History of the OCA
Untitled Document
History of the Centre for training on autism
(a non-profit association)
Theo Peeters founded the OCA in l981 after a one year internship at TEACCH (Treatment and Education for Autistic and related Communication Handicapped Children). individualisation
active participation
a positive pedagogical approach
adaptation of the environment in terms of clarification, of persons and space
Learn functional skills to maximise independence
a protected integration of people with autism in the society
continuity in educational adult service
Theo Peeters' background:
Licentiate in Philosophy and Literature (Univ. of Louvain),
Master of Art in Neurolinguistics (Univ. of Brussels),
Master in Science in Human Communications, Univ. of London, Psycho-educational Therapy, TEACCH, Univ. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
He has been responsible for training all professionals in the pilot classrooms of the official 'experiment in autism in special education, sponsored by the Flemish Ministry of Education.
He and his collaborators have been responsible for training courses in most of the European countries and also outside Europe. After training at the OCA, several collaborators, have gone on to create their own centres.
Theo Peeters has published several books on autism. Two of them have been translated into several languages: Autism: From theoretical understanding to educational intervention and - in collaboration with Dr. Ch. Gillberg - Autism: medical and educational aspects (Whurr Publishers, London).
Theo Peeters is also scientific advisor of the European parental society Autism Europe and member of the Editorial Board of the scientific magazine Autism: Journal of Research and Practice.
He works together with a team of collaborators, who emphasize practical experience in the field of autism. Although their basic diplomas are different (psychologists, educationalists, teachers, therapists,.....) All of them are generalists in autism.
He and his collaborators have been responsible in most of the European countries and also outside Europe