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Inclusive Education with Tablets
Start date: Sep 1, 2014, End date: Aug 31, 2017 PROJECT  FINISHED 

Context and background: Smartphones and tablet computers as widespread representatives for mobile information and communication technology (ICT) are expected to innovate learning and teaching in numerous ways, including individualised, anytime and mobile access to learning opportunities for all. Research suggests a profound effect of mobile ICT on pedagogy and on learners. For learners with special educational needs (SEN) mobile ICT allows for an even wider individualisation of learning materials and adaptation to personal learning styles. Inclusion for people with SEN in education is a primary goal in Europe. Analyses conclude that what is good practice and provision for learners with SEN is good for all learners. Yet, educational organizations are not yet ready to adopt mobile ICT and to realise the potentials of this technologies for broadening inclusion. To become more inclusive and to adapt teaching and learning structures and approaches correspondingly, deciders, managers and teachers of educational institutions need new competences. Objectives: IncluEdu aims to create an innovative, European-wide, modularised further education programme for, and network of, education providers by exploiting the huge potentials of tablet computers for wider inclusion of learners with SEN. The aim is that these organisations gain the necessary competences to successfully introduce mobile ICT such as tablets to support inclusion within their offers. Activities and results: The Strategic Partnership will develop, test and implement outcomes relevant to stimulate a wider uptake of ICT in teaching and learning to increase the level of inclusion of a wide array of educational organisations, with a particular focus on compulsory education. Six inter-connected intellectual outputs form the “heart” of this partnership: a Quality Guideline for development and delivery of inclusive tablets courses; a competence matrix and set of key modules for individualized courses; a module on personalized learning with tablets; a collection of practical inclusive learning and teaching scenarios; a unique online community and resource platform for educational professionals; and a benchmarking approach that fosters a high level of quality to make this project a strategic partnership of excellence. Methodology: IncluEdu follows a rigorous structure of developing, implementing, evaluating and re-working of a course programme with the active involvement of teachers, managers, and learners with SEN. The project duration of three years allows for an iterative approach to develop high quality courses that fit the course structure and contents to the requirements of educational organisations. The overall structure during the project's lifetime has been aligned along the following clear and easy elements: Year 1: Planning and Development; Year 2: Piloting and Testing; and Year 3: Dissemination of Results. 5 National and 1 European multiplier event will be performed to disseminate results and outputs to education organizations and other stakeholders. Impact and long term benefits: Education organisations will be enabled to build up new competences to provide more inclusive, personalized education for people with and without special educational needs. Teachers and managers will be able to link to a community of likeminded organisations that are steering towards the same goals. Becoming a member of this community will enable them to network and exchange ideas on inclusive education and on the usage of mobile technology, and to find help when needed. In the long term, the whole European education sector should benefit from the outcomes of this project in different ways: educational organizations will be enabled to better include all different kinds of learners in their educational offer. Educational staff will gain competences necessary to use tablets in inclusive teaching and learning settings. Learners with SEN will have better choices and will be more able to take part in mainstream education like anybody else. Profile of participants: The IncluEdu partnership consists of five partner organisations. atempo (Austria) as the project's leading organisation is specialised in ICT training for educational professionals and people with SEN at the same time. atempo already runs international courses on inclusive education with tablets. The Rix Research Centre (London) works with people with disabilities alongside their teachers and supporters to explore innovative, inclusive approaches to learning. The Finnish Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (FAIDD) promotes education and participation for people with intellectual disabilities, and organizes training and product presentations for professionals specialized in teaching, education and rehabilitation. UrAbility (Ireland) is specialized in Assistive Technology solutions for schools. ITA (Germany) is a research institute with expertise in benchmarking and organizational development.
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