where the users might need additional support.
Phase 2: Planning: Based on the observations made in Phase 1, students develop personalised plans for each user, validated and improved by the Occupational Centre professionals. These plans include activities and interventions designed to help users achieve their social integration goals.
Phase 3: Implementation: The students put their plans into action, working directly with the users in various workshops and activities.
Phase 4: Evaluation: In the final phase, the students assess the progress of each user and the occupational centre professionals provide the VET trainers with valuable insight into the students’ performance during the activity. This evaluation helps determine the effectiveness of the personalised plans and allows for adjustments if needed.
Understanding Learners for Optimal Engagement:
Mutual Profiling: Both the vocational students and the occupational centre users undergo an initial profiling process to ensure the best possible match between participants and activities.
Vocational Students: Trainers assess their students' skills, knowledge, and interests through a combination of observations, performance in different subjects, and a short questionnaire. The questionnaire gauges their interest in working with users with specific categories of disabilities: Functional, Physical, Cognitive, or Soft Skills. This information helps trainers match students with workshops that align with their strengths and interests.
Occupational Centre Users: Professionals at the centre evaluate users' capacities using standardised assessment scales such as Lawton & Brody, Barthel (adapted), MOGIL, ICAP, GENCAT, and LOBO. These assessments provide detailed insights into users' functional abilities, cognitive skills, and support needs, allowing for the creation of personalised support plans and the selection of appropriate workshops.
Benefits of this Approach:
Enhanced Personalisation: By considering both the students' interests and the users' specific needs, the matching process ensures a more personalised and meaningful experience for everyone involved.
Targeted Skill Development: Students are placed in workshops where they can apply their existing skills and knowledge while also developing new competencies in areas that align with their interests.
Optimised Support: The comprehensive assessment of users' capacities enables the creation of highly tailored support plans that address their unique challenges and goals.
Inclusive Methods in Action:
Differentiated Workshops: Activities are designed with varying skill levels in mind (basic, intermediate, and advanced), ensuring accessibility and tailored challenges for everyone involved.
Learning by Doing: Students gain practical skills in inclusive support strategies through direct hands-on experience.
Building Community: The collaborative nature of the activity fosters peer support and a shared sense of community between occupational centre users and students.
Outcomes and Potential for Impact:
Empowering Centre Users: Individualised plans promote a sense of agency and support progress towards social integration goals.
Developing Future Practitioners: Students gain valuable insights into the diverse needs of learners and strengthen their own inclusive teaching practices.
Ripple Effect: This collaboration has the potential to inspire a culture of inclusion within both the occupational centre and the vocational programme.
Adapting the Model
While this example focuses on an occupational day centre, the core principles could be applied across various educational contexts.
The "Grupo de EXPERTOS" activity inherently incorporates the concept of the “Learner Personas” framework described in the Diverse Courses Toolkit, even if not explicitly labelled as such. Through the observation phase and information-sharing meetings, educators and vocational trainers gather essential data about both the occupational centre users and the vocational students. This data contributes to the creation of informal Learner Personas that highlight individual needs, strengths, and preferences. These Personas are then used to inform the development of personalised support plans and the selection of appropriate activities for each participant, ultimately fostering a more inclusive and effective learning environment for everyone involved.
Example Adaptation I: Supporting a User with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
During the observation phase, the vocational students noticed that one of the centre users, Maria, who has ASD, struggles with communication and social interaction. She often becomes overwhelmed in group settings and prefers to work independently.
Based on this observation, the students develop a personalised plan for Maria that includes:
Individualised Activities: Providing Maria with opportunities to work on tasks that align with her interests and strengths, such as organising materials or sorting items.
Visual Schedules: Creating visual schedules to help Maria understand the daily routine and transitions between activities.
Quiet Space: Designating a quiet area where Maria can retreat if she feels overwhelmed or overstimulated.
Communication Supports: Using visual cues, gestures, or written instructions to facilitate communication with Maria.
Gradual Exposure to Group Activities: Slowly introducing Maria to small group activities with clear expectations and structured interactions.
By implementing this personalised plan, the students help Maria feel more comfortable and engaged in the centre's activities. She gradually develops her communication and social skills, while also contributing her unique talents to the group.
Outcomes:
SEN Student Empowerment: Students with SEN feel valued and supported as they contribute their unique perspectives and strengths to the group.
Enhanced Understanding: All students gain a deeper understanding of the diverse needs of learners with visual impairments and develop practical skills for creating inclusive lesson plans.
Improved Self-Efficacy: Students with SEN experience success in a collaborative learning environment, boosting their confidence and self-efficacy as future educators.
This example demonstrates how the "Grupo de Expertos" model can be adapted to support SEN students in higher education settings.
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