Improving Assistance in Inclusive Educational Settings II Erasmus Project

Project Title

Improving Assistance in Inclusive Educational Settings II

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 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Inclusion – equity; Quality Assurance; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses

Project Summary

Background:
Since the UN-CRPD was approved by the European Union, many educational systems are developing schools that are open for all students. State Parties are promoting an inclusive educational system at all levels (Article 24). To foster learning and participation in school all children and youth rely on teachers and paraprofessionals. For children and youth with disabilities, non-teaching staff (paraprofessionals) plays an important role in enhancing successful participation in every aspect of education. The previous project IMAS I showed that the working conditions of paraprofessionals are characterized by high workloads, little job security, low status in school hierarchies and low qualifications. Based on these findings, the follow-up project IMAS II wants to ensure the further development and inclusive competences of paraprofessionals.

Aims:
The aim of the project is to develop a flexible possibility for professional qualification for school assistants through five web-based knowledge boxes. These knowledge boxes address different topics (e.g. perception of disabilities, autism, ADHD) and will be presented through a blended-learning format. The knowledge boxes include videos, power-point presentations, quizzes, case studies etc. which enable a flexible, easily available and inexpensive way for paraprofessionals to expand their knowledge and to strenghten inclusive competences for their practical work.
The effects of the knowledge boxes will be evaluated by a cycle of participatory research with children (interviews). This research method will give children voice and opportunities to express themselves.
Additionally, evaluation sheets for teachers, parents and assistants are developed for the evaluation of assistance services.
Finally a transnational network of assistants will be established for further development and improving inclusive competences.

Partners:
The project consortium consists of a social service provider and a university in most of the partner countries:
• Social Service Providers from Austria (Chance B), Slovakia (TENENET), Bulgaria (VISION) and Portugal (ARCIL) will be mainly responsible for developing the knowledge boxes.
• CSIE, a non-profit organization from UK, is an expert in inclusive development and is part of a broad network in the field of education. They have a lot of expertise in developing and preparing tools, workshops and trainings for people (including people with disabilities).
• The Universities of Graz, Trnava and Coimbra (Centre for Social Studies, University of Coimbra) have a broad expertise in the field of inclusive education. Their work is characterized by research activities in the field of empirical educational research; therefore, they will be responsible for the research activities and academic publications.
• EASPD is a European umbrella organization of social service providers for people with disabilities, is well connected on the level of social service providers as well as at the European policy level. EASPD plays an important role in the dissemination process.

Activities:
We planned four partner meetings and three training activities during the two years project duration:
• 1st Meeting: Developing a grid for the conception of knowledge boxes
• 2nd Meeting: First draft of the knowledge boxes; Discussion and reflection about the knowledge boxes
• 3rd Meeting: Finalization of the knowledge boxes; Conception of the evaluation tools (participatory research with pupils, evaluation sheets)
• 4thMeeting: Discussion and reflection about the results of the research activities; Finalization of knowledge boxes

• three training activities to discuss, reflect and develop the knowledge boxes together with assistants from all countries; in each training activity a special focus is given to one intervention method where the organization have special expertise
• Each country organizes a Stakeholder Workshop (Multiplier Event) to discuss and reflect the project results.

Outputs:
• five web-based knowledge boxes for different topics in different languages to expand paraprofessionals’ knowledge and enhance inclusive competences for their practical work
• 250 qualified school assistants
• 45 participants at the „training activities“
• two academic publications
• five Stakeholder Workshops in the partner countries with total 125 planned participants

Project Website

https://www.easpd.eu/en/content/imas-ii-improving-assistance-inclusive-educational-settings

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 250365,16 Eur

Project Coordinator

UNIVERSITAET GRAZ & Country: AT

Project Partners

• CHANCE B HOLDING GMBH
• CENTRO DE ESTUDOS SOCIAIS
• Association “Agency for Social Development – Vision”
• ASSOCIACAO PARA A RECUPERACAO DE CIDADAOS INADAPTADOS DA LOUSA (A.R.C.I.L)
• CENTRE FOR STUDIES ON INCLUSIVE EDUCATION LIMITED
• TENENET o.z.
• TRNAVSKA UNIVERZITA V TRNAVE