DECIDE: Developing Services for Individuals with Disabilities.

Location: Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden

Dates: 25th -29th March 2019

Participating Partners:

• EU Partners: Transilvania University of Brașov, University of Crete, Limerick Institute of Technology, Technical University DRESDEN, Middlesex University
• KZ Partners: Akhmet Baitursynov Kostanay State University, Seifullin Kazakh Agro technical University, Al Farabi Kazakh National University, The Academy of Public Administration under President of the Republic of Kazakhstan
• Uzbekistan Partners: Samarkand Institute of Economics and Service, Tashkent university of Information technology, MUSHTOQ KO’ZLAR Society of social mutual aid of disabled children, Karakalpak State University
• Tajikistan Partners: Khujand State University named after acad. B.Gafurov, Kulob Institute of Technology and Innovation Management, Institute of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Public Organisation of  “Rushdi Inclusia” Public Organization of Parents of Children with Disabilities

The number of participants total 34, which is one or two participants per institution from each country.

The Development phase of the DECIDE project commenced with ESP Training which was held in Dresden, Germany (March 2019) followed by the preparation of the ECTS Module Training Programme and Training materials.

The Action Group and Access Liaison Officer Strategic Review has taken place and all Action Group and “Access Liaison Officer” input contacts (key players such as Ministries, universities, public administration and NGOs) have been identified and evaluated.

All the presentations from the training are available here:

• Autism spectrum disorder Training in Dresden Dana Popa
• Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan Training in Dresden Angela Repanovici
• Introduction in international dissability policy Training in Dresden_Manolis Koukourakis
• Introduction to literature review Training in Dresden Padraig Kirby
• Library Services to People with Special Needs Training in Dresden Manolis Koukourakis
• Teaching students with Visual Impairments Training in Dresden Angela Repanovici
• Terminology in information literacy and research skills Training in Dresden Jerald Canavagh
• Disability Services at TUD Training in Dresden Sven Riddel
• Meeting needs Training in Dresden Mark Springet

Location: Limerick Institute of Technology,  Limerick, Ireland

Dates: July 21st-August 3rd 2019

Participating Partners:

• EU Partners: Transilvania University of Brașov, University of Crete, Limerick Institute of Technology, Technical University DRESDEN, Middlesex University
• KZ Partners: Akhmet Baitursynov Kostanay State University, Seifullin Kazakh Agro technical University, Al Farabi Kazakh National University, The Academy of Public Administration under President of the Republic of Kazakhstan
• Uzbekistan Partners: Samarkand Institute of Economics and Service, Tashkent university of Information technology, MUSHTOQ KO’ZLAR Society of social mutual aid of disabled children, Karakalpak State University
• Tajikistan Partners: Khujand State University named after acad. B.Gafurov, Kulob Institute of Technology and Innovation Management, Institute of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Public Organisation of  “Rushdi Inclusia” Public Organization of Parents of Children with Disabilities

DECIDE Curriculum Training was held in Limerick, Ireland (July/August 2019), two members of staff from each of the Target Institutions  attend a two-week training programme on the DECIDE curriculum.

This training was delivered by the EU partners in the project and included: purpose, rationale and content of the DECIDE curriculum to include international Quality Standards and the requirements of international, Bologna agreement and ECTS Modular creation using the EU-TUNING system.

DECIDE Descriptions of the modules

• Gerry Cullen (TU Dresden) presented Module 1: English for Specific Purposes (Special Needs and Disability) training and recapped lessons in TUD, module Description and teachers’ records.
• Gerry Cullen (TU Dresden) presented Module 2: Marketing – Introduction to Theory and Practice – Introduction to Marketing essentials followed by creating National Awareness Campaign Strategies and Supporting NGO Development. This training is targeted at all partners and will be later integrated into official university and public administration and where feasible NGO programmes.
• Dr. Manolis Koukourakis (UOC) presented Module 3: Use the Library: Access to Libraries for people with Special needs and disability. The presentation is focused on the access to libraries for persons with disabilities, the Library Services to People with Special Needs Section and guidelines for easy-to-read materials. The presentation emphasized the role on the open, inclusive library, the role of libraries for inclusive education and the possible path to achieve this outcome.
•  Padraig Kirby (LIT) provided an overview of Module 4: Access Liaison Officer Training Programme, how disability fits into Access, work carries out in the Access Service (LIT Access Office).
•  Lect. dr. Daniela Popa (UTBV) presented Module 6: Meeting Needs – Communication and Interaction. The aim of the presentation was to raise awareness of the impact of curricular adaptation on the integration of people with SEND into higher education.
• The core of the presentation is communication and interaction strategies that are considered to be effective for higher education and the feasibility of the curricular adaptation models to specific, national contexts.
• Prof. dr. Angela Repanovici (UTBV) presented Module 7 Meeting Needs – Physical and Sensory Needs introducing introduce the accessible design and Universal Design for Learning and ways to design and develop course materials for students with disabilities.
• The presentation explains the existent accommodations and assistive technology.
• Gill Whitney, Gurinder Grewal, Mark Springett, Paula Bernaschina, Sukhy Hara (Middlesex University) presented Module 5 Meeting Needs – Cognition and Learning (including moderate and severe learning difficulties and Dyslexia) and Module 8 – Meeting Needs – Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties. The presentations introduced the topic of students with a range of cognition and learning disabilities, awareness raising and current practise in the UK.
• Gurinder Grewal introduced the specific learning difficulties and explained the main difficulties that can be found in university’s environment. Paula Bernaschina presented the learning enhancement team and some examples were provided. Gill Whitney presented the standards on cognitive impairment, web, and European and ISO accessibility and explained that standards are still developing in this area.

Presentations:

• MODULE 3 Training in Limerick Manolis Koukourakis UOC
• MODULE 5 and 8 Training in Limerick Gill Whitney and her colleagues MDX
• MODULE 6 Training LImerick Popa Daniela UTBV
• MODULE 7 Training in Limerick Angela Repanovici UTBV

Event: A.Baitursynov Kostanay Regional University (KRU) delivers online training for administrative and teaching staff

Name of training: Psychological and pedagogical support of inclusive education at the university

Date: November 2, 2020 – December 15, 2020

Participants: administrative and teaching staff from A.Baitursynov Kostanay Regional University (P11)

From November 2, 2020 to December 15, 2020, in Kostanay, Kazakhstan, administrative and teaching staff from A.Baitursynov Kostanay Regional University (P11) have online training organized by the DECIDE local working group (Liliya Sarkisyan and Irina Parkhomenko).  The main purpose of this online training is the formation of a system of the scientific ideas about inclusive education of persons with disabilities, as well as the formation of knowledge about the originality of social, emotional and behavioral difficulties of persons with special health abilities.

91 people took part in this event. During discussions held at the online training, course visitors noted that DECIDE project is very important and considers within its framework a very urgent problem of the modern world.