Chairs: Marie-Jose Enders-Slegers and Brinda Jegatheesan
The International Association of Human-Animal Interaction Organizations (IAHAIO) is the global association of organizations working in the field of HAI, delivering research, education and practice. One of its recent initiatives is to promote stronger links between researchers and practitioners and in 2017 IAHAIO launched an online forum for IAHAIO and ISAZ members to discuss these issues. This symposium aims to stimulate collaboration between researchers and practitioners in the field of Animal-Assisted Interventions (AAI). Examples from the field of autism will be used to illustrate how closer collaboration between researchers and practitioners can be achieved to prevent pitfalls and enhance the quality of research outcomes and program delivery.
The symposium will be of interest and relevant to all scholars in the field, new and established researchers and practitioners and students.
This 1 hour 45 minute symposium will include three presentations and a video of an interview with Temple Grandin will offer insights of researchers and practitioners and will highlight the possibilities and challenges of working in the field of AAI from different perspectives. After the presentations the chairs will facilitate a discussion between presenters and audience members. Details of the individual presentations are provided below.
Research and Practice in AAI programs in the Netherlands,
Dr. Marie-Jose Enders-Slegers
Outcomes from a research project on autism and older people in the Netherlands will be reviewed, explaining how ‘artefacts’ can influence outcomes. and how practitioners and researchers working closer together can improve the quality of research and programs.
Video of Interview by Brinda Jegatheesan with Temple Grandin
Research and Practice in Programs with Diverse Needs
Dr. B. Jegatheesan
Based on extensive experience over many years working with children on the autistic spectrum from different cultures, it will be explained how research and practice can use each other’s experience to improve research results as well as to improve the quality of the interventions of the practitioners.
Current research and practice in AAI in Australia: a conversational – style interview with a leading Australian researcher/practitioner
This involves audience discussion and active participation.