Breaking Down Grant Making Silos: Disability as a Cross-Programme Initiative

Increasingly, foundations talk about ways of breaking down silos in their grant making approaches in order to step away from the single-issue focus to improve effectiveness and to achieve long lasting solutions to deep rooted problems. In this framework, the effort of many foundations that are taking action to breaking down those silos by developing joint grants across different priority areas is remarkable. This publication's main aim is to communicate these greatest efforts to provide a source of reflection and inspiration for foundations. Since we are working in a systemic framework, it would be ineffective to address disability without acknowledging its relationships with gender equality, education, employment, ageing, research, cooperation and development.This booklet aims also to demonstrate through a solution-based approach, the broadness of foundational programs in the field of disability that also have a clear focus on social innovation. The best practices showcased show how foundations consider disability a cross-cutting and inclusive issue, integrating it into programs that reach out not only persons with disabilities but connect them with very different fields of civil society. This practical tool can serve as an inspiration for other foundations to act taking into consideration the cross-cutting approach

Human-Centered Design with Autistic University Students: Interface, Interaction and Information Preferences

This paper reports on a study aimed at creating an online support toolkit for young autistic people to navigate the transition from school to university, thereby empowering this group in developing their full potential. It is part of the Autism&Uni project, a European-funded initiative to widen access to Higher Education for students on the autism spectrum. Our particular focus is on the Human-Computer Interaction elements of the toolkit, namely the visual design of the interface, the nature of interactions and navigation, and the information architecture. Past research in this area tended to focus on autistic children, often with learning difficulties, and their preferences in terms of interface and interaction design. Our research revealed that the preferences of young autistic adults who are academically competent and articulate, differ considerably from those of autistic children. Key findings are that text is preferred over visual material; visual design should be minimal; content ought to be organized in a logical and hierarchical manner; the tone of language ought to be genuine yet not too negative or patronizing; and images or video are only useful if they illustrate places or people, in other words information that cannot easily be conveyed in other ways

The Autism Toolbox : An Autism Resource for Scottish Schools

The Autism Toolbox will draw upon a range of practice experience, literature and research to offer guidance for authorities and schools providing for children and young people with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)

Innovation for All: Unleashing the Power of Assistive Technology in Special Education in Arabic-Speaking Countries

This topical review digs into special education teachers' growing usage of Assistive Technology (AT) in Arabic-speaking countries to serve children with impairments. This study investigates AT's benefits, drawbacks, and possible applications in this educational setting by reviewing the available literature from six major academic databases, including Scopus, Web of Science, JSTOR, ERIC, Academia, and ResearchGate. The findings highlight the need for tailored and student-centered approaches to AT adoption and effective training and ongoing support for educators and students. Furthermore, the study emphasizes the potential of AT to improve academic and functional outcomes, allowing students to overcome obstacles and actively participate in their educational path. The significance of these findings for future special education research and practice is examined, laying the groundwork for further investigation of AT's influence on children with disabilities in Arabic-speaking countries. The outcomes of this review emphasize the need to implement AT in Arabic-speaking special education settings using tailored and student-centered approaches. Students with disabilities can effectively use AT solutions to enhance their learning experiences by tailoring AT solutions to specific needs. Furthermore, the study emphasizes the importance of instructor and student training and ongoing assistance. Proper training provides instructors with the skills and information they need to properly deploy AT tools, while continual support ensures that AT remains effective in the classroom

Digital Exclusion or Digital Choice: Exploring the Gaps, Conflicting Views and Actions About E-Inclusivity – A Case of FE Lecturers

This exploratory study explored the attitudes, opinions and perceptions of further education lecturers about e-inclusion. The use of a thematic literature review approach was deployed towards reviewing within and between relevant and related literature. A case study method was used to collect data in the forms of observing four lesson sessions and interviewing six further education practitioners (which was made up of four lecturers and two learning support assistants), all within the case and context of a further education college. A qualitative data analysis technique was deployed and the results and findings of the study involved staff resistance to, lack of time, lack of literacy and numeracy skills insufficient know-how, lack of training and most importantly, lack of parental support. Keywords: E-inclusion, exclusion, inclusivity, exclusivity, ICT, learning technology, classroom, learner support, learner engagement DOI: 10.7176/JEP/10-10-01 Publication date: April 30th 201

