Participating companies in ECO4VIP
The BFW Düren is a vocational rehabilitation centre for blind and partially sighted adults. It was founded in 1978 and employs about 100 staff members. The BFW Düren offer various services concerning vocational training and integration into labour market and society for an average of 200 clients. The R&D section of the BFW Düren is responsible for carrying out all projects and has been active since 1998 in 9 national and European projects. In the European ADAPT project ”Let’s vitalize” the BFW was responsible to develop an IT-training curriculum for the target group. The BFW was also responsible to develop the multimedia final report of this project. In the transnational HORIZON project ”UMBRELLA” the BFW developed training concepts for unemployed blind and partially sighted persons. In the Leonardo project ”PROBIQ” this institute was working on a curriculum for a C++ programming course. Again the BFW was responsible for the creation of a multimedia CD with the final report and the manual. In the nationally funded project ”PROBAT” the R&D section developed a special helpdesk software for blind computer users. In the national project SOBES a diagnostic software for appropriate computer-setup for visually handicapped computer user. In three national funded projects, the R&D section was responsible for the coordination of the project. The BFW was also coordinator for the accessibility project "E-Learn-VIP" inthe years 2005-2006. The results of this project will influence the products of the actual project.
The BFW is responsible for the development of one of the learning curriculum and learning media. In January 2004 the BFW started to establish an e-learning service for visually impaired persons. Two certified Tele-Coaches are responsible for this. Since March 2005 the BFW Düren has been coordinating the ”E-Learn-ViP” project, funded by the E-Learning programme of the EC. The BFW Düren is also a member of a national network of service providers for blind and visually impaired people, which focuses on the improvement of e-learning platforms considering their accessibility
The R&D section of the BFW Düren is ISO 9001:2000 certified.
Key tasks of the BFW in project:
- coordinating and administration of project
- carrying out 1st workshop
- carrying out national conference for stakeholders and target group in e-learning
- developing all CBT/WBT learning and teaching material for the course
- developing CD ROM with CBT/WBT, curriculum and final report
Contact Adress:
Karl-Arnold-Str. 132-134
D052349 Düren, Germany
http://www.bfw-dueren.de
bfw@e-covip.eu
The ARLA Institute is a vocational training and development centre in Espoo, Finland. It offers vocational rehabilitation and training for visually impaired and deafblind people. In addition it offers various expert services The ARLA institute is the only specialist centre in this field in Finland. The institute strives to arrange the required vocational training on a very individual basis. It offers vocational training programmes according to the National Vocational Qualifications. The ARLA institute has a staff of about 100 persons and educates about 210 visually impaired students in fulltime education per year.
The ARLA Institute is an active member of Finnish Design for All Network. The network consists of 33 organizations (research institutions, universities and user organisations) with a wide range of expertise on the problems and solutions related to accessibility and usability. This membership offers a good platform for dissemination and valorisation of the ECOVIP project results in Finland.
Considering e-learning, the ARLA institute established target group oriented services already at the beginning of the century and made internal tests about appropriate platforms and demands for accessibility. They also carried out an internal course to empower their trainer in educating visually impaired people via e-learning. The experiences of the institute will be a benefit for the applied project. Since 2001 ARLA carries out the ”Virtual Vision” e-learning conference, which has its focus on the main project subjects.
Tasks and responsibilities of the ARLA institute in project:
- Developing rough conception of curriculum
- Development of detailed curriculum for Methodology
- Development of tutorial for Methodology
- carrying out national conference for stakeholders and target group in e-learning
Contact Adress:
Puustellinmäki 4-6,
FIN-02650 Espoo, Finland
http://www.arlainst.fi
arla@e-covip.eu
The Féderation nationale pour l ’insertion des personnes Sourdes et des Personnes Aveugles en France (FISAF) - which is the National Federation For The Inclusion of Deaf And Blind People In France - was founded in 1925. Situated in Carbon-Blanc cedex, it includes 122 associations and services in the medical and social sector and employs 4000 professionals in the field of hearing and visual impairment. It represents associations and institutions near to public authorities. For these it offers technical support and makes contributions to the coordination and valorisation of their activities.
Furthermore, FISAF offers training courses and information in the field of hearing and visual impairment. So it provides a better knowledge about blind and deaf people. The federation also helps civil services or companies to integrate and welcome employees with visual or hearing disabilities and adapts workplaces in view of the circumstances people with sensory handicaps are faced with. In addition to that, they offer courses on the French sign language (LSF) and develop educational project for blind and deaf people.
It also deserves mentioning that FISAF offers technical support and counselling for associations, companies and individuals that want to be provided with information on visual and hearing impairment. Additionally, it organizes conferences and helps to find solutions to enable accessibility in towns and cities for people with sensory handicaps as well as for elderly people.
FISAF has experiences in doing cooperations with national and international organisations; the main aims of these cooperation were and are the development in the training and education for the target group as well as of research.
Within the framework of the ECOVIP project, FISAF enables the project to push and promote the valorisation of the work results paying attention to people with visual impairment, but also transferring the findings - especially concerning the aspects of accessibility and usability (”barrier-free”) - to other target groups; in the case of FISAF these are people with deafness.
In the applied project, the key tasks and responsibilities of FISAF are:
- Developing a summary of key elements concerning accessibility for deaf computer user, to be considered in the tutorial and CBT/WBT
- Promoting the project to other national head-organisations and federations of the target group
- Carrying out national conference for stakeholders and the target group in e-learning in collaboration with FISAF.
