KrainaOza.org and KrainaOza.pl internet platforms as a for m of support in meeting the educational and professional training needs in highly functional autistic persons

Bibliogr. s. 149-150

The article sets out to describe the results of the author’s own study based on the cognitive autism theory and carried out to prepare the following Internet platforms: KrainaOza.org and KrainaOza.pl. As it attempts to shed light on the educational and professional training needs in autistic persons, the study presented in the article takes account of the fact that autism, on the one hand, is an important part of an autistic person’s identity, and on the other, a concealed form of his or her disability. The study presented in the article used qualitative study methods and was carried out on a group of 20 autistic adults with either a moderate or a high recognised level of disability. It utilised both one-to-one and panel interviews, which overall amounted to around 40 hours of interviews and were carried out with the participants in the Project PI-PWP Edu – Autyzm nr WND-POKL.07.02.02-12-022/11 following the recruitment process conducted by the Wspólnota Nadziei Foundation. The conclusions from the study were used as a basis for an Internet platform which is presented in detail in the latter part of the article. The platform is intended to provide educational support to highly functional autistic persons, employers, teachers (academic teachers included) and students. It is also designed to provide easy access to a wide range of information on autism and to serve as a database with employment opportunities for autistic persons. It also presents more detail about their work and their functioning as well as advice on how to communicate with autistic persons. The content presented by the platform is designed for autistic persons and has been translated into pictograms Sclera, which guarantees optimum communication with autistic persons.