Supporting Collaborative Learning in Computer-Enhanced Environments

As computers have expanded into almost every aspect of our lives, the ever-present graphical user interface (GUI) has begun facing its limitations. Demanding its own share of attention, GUIs move some of the users\u27 focus away from the task, particularly when the task is 3D in nature or requires collaboration. Researchers are therefore exploring other means of human-computer interaction. Individually, some of these new techniques show promise, but it is the combination of multiple approaches into larger systems that will allow us to more fully replicate our natural behavior within a computing environment. As computers become more capable of understanding our varied natural behavior (speech, gesture, etc.), the less we need to adjust our behavior to conform to computers\u27 requirements. Such capabilities are particularly useful where children are involved, and make using computers in education all the more appealing. Herein are described two approaches and implementations of educational computer systems that work not by user manipulation of virtual objects, but rather, by user manipulation of physical objects within their environment. These systems demonstrate how new technologies can promote collaborative learning among students, thereby enhancing both the students\u27 knowledge and their ability to work together to achieve even greater learning. With these systems, the horizon of computer-facilitated collaborative learning has been expanded. Included among this expansion is identification of issues for general and special education students, and applications in a variety of domains, which have been suggested

Working towards sustainable labor market integration:The long-term effects of a company-based work-experience program

SummaryIn the Netherlands, many groups are sidelined regarding their labor market opportunities, i.e., youth, low-educated individuals, ethnic minorities, and partially disabled individuals, particularly in times of economic downturn. Due to increased labor market dualization, access to better jobs is reserved only for those who have mastered professional skills. TI1e public support rapidly brings the unemployed back to work but is criticized for its negligible and sometimes even adverse long-term impacts for vulnerable workers. Explanations point to the limited supportive and skills-upgrading services in this genera! approach along with the unemployed' unrepaired deficit in the desired skills, making these groups continuously prone to nonstandard employment and unemployment. More inclusive efforts might support these vulnerable workers to secure jobs more adequately, which appears to be more topical than ever, e.g., the COVID-19 crisis on unemployment.The Philips Employment Scheme (Philips Werkgelegenheidsplan [WGP] in Dutch) offers vulnerable unemployed workers one-to-two years of work experience with (in)formal training to move participants into jobs externally. Participants are employed, seen from the outside, in regular employment. In contrast, people on public support might remain long-term unemployed and have increased risks of nonstandard employment. The literature teaches us that such programs pay off in the long run only but have little impact on short notice. However, the WGP already proved to be effective on short notice, making it an interesting case for study. This dissertation observed the extent to which this company-based work-experience program better supports low-educated and inadequately-ski!led workers to return to the labor market and to build up high levels of employment security in sustainable jobs with proper wage matches over their future careers than public activation programs based on workfare principles that !ack these human capita! and work-experience investments? Earlier studies on ALMPs limited their observation periods to one-to-five years later. In contrast, the Statistic Netherlands' register data used for this dissertation made it possible to study the long­term impact of the WGP up to ten years later. The long-term effect of the WGP is determined by comparing the labor market outcomes of its former participants (1999-2014) with a comprehensive matched control group, sharing a large number of pre-treatment covariates as participants before the intervention, but public activation entitlement instead. Findings show that WGP participants have 8% more employment security for over ten years than control units. Still, the different studies conducted in this dissertation show substantial variation in the impact of WVGP participation among these studied groups. More investment opportunities would improve vulnerable unemployed' chances to regain sustainable employment, as the WGP does with its more tailored approach. Other large companies might start similar tailor-made initiatives to improve the career opportunities of the disadvantaged, particularly in industries and regions that forecast declines in qualified personnel. This dissertation provides an argument for encouraging other employers to take up their responsibilities as well, and to invest in work experience and training for all their employees, but also urges the Dutch government to increase the budget on forma! training for the unemployed. Closer collaboration between public authorities and the business sector might forward vulnerable workers' careers, notably from a long­term perspective.