«Academy of Autisms»: Development and inclusion in the beauty of nature
Fabiana Sonnino, Maria Grazia Totino, Silvia Nazzicone, Consuelo Granatelli, Fulvia Ferrante, Maria Rita Capellupo
Studies on interventions for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder reveal the importance of an integrated approach, which encourages growth in all developmental areas, making peer interaction easier. The «Academy of Autisms» project, promoted by the Cooperative «Tutti giù per terra» («Everyone down on the ground»), comes out of this awareness and aims to build an inclusive space, surrounded by nature and rich in multisensory stimuli, as well as opportunities for structured learning and inclusive play. The supervision by those promoting the best intervention practices internationally lends a solid base to the programming of activities. Last but not least, the fact that there are a lot of animals in the centre provides further stimuli for sensorial integration and emotional awareness. Each activity programme is always structured according to the Community Network Approach, an integrated approach which works by starting from the individual needs of users, within a cognitive behavioural framework, just as is set out in the guidelines for autism.
Keywords
Inclusion, nature, experimental labs, autonomy, structured learning.
