Following up from previous transnational work and pedagogical experience on the participation of disabled people with different stakeholders the consortium wishes to design and implement a new participative project involving the coconstruction of an accessible digital platform and collaborative learning space. This will address the lack of accessible training for disabled people and aims in line with the spirit of the 2010-2020 European strategy and the United Nations Convention on the rights of disabled persons to strengthen the competences of the leaders of disability persons’ organisations. Two main essential competencies are being targeted 1) strengthen the ability of DPO leaders to plead their cause, and defend the rights of disabled people, 2) while at the same time developing collaborative participation of all their members. The project ParticipaTIC is being led by the EHESP School of Public Health (France) in partnership with 8 other organisations working in the field of disability training or the DPO field. These comprise Gravir asbl ; Haute École Libre de Brussels; Haute École Louvain en Hainaut (Belgium) ; Institut de Formation en Pédicurie-Podologie, Ergothérapie, Masso-Kinésithérapie ; Collectif Handicap 35 ; Fédération Handicap International ; Université Catholique de Lille (France) ; SSEO Technical Assistance (Romania), and ASA Handicap Mental (Switzerland). This innovative project is founded on a methodology fostering the coconstruction of knowledge of the participants, particularly disabled people. Through dynamic interaction between the different stakeholders during both the development of the initial training module content but also through the empowerment of disabled people and their leaders we aim to develop a learning community .The expected outcomes comprise: 1) the entirely free and accessible ParticipaTIC digital learning platform 2) a guide laying out the methodology and principles for developing a collaborative and accessible disabled people friendly learning space. These deliverables will be made available in accessible formats (Font size, captioned videos, with audiodescription, easy to read and understand texts in French and Romanian.)We will undertake to supply English language summaries in order to reach out to diverse participants in partner countries in Europe and beyond.The platform, ParticipaTIC will make resources available for the strengthening of the competencies to defend the rights of disabled persons. The methodological guide will also favour the setting up of similar learning spaces for the disabled members of other voluntary organisations working to promote different and diverse causes. This will allow disabled people to fully contribute to the construction of a more inclusive civil society.
The partners of this project have been interested in promoting social participation of people with disabilities for several years. And have consequently developed teaching and learning materials for the different stakeholders in the field of disability. (Leonardo 2012,-2013). The current project ParticipaTIC is led by the EHESP School of public health (France) with eight other partners from the training or DPO (Disabled people's organizations) sector: Gravir asbl ; Haute École Libre Brussels ; Haute École Louvain en Hainaut (Belgium) ; Institut de Formation en Pédicurie-Podologie, Ergothérapie, Masso-Kinésithérapie ; Collectif Handicap 35 ; Fédération Handicap International ; Université Catholique de Lille (France) ; SSEO Technical Assistance (Romania) in collaboration with the association ASA Handicap Mental (Switzerland). Our project targets people who lead or are representing people with disabilities. Its aim is to develop accessible on-line training materials to strengthen their competencies as a porte parole to defend the rights of members of DPOs. With this in mind the projected project outcomes were realized through a participatory process which included the target groups (disabled people and DPO leaders). This process also included training in using information and communication technologies applied to education and allowed the emergence of a learning community with heightened awareness of the complexity of digital accessibility. These outcomes in French and Romanian may be accessed free via the following link: https://participatic.eu/fr/plateforme-participatic/ : 1) A training on-line platform incorporating accessibility and participation focuses on two main types of competencies : - those that favour the strengthening of compentencies necessary for pleading ones cause when negotiating with elected representatives, decision makers and government officials in commissions or forums and for defending disability rights in relation to the United Nations Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities - those that favour stronger participation between all the members of an organisation. The platform ParticipaTIC proposes 4 training modules : Module 1: Understanding and explaining the fundamental importance of defending rights, the concepts of disability and social participation. Module 2: Understanding the role of leaders and porte paroles in service of the common good. Module 3: Understanding the issues assocated with key articles of the United Nations Convention on and how it may be deployed to defend those rights. Module 4 Exploring an assessment tool for the quality of access to public or private sector services in order to improve the same services. Each module is made up of a series of lessons which may be freely accessed and scrolled through by learners. The Moodle type platform has been designed to match the needs of different people using the platform. All the training materials are accessible for everyone. Specailly adapted Easy to read and understand content has been was developped and site navigation has been made as easy as possible. There are options to magnify the size of print font, to modify colour contrasts and to provide voice synthesis. The French version was launched in June, the Romanian will be launched by the end of 2019. Following the end of European Funding, plans are being currently put into place to allow further evolution of learning materials through the particpation of trainees using the platform. 2) A methodological guide comprises two volumes. The first volume deals with the necessary steps to follow in order to create an accessible and participatory on-line training platform. The second volume offers advice on how to improve digital accessibility. The aim is to facilitate the design of similar accessible platforms. English language versions are planned for the future to favour dissemination of results. The multiplier events held in June 2019 to launch ParticipaTIC brought together a wide range of representatives from interested associations. Test carried out during and following the devleopment of the launch of the platform have largely confirmed that the platform ParticipaTIC offers real possibilities to strengthen the competencies of leaders fighting for greater inclusion for people with disabilities and for the defence of their rights. In order to ensure the sustainibility of the platform the different partners envisage to pursue their collaboration through the signing of a partnership agreement from 2020-2023.