Individual with Disabilities Education Aim: Together we can! Erasmus Project

Project Title

Individual with Disabilities Education Aim: Together we can!

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 : School Exchange Partnerships

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Disabilities – special needs

Project Summary

Special Needs Education is not as developed as it should be in most European countries. Schools for SEN students provide limited opportunities compared to mainstream schools when it comes to special needs education, European/ International environment and living their lives to the fullest. We came to the conclusion that the sharing of good practices, brought the stakeholder countries to open a discussion on the efficacy of inclusion considering the strengths and the weaknesses, pros and cons of the different school systems. Any relevant extracurricular activities are directly connected to the personnel’s expertise and not generally implemented nationally or in a European level.The long term goal was to create life opportunities for students with special needs, at first within a school context and later within a social context as European citizens. Therefore, the need for innovative projects was relevant and necessary. The desire for a project with partners that come from special schools and mainstream schools with the inclusion of SEN students was the main reason for the establishment of this partnership. The partnership was formed by 6 countries: Slovenia, Turkey, Poland, Croatia, Portugal and Italy. All participating schools provided education to students with Special Needs, aged from 3 to 20 years old, with different diagnosis. The different school profiles, provided different points of view, represented a source of richness and fostered discussion over common difficulties in our work, common ambition to provide the best to our students and common willingness to enrich our professional competences with innovative educational methods.
The combination of the different curriculum and the methodology that each school applies, provided new teaching skills which could be implemented in other schools or institutions. The detailed activities, that we have carefully planned, were of graduated difficulty, and they aimed at giving equal opportunities to every participating pupil as well as meet their interests. The students were given the chance to be aware of their self-efficacy, to strengthen their competences and to optimize their motivation. The activities were carried out through the use of : information technology, multiple means of action and expression in a second European language. Teachers used cooperative group approaches to enhance positive and social skills and strategies such as : cooperative learning, tutoring, peer teaching, scaffolding, etc. There were especially adapted materials for SEN students as well as linguistic preparation before the mobilities.
The exchanged knowledge and best practices increased pupils’ skills such as Collaboration, Communication, Critical thinking and Creativity. Moreover it reinforced their knowledge and understanding of their role and identity as European Citizens.
We believe that “I.D.E.A.! TOGETHER WE CAN!”offered teachers the opportunity to learn about other cultures and develope personal relations with other european teachers, above all they were given the opportunity to widen professional horizons as teachers of special education students.Each participating member worked on the project in the class, with small students groups, but also in extracurricular activities. The organization of events in special occasions with students and parents enhanced the implementation of our objectives at home and in the community.There was monitoring and assessment throughout the project,by means of questionnaires or surveys, interviews and a mascot’s Diaries which helped to set deadlines and keep track of the scheduled activities.
Finally, the project benefited the students, the teachers ,the whole staff of each school and the comunity. School staff met new teaching methods, tools, pedagogical approaches to learn and apply, while the community enjoyed an opportunity to fight descrimination and promote social inclusion of the SEN population. Dissemination practices were carried out throughout the project as end-products have been designed to have long-term orientation purposes:
-a digital booklet will serve as a handbook of good practices for teachers at local,regional,transnational level;
– Memory book will enhance best moments in the project reported by all its participants;
– Mascot Diaries which reflect the work, activities, challenges, events, that took place in each school throughout the 2+1 year of the project;
– display areas and exhibitions not only in our schools but in public educational events;
– a site, a blog, a padlet and a public Twinspace, in which the whole project will be made visible;
– workshops, Open Day ceremonies,multiplier events especially designed to involve a big number of people in the community as well as policy makers and stakeholders and disseminate the outputs realised by the project.
– awarded certificates of participation and Europass certificates for both teachers and
students.

Project Website

https://ideatogetherwecan.blogspot.com/

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 158689,2 Eur

Project Coordinator

Osnovna sola dr. Ljudevita Pivka & Country: SI

Project Partners

• Szkola Podstawowa Specjalna nr 40
• TSCV Metin Sabanci CP Egitim ve Arastirma Enstitusu Iktisadi Isletmesi
• Osnovna skola Otona Ivekovica
• ISTITUTO COMPRENSIVO GIULIANO GIORGI
• Agrupamento de Escolas de Aver-o-Mar, Póvoa de Varzim