Comparison of Slovene and Spanish model of trearment of children with autism spectrum disorder

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are complex neurodevelopmental disorders that manifest as changes in behavior in the areas of communication, social interaction and imagination. Despite the fact that autism spectrum disorders are present throughout the entire life of an individual, we can alter and improve the way children with autism spectrum disorders interact in the most important areas of their life by addressing the disorders in the early stages and in the quality manner. Education of children with autism spectrum disorders definitely presents a challenge due to the complexity of the problems that such disorders cause. This is why the education, educational programs and methods have to be adapted to the special needs of the children with autism spectrum disorders. The aim of this thesis was to research the field of working with children with autism spectrum disorders in Slovenia and Spain, where I completed my teaching internship during an international exchange. The goals, set during the writing of this thesis, were to find similarities and differences between the Spanish and Slovene models of working with children with autism spectrum disorders, analyze the characteristics of the education provided to children with such disorders, and point out the positive methods used when working with children suffering from autism spectrum disorders in Spain. I found out that the Spanish and Slovene models of working with children with autism spectrum disorders do not differ significantly, due to the similarities between the legislations of both countries concerning this field. The same holds true for the enrollment procedures for children with autism spectrum disorders, as well as the profile of experts that work with them and the methods these experts use in their work. One of the differences can be found in the number of hours of individual and group assistance available to children with ASD, as the children suffering from these disorders in Spain are entitled to more help than those in Slovenia. I also noticed differences in the education available to children with autism spectrum disorders in the aforementioned countries – education in Spain being more diverse and better adapted to the needs of children with autism spectrum disorders