Riyad Ayyash and Hana Khalily
Doha: World Autism Awareness Day is celebrated annually on April 2 to raise awareness on people with autistic spectrum disorders (ADS) worldwide. Several faculty members from Qatar University’s (QU) Inclusion and Special Needs Support Center (ISNSC) shed light on their services in honour of this day. Haya Al-Kuwari, the Exam Coordinator in the ISNSC, said, “Qatar has paid great attention to the care of people with disabilities and has been keen to enact legislation that preserves the rights of this group. The Special Needs section was created in 2007, based on QU administration directions & vision and based on Law No. 2 of 2004 regarding People with Special Needs, drafted and proposed by Qatar to the UN General Assembly and ratified in 2008. This law emphasizes the importance of integrating the issues of people with disabilities as an integral part of sustainable development and removing obstacles preventing them from fully participating in society, equal to all others.” It is important to note that H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser first proposed celebrating World Autism Awareness Day to the UN in 2007, which was supported by all member states and adopted without a vote in the UN General Assembly. Al Kuwari emphasized that through the ISNSC, in integrating students with autism, and through academic experience, there are some recommendations and suggestions that can help students complete their education. Most importantly, providing early intervention support after the diagnosis of autism and having clear statistics and a database that assists in planning for this group, guiding the educational planning, and promoting the integration of autistic individuals in schools while supporting the individual needs of the students and their family. Also, providing social and physical education activities and involving autistic individuals to plan and make decisions for themselves. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) refers to a group of complex neurodevelopment disorders, says Hana Khalily, Senior Special Needs Specialist. Scientific studies indicate that many factors can contribute to ASD, including environmental and genetic causes. Some symptoms of autism include difficulty building social relationships, repetitive body movements, high sensitivity to noise, limited ability in activities, or full involvement in a specific, narrow activity. Khalily noted that the main challenge people with autism face is the diagnosis process due to the diversity of symptoms. The challenges that autistic people then face center around education, qualification, work, independence, marriage, and longevity care. Meanwhile, Riyad Ayyash, Senior Special Needs Specialist, maintains there is currently no cure for autism. The ISNSC does not treat autism as a disease but rather as a difference and aims to provide the appropriate support to ensure its students’ academic success. Ayyash stressed that the ISNSC provides several services to people with autism like, providing step–by–step instructions that are clearly written and explained, allow students to record lectures, be considerate of sensitivities to light and noise, extend deadlines for submission of assignments and assist in choosing the appropriate major. To help students with autism with physical and digital accessibility, Abdulla Al Hajri, Accessibility Specialist in ISNSC, said in line with Qatar National Vision 2030, Qatar University executed, through the ISNSC and partnerships with various departments in the University, a standard of policies to ensure physical and digital accessibility for its students, creating the “Accessibility Project.” This project aims to remove any obstacles in all physical facilities and digital access obstacles (websites, textbooks, and support technology). As part of this project, the center ensures that students with autism are supported according to their individual needs in adapting the educational environment to suit their situations.
