Psychology of disabilities and integration - PSICOLOGIA DELLA DISABILITA' (2017/2018)

Learning outcomes

Prerequisites
To have access to the course, the students have to possess theoretical knowledge on basic developmental processes from early childhood to school age.

Knowledge and abilities to be acquired
The course is aimed to provide students with conceptual and methodological tools for understanding the learning processes in children with disabilities or developmental disorders. An inclusive approach is considered which focuses on the effect of the interaction between biological and environmental factors on the learning processes.
Specifically, the expected learning outcomes are the followings:
1. Knowledge of the characteristics of disabilities and developmental disorders from early childhood to school age, with attention to definition issues, individual differences, risk indicators of difficulties or delays in the learning processes.
2. Knowledge and understanding of the complex interactions between the individual and the contextual factors that influence the development and learning of children with disabilities and developmental disorders.
3. Ability to apply the knowledge to plan intervention programs that promote inclusive learning processes in preschool and primary school.

Syllabus
Main contents:
- Definition of disability and developmental disorder, with reference to the ICF approach;
- Language impairments in preschool children;
- Learning impairments (e.g., dyslexia, dysorthography, dyscalculia) and learning difficulties at school age;
- Autism;
- Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD);
- Intellectual disabilities;
- Sensory (hearing and visual) and motor disabilities (cerebral palsy);
For each developmental disorder, definitional issues, developmental and learning processes and risks indicators will be described.
- The role of contextual factors in developmental and learning processes of children with developmental disorders, with specific reference to adult-child relations and peer-peer relations in preschool and primary school.

Learning activities and teaching methodologies
The teaching sessions will be in the form of lectures with the use of video and the analysis of psychological research papers. Students will be actively involved in discussions and individual or small-group project work in order to promote their critical reflections and the application of theoretical knowledge. Attendance at the teaching sessions is recommended. 

Indications on learning materials
The programme is the same both for students who attend the lessons and for students who do not attend them. Lesson materials and the list of the optional texts will be available on the e-Learning platform.

Exams
The exam of the whole Psychology of disabilities and integration course will be in written form, including six open questions: three relating to Psychology of disabilities and three relating to Psychology of integration (total time: two hours).

Evaluation criteria
The evaluation of the exam will be in thirties and it will take into account different levels of performance:
Articulation, precision and meaning of the acquired theoretical contents;
Capacity to refer adequately to the methodological instruments;
Capacity to discuss critically the contents at the applied level.

STUDENT MODULE EVALUATION - 2017/2018