International Professional Exchange at IAA – A visit from Lilly Lions Special School in Kerala, India
In February, the Institute of Applied Behavior Analysis (IAA) had the pleasure of welcoming Mr. G. Venukumar, Managing Trustee of Lilly Lions Special School in Kerala, India, for a professional visit and exchange.
Lilly Lions Special School serves children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and is supported by Lions Clubs International. During his stay in Norway, Mr. Venukumar visited IAA to learn more about our clinical practice, organizational structure, and approach to applied behavior analysis (ABA) within the Norwegian context.
Dialogue on systems, structure, and service development
The visit provided an opportunity for open and constructive dialogue about how services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities are organized in different parts of the world.
Our conversations touched on several themes:
- Diagnostic pathways and assessment practices
- The structure of the Norwegian health and education systems
- Strengths and constraints within publicly funded service models
- Long-term development of educational and residential supports
We discussed how services can be developed not only at the individual level, but also at the systems level — through structured planning, competence development, and clear organizational frameworks.
While the exchange was necessarily limited in time, it allowed us to identify both shared challenges and contextual differences between Norway and India. Such comparative reflection is valuable. It encourages critical thinking about our own systems, while broadening perspective through international dialogue.
IAA as a Competence Center in Applied Behavior Analysis
At IAA, we aim to function both as a clinical provider and as a competence center in applied behavior analysis. Our work is grounded in behavioral science and includes:
- Structured assessment
- Individualized programming
- Staff training and supervision
- Organizational planning and quality systems
We believe that effective services require coherence between clinical methodology and organizational structure. Competence must be built not only in direct intervention, but across teams and leadership levels.
During the visit, we shared examples of how we structure service delivery, plan monthly activities, and organize staff responsibilities. As a small but concrete follow-up, a planning framework was shared to support ongoing development work at Lilly Lions Special School.
Looking Ahead
Lilly Lions Special School is currently shaping a long-term vision that includes structured expansion and the potential development of residential and lifespan-oriented supports. These ambitions require thoughtful system design, staff competence development, and sustainable organizational models.
We see value in continued dialogue around these themes. Any future collaboration would need to be clearly structured and mutually beneficial. At this stage, the connection remains an open professional exchange grounded in shared commitment to improving services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
International dialogue does not replace local knowledge — but it can strengthen reflection, clarify principles, and stimulate development.
We are grateful for the visit and for the thoughtful conversations that followed. We look forward to staying in contact and to seeing how this professional relationship may evolve over time.