ViPi

WSIS 2012 – Sessions on accessibility in education

admin — Wed, 16 May 2012 07:39:44 +0000

ViPi is at WSIS 2012, Geneva, Switzerland, and recorded following videos that give a good impression of the work that is done on understanding and providing accessible education worldwide.

The first video features Jutta Treviranus (IDRC) on FLOE and Open Educational Resources at WSIS 2012.

The second video features Axel Leblois (Executive Director G3ict) on Lifelong Learning with Assistive Technologies at WSIS 2012.

These videos clearly illustrate the importance and relevance of the ViPi project.

We hope to publish some more videos in the next few days.

ViPi @ Interactive Technologies and Games: Education, Health and Disability 2012

admin — Mon, 07 May 2012 22:20:52 +0000

ViPi will attend the “Interactive Technologies and Games: Education, Health and Disability 2012″ conference at Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK on 23rd and 24th October 2012. ViPi will contribute with a paper on accessibility and the semantic web, as well as will have a dedicated booth. We hope to welcome you there.

The week before, the ViPi project will also organise its training workshop at Nottingham Trent University premises.

Visit the conference social media:

http://itag.gamecity.org/
http://www.facebook.com/iTAG.conf
http://twitter.com/#!/ITAG12

Call for papers:

The aim of the conference is to bring together academics and practitioners working with interactive technologies to explore and innovate within the areas of Education, Health and Disability. We have a particular focus on the use of gaming hardware and software to implement accessible solutions, interaction design using new input/output devices and the increasing impact of ubiquitous computing on our everyday well being.
The conference provides an excellent opportunity to showcase practice and to mainstream research ideas and outcomes. It introduces a wider audience to key findings and products from research and illustrates how practice feeds back into and informs research. The conference creates a forum for two-way communication between the academic and practitioner communities and particularly welcomes user led presentations and workshops.
The programme includes presentations of papers, workshops, and an exhibition space for demonstrations and posters. This event is held in partnership with GameCity – the World’s best-loved videogame festival (http://gamecity.org/) and delegates are welcome to attend all GameCity events including the opening drinks reception.

Scope:

As guidance to participants on scope of papers and activities we state that: ‘Education’ includes both compulsory and post-compulsory education; ‘Disability’ includes physical, sensory and cognitive impairment; and the impact of interactive technologies and games on health and well-being is also a focus of this conference. An emphasis is placed on practical applications and guides to where currently available training resources and tools can be found and used. A selection of papers will be published electronically in full, so presentations will be limited to 20 minutes for the key findings, including time for questions from the floor. It is hoped (as in previous years) that the best papers will be published in a special issue of a relevant academic journal.

Previous special issues have included:

Journal of Assistive Technologies – Volume 3 issue 2 June 2009 (ITAG 2008 selected papers)
Computers and Education – Volume 56, issue 1 (ITAG 2009 selected papers)
International Journal of Games Based Learning – in press (ITAG 2010 selected papers)
Journal of Assistive Technologies – Volume 6 issue 3 in development (ITAG 2011 selected papers)

Themes and topics:

The conference encourages multidisciplinary papers and examples of themes and topics include (but don’t let this restrict you):
Games Based Learning:

Social and collaborative aspects of games (e.g., educational aspects of Massively Multiplayer Online Games)
The efficacy of games based learning
Self authored content and personalisation in games
Learning theory, pedagogy and instructional design in games
Motivational aspects of games
Collaboration between Science and Art for more effective learning
Games to promote the inclusion (e.g., for offenders and people with disabilities, motivation of female gamers)

Game related Technologies:

Using contemporary games controllers to create new opportunities in health and rehabilitation applications (e.g., applications for Wii Fit, Kinect. Move).
Brain control interfaces to games
Pervasiveness and mobility of games
Location based services
Handheld learning in the classroom

Games for Health:

Serious games for clinical assessment (e.g. after stroke)
Serious games for rehabilitation and treatment (e.g. of phobias, ADHA, post-traumatic stress disorders, stroke)
‘Modding’ for health
Art and music rehabilitation in 3D multisensory environments
Games for children in hospital
Games to increase physical activity in children

Accessibility and Design:

Open source accessibility
Participatory design
Design for all
Natural user interfaces
The representation and promotion of gender equality in games
Alternative input modalities to games for people with disabilities (e.g., brain, haptic and audio interfaces)
Access to interactive technologies for elderly people

Web based technologies:

Resources for interactive learning tools and environments, e.g. Flash, podcasts, simulations, mobile games, Web 2.0 tool etc.
The Internet as a communication medium ( e.g. for people with Asperger Syndrome).
Browser based games and linking into social media channels Submissions

Those wishing to present papers or hold a workshop should send abstracts, to a maximum of 500 words. For those hoping to exhibit or produce a poster, a 300-word abstract is required. The deadline for submissions is Friday1st June 2012 to be sent to: karen.krelle@ntu.ac.uk

Final copies of accepted papers are required by Friday 14th September 2012.
There is a conference fee of £150 for 2 days, and £80 for 1 day registration. This price includes your invitation to the Game City opening event, lunch, and morning and afternoon refreshments.

