WAI4PwDs partners meeting held
The project worth is 136.000 euros, which were funded by the Europe for Citizens programme. In total 9 partners are working together on this project: Srem Regional Development Agency (Serbia) – leading institution, Faculty of Organization and Informatics of the University of Zagreb (Croatia), Centre for Education Tomislav Špoljar (Croatia), Roma Centre for Economic Improvement Sremska Mitrovica (Serbia), Sremska Mitrovica Red Cross (Serbia), Brčko District of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosnia and Herzegovina), TMP Society for the Employment of Blind and Visually Impaired Persons (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Prague 9 (Czech Republic) and CHANCE Association for people with Intellectual Disabilities Reason (Bulgaria). The main objective of the project is to define best practices in the field of support for students with disabilities in the conditions of pandemics and other crisis situations through partnership initiatives and shared experiences. Support applies to all spheres of life such as work, social activities, entertainment, however the greatest emphasis is given precisely on educational activities. FOI’s main role on the project is to showcase new technologies and achievements that can enable students with disabilities to have an affordable education within the online environment.
In this context, the project meeting was organized by combining live events at FOI and CTŠ and online participation, which shows how an efficient hybrid model of communication and education can be achieved. Through three days of presentations and interactive discussions, various new technologies such as virtual reality, artificial intelligence and creative use of video games have been showcased, and attention has been paid to people with disabilities through direct conversation with representatives of the Society of Dystrophics, Disabled Cerebral and Polio and other physically disabled people of the city of Varaždin (DDICDP Varaždin) who have exposed the problems they encountered during the course of the covid19 pandemic. Project partners also had the opportunity to visit the Center for Education Tomislav Špoljar and participate in a very important discussion about the problems that educational staff noticed during the pandemic, followed by a discussion on improvement in terms of using technology as a learning tool.
FOI invests a lot of effort in modernizing its study programs, so students can be educated in modern and increasingly necessary technological fields through new study programs. FOI also continuously works to ensure as much support as possible for students with disabilities through the work of the Office for Students with Disabilities, adaptation of teaching content and methods of teacher work.
Photos from the event are available here:
