About the practice
Where: Greece
Start date: July 2021
Status: active
Beneficiaries: Persons with intellectual disabilities, people of third age as well as professionals and service providers
Funded by: ERASMUS +
OVERVIEW OF THE PRACTICE
ENTELIS+ is a project co-founded by the European Commission under the Erasmus+ Key Action 3 “Support for policy development and cooperation” and its consortium is made up of 10 experienced European partners with complementary skills and knowledge. Thanks to this project, people with intellectual disability are trained in accessibility and digital accessibility through an easy-to-read adaptation of a training manual developed by ENTELIS+ partners. The participants learn about accessibility and why it is useful for all people - regardless of age, disability, gender or other reasons - to receive accessible services. Additionally, the beneficiaries are trained into altering existing resources into an accessible form. This practice enhances their digital skills and trains them into being more inclusive, in order to promote accessibility and assist more people. Lastly, the beneficiaries are trained into using a roadmap that will help them reach the ultimate goal, meaning having access to information and places and thus, participating equally in the society.
THE METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH
Prior to the training, a focus group about accessibility is organized in order to evaluate the needs of the participants and adapt the training accordingly (e.g., easy-to-read version of PowerPoint presentations, voice over in Greek, alt-texts in images, digital games, simulation games). After the training, a questionnaire and an interview are organised with the participants and the lead trainer in order to evaluate their knowledge and skills relevant to digital accessibility.
This plan is based on ENTELIS+ manual, which provides the necessary theoretical knowledge and tips for its practical implementation. In collaboration with the learners, the trainer co-produces the training tools that will make the information accessible to them.
The evaluation of beneficiaries’ progress is carried out through practice, exercises and the creation of accessible resources. The trainers also fill a trainer’s logbook in order to track the progress, difficulties and strong points of the learners they support and, consequently, improve the accessibility of the resources and focus on the educational goals that need more practice.
TYPE OF SKILLS DEVELOPED
ENTELIS+ training activities focused on the development of the digital skills of persons with disabilities and older people in order to make them able to participate in the digital society. At the same time, ENTELIS+ trained important key actors that are in charge of designing and implementing facilitating frameworks (public authorities and service providers).
THE INNOVATIVE ASPECT
Partners in this ENTELIS+ consortium have rich experience in digital accessibility and digital skills and have been innovating in the sector of disability and technology for many years. This expertise is materialized in the innovative methods and practices that promote inclusive education as well as in the capacity to foster digital skills and competences of digitally excluded groups.
In particular, ENTELIS+ was able to:
- Raise awareness about the importance of accessibility as an enabler for inclusive learning and teaching through multiple training and events in Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Greece, Ireland, Italy and Sweden.
- Develop the digital skills of persons with disabilities and older people to participate in the digital society in the above mentioned countries. More than 90 total people participated in ENTELIS+ training events.
- Build the capacity of key actors in charge of designing and implementing facilitating frameworks (public authorities and service providers).
IMPACT & SUSTAINABILITY
ENTELIS+ generated impact by raising awareness about the importance of accessibility as an enabler for inclusive learning and teaching through multiple training and events in 7 countries (Greece, Austria, Ireland, Italy, Cyprus, Sweden and Belgium). During the trainings offered by the project, participants strengthened their skills regarding accessibility, learned more about their rights - specifically about their right on accessibility and how this is protected by EU policies and national laws - and discovered existing resources in order to make different digital services and environments more accessible.
The sustainability of the project is ensured through the links and cooperations established with other organizations and professionals that support the idea of empowering people with disabilities and older adults through accessibility digital skills as a way to overcome the digital divide and open a wide range of social, career development and job market opportunities for these user groups at risk of exclusion. ENTELIS+ materials will be also made available to those interested in order to guarantee continuous training of service users and their families on digital accessibility.
Contacts
research.development@eeamargarita.gr
https://entelisplus.entelis.net/