Conference Program

The aim of this contribution is to establish the parameters for the systemic regeneration of the educational institution, with the objective of collaboratively creating neuro-affirmative educational and formative ecosystems. The aim is to move away from inflexible performance-based standards and towards an educational approach that acknowledges the diversity of neurocognitive abilities as an essential component of learning. Adopting an inclusive approach, educational and didactic practice avoids oversimplification, instead embracing profound complexity — one capable of harmonising the empirical evidence of inclusive habilitative strategies with an ethic of radical hospitality. Overcoming the limitations of a purely custodial or welfare-based model, this research elevates the habilitative dimension to the fulcrum of educational practice. Here, habilitation is not construed as mere functional correction, but as the proactive empowerment of autonomy and cognitive architecture through the regeneration of learning environments. The architecture of this systemic innovation is substantiated by the integration of proven-effective iconic-symbolic mediators. Firstly, Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) is examined within the framework proposed by David Beukelman and Pat Mirenda, which is elevated to a democratic infrastructure of thought in this study. This is manifested through practices such as adopting communication boards and environmental engineering (modelling), which are designed to transform the school setting into a 'speaking context' where forced silence gives way to self-expression. Simultaneously, the study analyses the heuristic value of Carol Gray’s Social Stories. These instruments decode human interactions using a hermeneutic approach, offering students narratives and visual scripts that provide a sense of direction in the face of relational uncertainty, thereby reducing the mental distress caused by social unpredictability. Video modelling, a technique refined by James Buggey's research, complements this apparatus by leveraging the prevalence of visual processing channels to facilitate the acquisition of functional practices and complex behavioural sequences. By observing filmic models, students learn to understand and carry out a range of actions, from managing school routines to making small decisions every day. This helps them avoid the burden of having to speak in front of others, which can feel overwhelming and cause anxiety. In this way, educational and didactic action is configured as a systemic process that empowers not only individuals, but also the entire educational community, promoting an epistemology of cognitive pluralism. Thus, inclusive education rejects a model of schooling that is limited to mere hospitality. Instead, it is a constantly regenerating, scientifically grounded and humanly dense sanctuary that guarantees every student on the autism spectrum the inalienable right to a life trajectory oriented towards self-actualisation.