Moving towards independent life: Educational approaches in young people with intellectual disability

Abstract

The advance of young people with intellectual disability towards greater development of their personal autonomy requires new educational approaches, based on the self-determination, social inclusion and independent life. Down España, in collaboration with Down Huesca and Down Lleida, has developed a project based on this premise. The formative project has been contextualized within the changes that occur in the conception of disability. Self-determination, quality of life, support models, social model, universal accessibility, etc., are some of the concepts that guide our project and require new organizational approaches and new professional and parental practices. The modules and workshops have the independent life projects as referent. The teaching methodology developed in the implementation of the programs is based on the mediation teaching model, as well as on the cooperative learning, the globalized approach and on the generalization of the learning.