Accommodation and Travel Links: https://www.conferencebookings.co.uk/delegate/NCBITAGEHD2010
NottinghamCityTravel Link: http://www.nctx.co.uk/

Prizes Offered:

As in previous years prizes will be awarded!

Best Paper Award: £250
Best Student Paper award: £250
Best Student Poster: £150.

Vilnius ViPi workshop – Strengthening ICT skills of people with disabilities

admin — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 19:31:55 +0000

The ViPi Workshop “Strengthening ICT skills of people with disabilities” took place at the Hotel Amberton in Vilnius Lithuania on Wednesday 2nd of May 2012.

The agenda was as following:

14:30 – 14:35 Welcome (Vilma Butkute, Hiteco)
14:35 – 14.45 General introduction of the ViPi project (Karel Van Isacker, PhoenixKM)

Current project work and findings:

14:45 – 15.05 ViPi Survey (Andy Burton, NTU)
15:05 – 15:25 Basic ICT Training curriculum (Andy Burton, NTU)
15:25 – 15:45 ViPi platform technologies and integration pathway (Karel Van Isacker, PhoenixKM / Panagiotis Tsoris, Steficon / Kosmas Petridis, Hypertech)
15:45 – 16.00 Coffee-Break
16:00 – 16:15 Mobile applications (Panagiotis Tsoris, Steficon)
16:15 – 16:30 Semantic Content Management enhancements (George Milis, G.M EuroCy Innovations Ltd)

Lithuanian situation regarding education and employability of people with disabilities (invited talks by representatives):

16:30 – 16:45 The National Association of the People with mental disabilities “VILTIS”
16:45 – 17:00 Lithuanian Association of the Blinds
17:00 – 17:15 Association of the People with Physical disabilities “NEGALIA”
17:15 – 18.00 Open (moderated) discussion among participants, to affect the present and future of the ViPi project
18:00 Wrap-up and closing

We had an interview with Teresa Aidukienė, Head Specialist of Pre-School and Primary Education Division of the Lithuanian Ministry of Education and Science. She worked before as Head Specialist of the Special education Division.

ViPi at the TES Resources North and Special Needs North event

admin — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 18:25:49 +0000

ViPi is present at the TES Resources North and Special Needs North event this weekend.

NTU team at TES event

Good/best practices on ICT training for people with disabilities

admin — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:17:17 +0000

If you have come across any good or best practices related to ICT training for people with disabilities, then we would like to hear from you. Please complete below form and we will get in touch with you.

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Survey report – ICT training and learning experiences of people with disabilities

admin — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 12:54:29 +0000

ViPi released the ViPi Stakeholder Survey – Consolidation and comparative analysis of findings, including the Research Methodology & State of the Art. Both can be downloaded in accessible pdf format.
The survey was devised in the early stages of the ViPi project in order to gain data about the ICT training and learning experiences of people with disabilities, the organisations representing them, trainers, policy makers and intermediaries. The report comprises the survey analysis findings related to ICT training, Community needs, relevant methodologies, pedagogical approaches, available training material, etc. Furthermore, it contains a comparative analysis, describing, assessing and comparing the national peculiarities and similarities of the end-user requirements in the different partner countries.

3rd project meeting in Lithuania

admin — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 13:35:46 +0000

The next ViPi project meeting will take place in Vilnius, Lithuania on 2-4 May 2012. It will start with a ½ day workshop in the afternoon of 2 May, while the project meeting is scheduled for 3-4 May in Druskune.

ViPi @ 2-Days Comenius, ICT and Language projects meeting in Brussels, Belgium

admin — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 11:44:21 +0000

Dissemination corner at projects meeting in Brussels, Belgium

ViPi attended the 2-Days Comenius, ICT and Language projects meeting in Brussels, Belgium on 16-17/02/2012. ViPi was also moderating a discussion group on Project Promotion in the ICT workshop session on using the AECEA ICT Community.

Comenius, Languages, ICT Kick Off Meeting 2012

admin — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:54:49 +0000

ViPi will be present at the Comenius, Languages, ICT Kick Off Meeting organised in Brussels on February 16 & 17 2012.

ViPi @ Com@modemdag

admin — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:52:40 +0000

PhoenixKM will attend the Comenius, ICT and Languages Meeting, to be held in Brussels, Belgium on 16-17 February 2012, as well as the Com@modemdag on 3 February 2012 in Duffel, Belgium that focuses on (ICT) AT for people with disabilities.

