ContextIn the EC's European Disability Strategy 2010-2020, the European Commission notes ‘the strong mandate on the EU and Member States to improve the social and economic situation of people with disabilities’, and further underlines ‘the aspiration of creating a barrier-free Europe’.The 2015 Joint Report of the Council and the Commission on the implementation of the Strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training (ET 2020) proposes six priorities for education, out of which: a. Sustainable investment, quality and efficiency of education and training systems; b. Inclusive education, equality, equity, non-discrimination and the promotion of civic competences. In particular in Bulgaria, there is a political will for reforms in the field of the integration of children with SEN. There are different laws and strategies in this regard. The most recent ones are the 'National Strategy for Equal Opportunities for disabled people' (2003) and the National Plan for Integrating Children with SEN and/or with chronic diseases in the public education system (2003). In addition, the “Rules on the Activities of the Resource Centres” for supporting the integrated education of students with SEN” (2006) define in details the obligations of resource teachers for working with children with SEN, their families and the society as a whole.Problem to be addressed and consequencesIn Europe, recent estimates place the number of children with SEN at 15 million (EC 2012), and about 5% of aged ≤18 population affetected by ADHD (DSM-5®,2015). A global survey has indicated that 50-60% of children and adolescents with ADHD will continue to have ADHD as adults (Childhood predictors of adult ADHD, Lara Carmen, 2009).The problems identified are: - limited access to early and accurate diagnosis of ADHD (in schools, at workplace)- generally these disorders are not addressed with a lifelong learning approach: from kindergarden to VET and adult education- limited number of specialised staff for the integration into the education process- lack of State Education Standards (SES) for children with SEN in all EU countries, although new educational standards are in a process of development. - reduced awareness about 'what ADHD is' and about existing opportunities for supporting ADHD learners and their families. VET providers, experts and professionals should be more active in presenting these disorders and disseminating information about assistance opportunities in the different countries. Project aim and objectivesThe project proposal is aimed at contributing to the improvement of the VET quality offer for learners with SEN, with a specific focus on learners with ADHD, through the implementation of Quality Assurance principles in VET in line with the EQAVET recommendation. The Consortium will set out Quality Assurance Framework and Tools as effective support for VET providers to plan, implement, monitor and evaluate their training offer and strategies in addressing challenges regarding participation both in iVET and cVET; and related to the continuous feedback loops between the two systems.PartnershipThe project brings together 8 partners from 5 European countries, forming a transnational cooperation partnership with a balancedregional geographical representation of the Erasmus+ area and with qualitative representation for Bulgaria. In addition, the Partnership in composed of organizations having complementary competences: HEIs, teacher associations, research centres, VET providers training ADHD learners.Methodology and key outputsSince the very beginning of the project partners will define the concrete methodological strategies and approaches fordisseminating good practices of EQAVET implementation in VET addressed to ADHD learners. The consortium will design and launch the project official website. Then, Partners will develop the contents of the Framework: QA indicators, online assessment tool and practical guidelines for its implementation. The next step will be to define a Toolkit for VET providers training ADHD learners including ready to use tools and instruments for enhancing the quality of VET programmes addressed to ADHD learners. These outputs (in particular IO2 and IO3) will be tested through specific consultation and testing activities in the Partners countries and at European level.Impact- will put Quality Assurance and inclusive approach on the agenda of providers- give to VET providers a concrete tool for supporting the implementation and improvement of Quality Management Systems within their organizations, with a particular focus on ADHD learners.- support a more systemic approach to quality within VET- create the sense of ownership in relation to the project outputs among the stakeholders. This will lead to enhancing the exploitation of project outputs in the future.
Development of Innovation was the project general objective, based on the priorities: • Further development of the VET quality assurance mechanisms; and • Contribution to the improvement of the Inclusive youth education and training. The project aims at elaboration of a VET quality offer for SEN learners, with a specific focus on learners with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), through the implementation of Quality Assurance (QA) principles in VET in line with the EQAVET recommendation. The team developed a QA Framework (QAF) and Tools for an effective support to VET providers to plan, implement, monitor & evaluate their training strategies related to participation in iVET and cVET; and to the continuous feedback loops between the two systems. Innovativeness: • Implements holistic approach to apply QA in VET for ADHD learners. Aims at defining a QAF (including principles, indicators, tools and guidelines) for iVET and cVET; • Applies a lifelong learning strategy in order to support education and training of ADHD learners at all ages; • Brings together relevant organisations with broad experience in QA - iVET and cVET, teacher training institutions, education and training of ADHD learners, business, HEIs and ICT; • Includes iVET & VET providers who to facilitate dissemination and test the QAF by majority of providers in the participant countries and across Europe; • Includes also business representatives, teacher education institutions, organisations training ADHD learners which guarantee the stakeholders' validation and recognition of the project key outputs and thus, to facilitate the mainstreaming and thereby sustainability. Target audience: iVET & cVET Providers, training teachers and ADHD learners; Teacher’s, School ADHD associations; ADHD learners; Project Partners; National and European organisations active in the VET field and inclusive education and training; National authorities (relevant Ministries, Agencies, regional Offices, etc.) Project outputs: • Compendium of good practices in the field of EQAVET implementation in VET for learners with ADHD. ISBN: 978-954-07-4510-7. The objective is to highlight examples of good practice in the field of EQAVET implementation in VET programmes addressed to ADHD learners, incl. details regarding the methodologies applied and results achieved. • Quality Assurance Framework for VET for learners with ADHD. ISBN: 978-954-07-4511-4. This is the key output of the project and the objective is to provide a user friendly tool as a benchmark for QA systems for the VET providers acting in the field. Based on the evidence summarised in the “Best Practices” compendium and the defined Indicators, “Guidelines Assisting VET School Boards in Delivering Special Education Services for Students with ADHD” were developed. They are structured around the three main dimensions “Improving my organisation”; “Improving my training delivery”; and “Improving my teaching methods”. http://tools4adhd.eu/guidelines/. The Introductory text is translated to all national languages of the consortium partners. • Toolkit for VET providers training ADHD learners. ISBN: 978-954-07-4512-1: In order to concretely support VET providers in understanding, implementing and measuring QA management systems, partners have also provided a QA Toolkit including tools for the three QA phases and related to the quality principles and indicators designed within the project. All these documents are published in the web-site designed to serve the specialised audience. Attained impact: The produced outputs: o contribute to the support of VET-programs to align their quality initiatives with European and national policies in the field of inclusive VET; o help providers and local/regional/national authorities understand the level of change required of providers and VET-provision to align their QA approach with the inclusive ET policies; o promote awareness of the quality exercise among stakeholders and obtain the commitment of key stakeholders; o facilitate the assessment and document stakeholder interests, influence and importance concerning QA in VET for ADHD learners; o generate a desire to change and improve VET-programs addressed to ADHD learners, e.g. indicate planned and ongoing initiatives that may be supportive of the alignment exercise, either national or regional/local level. Consortium: Eight institutions from BG, IT, GR, ES and SE were members of the consortium. The contribution of each of them is particularly important for the project success. Coordinator was Sofia University “St. Kl. Ohridski” (BG). Methodological coordinator was the team of Effebi (IT). Swedish partner led the development of the Toolkit. SciFy partner developed the web site for the users http://tools4adhd.eu. UNINETTUNO led the development of the Compendium with best practices. The Spanish partner developed the Glossary of the most used ADHD terminology then translated into all national languages.