Ms
MARIA ALEJANDRA
GARCIA ALONSO NAVARRETE
Country of residence
Mexico
Age
60
Job category
Public Servant
Sector of Activity
Research/University
Type of Impairment
Other
My top 3 facilitators
Education
In order to work towards a social and educational inclusion of persons with autism spectrum disorders, education is what need to be covered. Educational programs that include the training of families and educators need to be approached. There are few educational assistants and teachers that have a little knowledge on ASD and educative intervention strategies. CONACYT supported with the publication of educative material that is friendly and understandable to both, parents and teachers. This material creates practical and easy to follow suggestions and solutions in Spanish and it has been delivered both physically and digitally through Publicaciones UAEM. I think this kind of material should be published to cover most rural communities as well as urban all across Mexico and maybe beyond. It is very helpful to count on material easy to follow. The way to reach rural communities and far away urban communities is trhough online workshops based on ICT so training on ICT may be needed.
Assistive devices and personal assistance
I believe that assistive devices have helped a lot to children across the spectrum. Tablets and smart phones are very effective to enable communication and self regulation through the use of applications such as tap to talk and pomodoro just to mention some. I participated in the creation of TEAgenda, a digital agenda that is used by teachers, therapists, parents, caretakers and person with ASD. They all can set the schedules and activities that will be carried during the day, and all of them can check TEAgenda in their smart phones, tablets or PCs. Some of the students on the spectrum that I work with, use their smart phones to communicate via messenger or whatsapp. Others use the PCs to write essays or assignments for school. People on the spectrum can be very sensitive to the use of pens or pencils. A PC makes the difference because helps with the writing. Other benefit of assistive devices is that they can be used as reminders and calculators when shopping needs to be done.
Health care and rehabilitative services
I insist on the training of therapists and personnel of health care and rehabilitative services. Unfortunaltelly ASD is a theme a little new, at least in Mexico, and health care profesionals not always know how to treat a person with ASD. There are also few centers that provide attention ti people with autism or ASD. Once they get the diagnose, it is difficult to get the therapy that is needed. For example, sensory integration therapy. There are centers that can provide this kind of therapy because they have the accomodations but the personnel are not qualified. Health care centers that provide rehabilitative services are needed but with the personnel qualified.
My Journey
Educational Interventionist on ASDs
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