TOGETHER WE CAN OVERCOME BARRIERS: Strategy for the equity inclusion of young people with albinism at the center and in the classroom Erasmus Project

Project Title

TOGETHER WE CAN OVERCOME BARRIERS: Strategy for the equity inclusion of young people with albinism at the center and in the classroom

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 school education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2016

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Quality Improvement Institutions and/or methods (incl. school development); Disabilities – special needs; Inclusion – equity

Project Summary

During the 24 months in which the Project “TOGETHER WE CAN OVERCOME BARRIERS: Strategy for the equity inclusion of young people with albinism at the center and in the classroom” has been developed, we have established a strategic partnership in the field of dynamic and efficient school education. Thanks to the work done by a solid partnership comprised by 4 European entities of persons with albinism and their families in multiple activities (virtual, national and transnational ones), we have implemented several actions that will last for years to come, achieving a real impact in the inclusion of primary school students with albinism and/or low vision into education centers all across Europe.
This was achieved thanks to the development of many results and two high-quality intellectual outputs for students with disabilities (a visual impairment and/or albinism) during the primary education stage, in line with the Erasmus + Programme and the Declaration on the promotion of citizenship and the common values of freedom, tolerance and non-discrimination through education of the 17th March 2015 (the Paris Declaration).
The first of them is the “GUIDE FOR THE FORMATION OF THE EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT FOR THE EDUCATION OF STUDENTS WITH THE GENETIC CONDITION OF ALBINISM AND/OR VISUAL DEFICIENCIES IN THE DIVERSITY CARE PLAN” comprised of two well-differentiated parts. One of them provides guidelines for the staff in educational centers, especially teachers, regarding working methods recommended for the development of key skills for students with albinism through their inclusion in equity. The second part extends the knowledge of the user regarding the theory and resources necessary for the inclusion of children with albinism and/or visual impairment.
The second intellectual output is the “GUIDE FOR THE ELABORATION OF AN INDIVIDUALIZED CURRICULAR ADAPTATION OF ACCESS AND THE CREATION OF SPECIFIC TOOLS FOR STUDENTS WITH SEVERE VISUAL DISABILITIES RELATED TO THEIR GENETIC CONDITION OF ALBINISM”, that provides a curricular program for the inclusion of students with albinism and/or visual impairment from the perspective of the professional assistance of teachers from the third level of curricular concretion, according to the European Union regulatory framework.
Along with these two intellectual outputs, several intangible results have also been developed, which have allowed entities, participants, and youth with albinism to improve their skills, networking capabilities, and European impact, and have also had an impact on the educational community.
All of these results and outputs have been spread and their use is being promoted in all educational centers with students with albinism and/or visual impairment, with the support of the Albinism Federation at the European scale.
This project has been developed by a solid partnership, that established its foundations in 2012, and has jointly developed multiple other Erasmus + projects during the latest years, which has allowed us to strengthen and consolidate this European structure. Four European entities have participated in this project: Danish Association of Albinism – DFFA (Denmark), Norwegian Association of Albinism – NFFA (Norway), Albinit (Italy) and ALBA Association (Spain).
Four transnational meetings (Spain-Denmark-Italy-Norway) have been held during the project, in which, besides the usual tasks assigned to each meeting (to coordinate the efforts of each partner, define contents, plan visibility and diffusion actions), also “on-site” visits to the collaborating educational centers were made to test the materials. Many other national activities have also been carried out to create the materials, along with bilateral meetings with collaborating entities, virtual coordination meetings, etc.
In addition to the diverse implementation activities, a special effort was made regarding the project’s visibility during its lifespan, and also for the diffusion of its results once these where finished. We want to specifically point out a multiplier event (in Spain) that was made with the objective of spreading the intellectual outputs of the project and make the participation of this project better known within the Erasmus + Programme. Many other diffusion activities were carried out both during the project’s diffusion stage and after its final stage.
We believe that out project is having a significant impact among the educational community and people with albinism all across Europe. In this sense, it is also worth highlighting that three educational centers (from Spain, Norway and Denmark) are already introducing the project’s results, and that these have already reached multiple other educational centers and have been also handed out to entities of people with albinism across Europe and national and international federations.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 94065 Eur

Project Coordinator

Asociación Alba & Country: ES

Project Partners

• Danish Association of Albinism
• ALBINIT
• Norsk forening for Albinisme (NFFA)