As service providers for persons with learning disability we consider it our task to contribute to reducing the digital divide enabling them to lead self-determined lives in the community. Progress in this area generates new opportunities for learning and personal development for the target group. We already set initiatives for this intended change, but are aware of the need to develop and implement broader strategies to achieve real improvements. To achieve the goal, we need international expert knowledge. With this project we wanted to increase our knowledge for quality improvement of our services in five main areas: • Training for staff, persons with learning disabilities and their families • Methodologies successfully supporting persons with learning disabilities in the use of mainstream-technology • Technology as part of the support service • Independent information and advice for person-centred technology • Technology development, especially with co-production approaches
Digitalisation evolves at a rapid pace changing our way of life. Technology plays an important role in our everyday lives, and has become central to coping with different domains of life shaping the way we live, work, and communicate. It has great potential to enhance the quality of life of persons with disabilities as it can help to overcome barriers and enhance autonomy and self-determination. As our experience shows and research confirms, persons with disability use technology much less than the general population. This is especially true for persons with learning disabilities, and applies to mainstream and assistive technologies. They still encounter many barriers hindering them to fully participate in society and excluding them in many ways (special schools, limited access to vocational training and labour market; hardly any access to general adult education and tertiary education; life in segregated housing facilities). Access to the digital world is central for them to participate in our modern world.