Easy to Read Easy to Access Erasmus Project

Project Title

Easy to Read Easy to Access

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for vocational education and training

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2019

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Disabilities – special needs; Cultural heritage/European Year of Cultural Heritage; Intercultural/intergenerational education and (lifelong)learning

Project Summary

After the European Year of Cultural Heritage we want to promote an inclusive and accessible European heritage, also for people with intellectual disabilities and/or cognitive difficulties (PWCD).
The lack of accessibility of heritage from the cognitive point of view is a European problem. Much progress has been made in physical and even sensory accessibility but, despite the recommendations of the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, signed by the EU, people with intellectual disabilities face obstacles to access cultural heritage in all its forms, both tangible and intangible.
We can affirm that there are very few cultural heritage elements accessible from a cognitive point of view, a situation that generates exclusion due to lack of understanding and affects a very significant percentage of the population. Eurostat estimates that 54 million people in Europe have cognitive difficulties (remembering or concentrating).
This lack of accessibility, which generates limitation in access to rights and social exclusion, is due to the use of a complex language, to the lack of consideration of the needs of a large group of people such as PWCD and, also, to a lack of vindication of the right of PWCD to participate fully in social life.
At European level, although easy-to-read systems and pictograms are included in the recommendations of the European Commission and included in mandatory regulations such as the aforementioned Convention, their application in practice is very limited. We find that there is no specific regulation at Community level regarding cognitive accessibility that can correct those situations of disadvantage. All this leads to a lack of interest of the PWCD towards the cultural heritage.
The aim of ACCEASY project is to raise awareness of the importance of European cultural heritage, to open the cultural heritage to people with intellectual disabilities and to use cultural heritage as an instrument to promote the social inclusion of PWCD.
In the framework of the project our aims are:
• To promote the use of accessible communication systems: language and Augmentative and Alternative Communication Systems (AACS)
– through the creation of a database with technical concepts, in several languages and with the support of AACS, which allows its accessible use in different contexts;
– through the development of support tools for professionals of the heritage sector (such as tour guides) to make heritage accessible to PWCD;
– developing materials adapted to professionals of the PWCD sector so that they can incorporate the explanation of heritage into training plans. Especially aimed at those who work with young people in training and leisure.
• To sensitize and raise awareness. By carrying out awareness and dissemination actions with the direct participation of PWCD.
• To claim cognitive accessibility as a right, through the construction of a European network for an accessible heritage.
Results
Through the development of the project there will be an increase in the interest of certain groups towards the cultural heritage (people with intellectual and development disability, elderly people, people with language problems). This reinforced interest will create new business opportunities and boost local development.
We will advance in the social inclusion of certain groups of people and, therefore, we will advance in the construction of a fairer and cohesive Europe.
We will put into practice and evaluate existing recommendations on cognitive accessibility that may lead to a common framework, a proposal for regulatory regulation in this area at European level.
A European network will be built for an accessible cultural heritage, a space to claim cognitive accessibility as a right and accessible heritage as a good practice.
Specifically, we expect professionals from the heritage sector aware of and trained in cognitive accessibility, professionals capable of training these professionals of the heritage sector, educators of people with cognitive disabilities trained in accessible heritage and heritage cultural elements accessible from a cognitive point of view.
There will also be progress in the internationalization of the participating organizations and in the improvement of the capacities of the people participating in the development of the project.

Project Website

http://www.acceasy.eu

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 304409 Eur

Project Coordinator

FUNDACIÓN ASPANIAS BURGOS & Country: ES

Project Partners

• Cyprus Autistic Association
• aCapo società cooperativa sociale integrata
• IMS Research & Development Center
• E-CODE
• EUROPEAN GRANTS INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY SRL