At both events, ViPi folders will be disseminated, and contacts will be made with local stakeholders.

ATLEC kick-off meeting

admin — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 18:14:12 +0000

The EC funded ATLEC (Assistive Technology Learning Through A Unified Curriculum – 518229-LLP-1-2011-1-UK-LEONARDO-LMP) project, coordinated by PhoenixKM, and contracted by Oak field School and Sports College (UK) organises its kick-off meeting on 16-17/01/2012 in Nottingham, UK. Its output will also be taken onboard in the ViPi portal, as well as its mobile ICT AT training application.

The EU needs to do more to include people with disabilities

admin — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 18:31:07 +0000

“The EU needs to get more people with disabilities into jobs and include provisions on disability in more of its other policies,” says Parliament in a resolution, passed last week, on the European Disability Strategy 2010-2020.
“Over 80 million people, i.e. around 16% of the EU’s total population, are living with disabilities. The Europe 2020 Strategy target of 75% of the population aged 20-64 in Europe 2020 in employment cannot be achieved unless it includes people with some form of disability”, said Àdám Kósa ahead of the plenary vote.
The employment rate for people with disabilities is only around 45 % in the EU and this is one of the groups hardest hit by the financial crisis, says the resolution, which was passed by a show of hands.
Austerity measures must not become a pretext for unjustified cuts in services for persons with disabilities or in projects for their social inclusion, MEPs say.
The European Parliament stresses the need to reach a swift agreement on the proposal for a Council directive on implementing the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation. This was approved with 362 votes in favour, 273 against and 23 abstentions.
It also calls on the European Commission to reinforce anti-discrimination and accessibility provisions in the EU’s cohesion policy plans for 2014-2020, public procurement reform proposals and to present a legislative proposal for a European Accessibility Act with strong and binding measures at EU level to improve access to goods and services for people with disabilities.
MEPs call on EU Member States and the European Commission to recognise sign language as an official language in the Member States. The rapporteur himself is deaf and is assisted by an interpreter using sign language during meetings.
Finally, the resolution calls on Member States and the Commission to swiftly ratify and implement the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). So far, the Convention has been ratified by 17 Member States.
Source: AccessForAll.eu

Keynote speech and presentation at ITAG 2011

admin — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 05:17:24 +0000

On 26 October 2011, PhoenixKM provided a keynote speech at ITAG 2011 (Interactive Technologies and Games: Education, Health and Disability 2011) event in Nottingham, UK, entitled “The end-user at the centre of all AT developments”, also addressing ViPi.

After the presentation, NTU made an in-depth presentation on “Training on ICT skills for people with disabilities around Europe”, gathering the almost final results of the ViPi survey that was conducted by ViPi in 2011.

Below are the presentations.

ViPi workshop – Larnaca, Cyprus

admin — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 12:56:09 +0000

ViPi organised a successful national workshop in Larnaca, Cyprus on 3 October 2011, with following agenda:

14:00 – 14:30 Registration
14:30 – 14:35 Welcoming (George Milis, G.M EuroCy Innovations Ltd)
14:35 – 14.45 General introduction of the ViPi project (Karel Van Isacker, PhoenixKM) – ppt

Cyprus situation regarding education and employability of people with disabilities (invited talks by representatives):
14:45 – 15.05 The School for the Blind “Agios Varnavas” (Christina Eliadou and Anthias Paschalis) – ppt1 / ppt2
15:05 – 15:25 VIScientific (Stavros Papastavrou) – ppt
15:25 – 15:45 Muscular Dystrophy Association Cyprus (Stelios Stylianou)- ppt
15:45 – 16.00 Coffee-Break

Current project work and findings:
16:00 – 16:15 ViPi Survey (Andy Burton, Nottingham Trent University) – ppt
16:15 – 16:30 Basic ICT Training curriculum (Andy Burton, Nottingham Trent University) – ppt
16:30 – 16:45 ViPi platform technologies and integration pathway (Karel Van Isacker and Panagiotis Tsoris, PHOENIXKM/STEFICON) – ppt
16:45 – 17:00 Mobile applications (Panagiotis Tsoris, STEFICON) – ppt
17:00 – 17:15 Semantic Content Management enhancements (George Milis, G.M EuroCy Innovations Ltd) – ppt
17:15 – 18.15 Open (moderated) discussion among participants, to affect the present and future of the ViPi project
18:15 Wrap-up and closing

Below, you can see a short interview with Stelios Stylianou (Muscular Dystrophy Association Cyprus).

ViPi to present at AEGIS final conference and workshop

admin — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 07:57:59 +0000

ViPi will present at the Accessibility Reaching Everywhere – AEGIS Workshop and International Conference, taking place in Brussels, Belgium on 28-30 November 2011.
The paper will focus on the impact of the economic and financial crisis on social services for people with disabilities, including the provision of assistive technologies that is affected in EU member states.

