There are 30 million or 1 in 17 visually impaired (European Blind Union, 2019) and 51 million hard of hearing EU citizens, which represents approx. 1 in 10 people in the EU (European Federation of Hard of Hearing People, 2015).
There is no recent or reliable data for young blind and partially sighted, nor for deaf or hard of hearing youngsters (the latest data provided by Eurostat is dated of 2011 and do not cover all the EU Member States). The European Disability Strategy 2010-2020 sets as a priority to ensure ‘inclusive education and lifelong learning for students and pupils with disabilities’. In line with this directive, the Spanish General Law on the rights of persons with disabilities and their social inclusion incl. art.16 right to inclusive education came into force in 2013 (Real Decreto Legislativo 1/2013, de 29 de noviembre). Similarly, the French government has set a new law that consists of including all children with disabilities in mainstream schools (loi n°2019-791 du 26/07/2019 Pour une Ecole de la Confiance).
‘Open up: engaging formal and non-formal education professionals in the inclusion of children and teenagers with sensory disorders’ aims at developing the professionals’ capacity to ensure quality inclusive education (incl. formal and non-formal education). It specifically targets formal and non-formal education professionals working in mainstream institutions (i.e. educators: teachers, trainers, professors, tutors, mentors and coaches; youth workers, educational leaders: school heads, rectors, department heads; and support staff: teaching assistants) that are facing the challenge to include an increasing number of children and teenagers with visual and hearing impairments (our end-beneficiairies).
In order to achieve this, project partners will meet the following Specific Objectives (SO):
- – SO1 Co-developing the Open up Guide for formal and non-formal professionals detailing the profile of ‘resource person’, who has gained a set of knowledge & attitudes that he/she is able to share with his/her colleagues to ensure quality inclusive education for our end-beneficiairies
- – SO2 Building the capacities of professionals working in mainstream institutions to act as ‘resource persons’ through the co-creation of a new training device that will combine instructor-led training sessions and e-learning
- – SO3 Boosting the digital skills of professionals through the development of the Open up OERs & training
- – SO4 Raising awareness of mainstream schools, youth organisations & policy makers on the specific needs for including our end-beneficiairies
- – SO5 Promoting the transferability of the Open up approach
