The primary goal was to increase the quality of special and inclusive preschool programs for children with ASD and facilitate successful transition from preschool to primary education to: 1. Develop innovative tools: Create a comprehensive, evidence-based educational kit grounded in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) principles, yet adapted for easy implementation by educators without formal ABA training. This includes: developmental assessment with school readiness checkpoints, lesson plans with supporting materials, data sheets for monitoring and evaluating progress, mobile application for digital assessment, digital library of reproducible materials. 2. Build educator capacity: Train 3 trainers per partner country through pilot-testing, who would then train a minimum of 5 teachers in their countries, creating a multiplier effect and ensuring sustainable implementation. 3. Improve teacher competencies: Address the identified gap in preschool teacher training by equipping educators with practical skills in autism intervention, assessment techniques, and evidence-based teaching strategies. 4. Promote inclusion: Foster inclusive early childhood education systems by providing teachers with accessible tools for diverse learners.
We applied for the Ready4School project to address a critical gap in early childhood education: the lack of systematic training and evidence-based tools for preschool teachers supporting children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) during the crucial transition to primary education. Key needs identified through literature reviews and research across partner countries revealed: Teacher competencies: Existing research demonstrated that kindergarten teachers possess only moderate knowledge about inclusion and low self-assessment of their competencies as active participants in inclusive education of children with ASD. A systematic lack of education and training for inclusive educational practices was identified across all partner countries. Assessment and curriculum gaps: Teachers lacked standardized assessment tools and specialized curricula for children with ASD. Without formal ABA training, educators struggled to create individualized programs, collect data effectively, and implement evidence-based strategies. School readiness challenges: Research confirmed that children with ASD are emotionally less school-ready than peers, with difficulties in communication, social interactions, and behavior management.