1st National ViPi Workshop – Larnaca, Cyprus

admin — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 08:58:55 +0000

The ViPi project organises its 1st National Workshop in Larnaca, Cyprus on Monday 3 October 2011 (14:30 – 18:30) at the hotel “Henipa Crown Resorts”, Dhekelia Road, Larnaca.

Target Group
The workshop targets and is expected to attract the following profiles of people and organizations:

Organizations representing people with disabilities
Individuals with a disability
Relatives of, or carers of persons with disability
Training Centers and individual trainers of any level that are experienced or are interested in working with people with disabilities
Intermediaries (Employment Centres, etc.)
Policy makers

Objectives of the Workshop
The Workshop will comprise an opportunity for the participants to receive information on the early project’s findings and to discuss directly with the project consortium and affect the future workplan. The high-level objectives of the workshop are summarized as:

Presentation of project work and findings (Basic ICT Training curriculum, ViPi Survey, ViPi platform technologies and integration pathway, Current work on mobile applications, Current work on Semantic Content Management enhancements, etc.)
Presentation of Cyprus situation regarding education and employability of people with disabilities (invited talks by representatives of Training Centers and/or Organizations of people with disabilities)
Open (moderated) discussion among participants on the above subjects, to affect the present and future of the ViPi project

Language
The official language of the workshop will be the English, however, informal translation to/from Greek will be offered wherever required and for the participants’ convenience.

Registration
The participation to the workshop is free of any charge, but preliminary registration is obligatory. In order to express your interest and register to the workshop, please, send an email or call Mr. George Milis at: +357 99587884, by Friday 23 September 2011.

Please provide following information:

Full Name
Organization (if applicable)
Contact details
Reason of interest
Transportation required? (please, see Transportation section)
Interested for lunch? (please, see Lunch section).

Transportation
Considering the fact that the majority of the participants are expected to arrive from Nicosia, the project will arrange for a bus (free of charge) to transfer people from Nicosia to the workshop venue and back.

From Nicosia to workshop venue: 03 October 2011, 12:00 or 13:30 (please, see Lunch section).
From workshop venue to Nicosia: 03 October 2011, 19:00.

Please, explicitly state your interest to use the above service at registration.

Lunch
Before the workshop and depending on interest expressed through registration, the project will offer lunch (free of charge) to the participants, at the workshop venue. Time: 13:00.

2nd project meeting in Larnacca, Cyprus

admin — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 07:31:56 +0000

The ViPi project team will organise its second workshop on October 3rd in Larnaca, followed by a 2 day project meeting.

ViPi @ ITAG 2011

admin — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 12:11:32 +0000

ViPi will attend and present at the “Interactive Technologies and Games: Education, Health and Disability 2011″ event in Nottingham on 25-26 October 2011, organised by Nottingham Trent University.
The aim of the conference is to bring together academics and practitioners working with interactive technologies to explore and innovate within the areas of Education, Health and Disability. The event has a particular focus on the use of gaming hardware and software to implement accessible solutions, interaction design using new input/output devices and the increasing impact of ubiquitous computing on our everyday well being.
More information can be found on the conference website.

ViPi survey on ICT training needs for people with disabilities

admin — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 11:39:11 +0000

The ViPi team would like to announce the release of the ViPi user requirement survey. The survey aims to assess:

the needs of the potential ViPi community;
the requirements for ICT training;
what training material is currently available;
which teaching approaches and methodologies are employed/most successful.

The survey is tailored to people with disabilities and organisations representing them, relatives, carers and trainers of people with disabilities, and also people dealing with the employment of and policy regarding people with disabilities.

While there are a high number of total questions, it will guide you to those parts of the survey which are relevant to you. The survey length varies dependent on your particular interest in the ViPi project, but should not take more than 15 minutes to complete. All personal questions are optional.

The outcomes of this survey will guide the focus of future ViPi project developments, and hence it is a very important part of the project. It is also your opportunity to express your opinions on ICT training for people with disabilities. Please spare the time to complete the survey, and guide ViPi in the direction that will benefit all stakeholders best.

The survey can be found here:

Many thanks in advance,
The ViPi team.

i-access: Accessible Information Provision for Lifelong Learning

admin — Tue, 24 May 2011 05:02:33 +0000

Accessible Information Provision for Lifelong Learning (i-access) is a one year project of the European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education with the aim of raising awareness of the issues surrounding accessible information provision for Lifelong Learning and developing recommendations on how it can be addressed.This project is co-financed by a European Community Grant under the Lifelong Learning Transversal Programme, Key Activity 1: Policy Co-operation and Innovation.
The conference on 22 June 2011 – 24 June 2011 in Copenhagen, Denmark aims to discuss the implications of accessible information for Lifelong Learning, as well as identifying practical recommendations.