Contact Adress:
12, rue Alfred de Musser
33565 Carbon-Blanc, France
http://www.fisaf.asso.fr
fisaf@e-covip.eu
The Institut Monteclair is a service center for people with visual handicaps, which offers various services. The assets of the Montéclaire Institute:
- Regional Resources Centre for the visually impaired
- Vocational training for visually impaired people
- Promoter of Interregional Support services to visually impaired adults (located in Pays de la Loire, Poitou-Charentes and Centre regions) developing various focuses for the target group, such as networks, abilities, information and training.
- National networks with other regional resources centres and especially through the AGEFIPH (financial aids in favour of people with disabilities professional integration).
- Regional network with employees
- Organisation managed by the Mutualite Française Anjou-Mayenne, which belongs to the Mutualite Française
- Adapted data-processing for visually impaired people, carried out by the own R&D Department
The Montéclaire Institute has already participated in European projects, especially in the scope of Leonardo (EATT - Equal Access to Technology - project) which the aim was to set up a training curriculum for new technologies in favour of the over 35 age visually impaired. As coordinator in the LEONARDO project ”PROVIPTRAIN” this institute gives evidence about sufficient experiences in working within transnational networks considering the subject.
The Montéclair Institute will also start a Leonardo project ”The Globe” in October 2005 of which the aim will be to facilitate the integration of visually impaired people in vocational training in the sector of tourism and leisure.
As key actor in the region of Brittany the Institute Montéclair has intense connections to key organizations of the target group and supports the dissemination of the project.
In the applied project, this partner’s key tasks and responsibilities are:
- Development of the detailed curriculum for the subject ”configuration of accessible e-learning platforms and -systems”
- Development of the tutorial for the subject ”configuration of accessible e-learning platforms and -systems”
- carrying out national conference for stakeholders and target group in e-learning in collaboration with FISAF
Contact Adress:
Rue du Vallon 51
4900 Angers, France
http://www.monteclair.fr
monteclair@e-covip.eu
The Royal National College for the Blind (RNC) is a unique specialist residential further education college and vocational training organisation for people aged 16 years upwards who are blind or partially sighted.
The RNC is a pioneering independent college which has been, and remains at the forefront of specialist education and training for people who are blind or partially sighted since 1872.
More people choose to come to RNC than any other specialist college in the UK because they are able to offer an individualised course that will prepare them for the next step in their career, whether this is higher education, employment or self-employment.
The college provides a range of ‘train the trainer’ and awareness programmes for professionals and other sectoral groups. They operate an alternative format media production centre and have a range of assistive technology and accessibility audit support services.
In addition to the academic and vocational training programmes, the college has active R&D and commercial facilities, examining, developing, valorising & marketing innovative products and services for the visually impaired and blind on an international basis.
The RNC has highly skilled assistive technology resources and a very practical outlook to the application of such technologies in academic and vocational studies. The RNC is also developing groundbreaking techniques such as audio/haptics as an innovative new teaching and training system.
Accessibility issues - The RNC can offer advice and consultancy services on most aspects of equality of access and inclusion issues. Website accessibility auditing [academic and vocational] being a particularly strong facility. Especially with tactile technology for blind people, the RNC is able to contribute with its experiences to the project.
Low Vision - The RNC has a huge reservoir of knowledge on both the causes of low vision and how the various conditions can affect the learning process.
Sound engineering - The RNC has excellent facilities for supporting vocational projects that involve sound engineering technologies.
Holistic therapies - The RNC has high skill levels in the training of many holistic therapies.
In the applied project the key tasks of the RNC and its responsibilities will be:
- Developing project leaflet/flyer
- Developing rough conception for final examination
- carrying out national conference for stakeholders and target group in e-learning
- Carrying out 2nd workshop
- Development of detailed curriculum for ”alternative techniques in target-group oriented blended learning”
- Development of tutorial for ”alternative techniques in target-group oriented blended learning”
- Development of final examination
- carrying out final examination in pilot course
Contact Adress:
College Road
HR1 1EB Hereford, United Kingdom
http://www.rncb.ac.uk
rnc@e-covip.eu
The SOSW Institute is a specialized school and vocational training center for visually impaired students. It was founded in 1948.The Institute was the first in Poland to found a local educational and psychological information centre for parents and teachers dealing with visually impaired children in mainstream schools.
Today, this institute is the biggest educational centre for the blind in Poland. There are over 500 pupils and students, most from southern Poland, and over 200 staff members.
In recent years the Institute has set up foreign exchanges with visually impaired students from other European schools. Working in conjunction with the British organisation GAP, English speaking school leavers assist the English department in the classroom. The Institute also participates in various European Union projects.
With an average of 600 students and a variety of connections to self-help federations and several East-European countries, this institute will also be very helpful for dissemination the results.
In the project the main task of this institute is to carry out the quality management and monitoring of the valorisation plan of the project. By internal Audits this institute evaluates the progress of the project corresponding to the application and the work plan. In the LEONARDO project PROVIPTRAIN this institute is also responsible for the Quality Management and internal monitoring process. The experiences of this institute on this field and about the target group, will improve the quality of the products and their dissemination.
Key tasks and responsibilities of SOSW:
- Developing QM strategy and QM plan
- Evaluating rough conception of Curriculum and examination
- Evaluating detailed curriculum
- Evaluation pilot course
- carrying out 4th final workshop
- carrying out national conference for stakeholders and target group in e-learning
Contact Adress:
ul Tyniecka 6
30-319 Krakow, Poland
http://www.blind.krakow.pl
sosw@e-covip.eu
VISIO is a non-profit organisation for blind and partially sighted children, youth, adults and elderly people in their living system to provide: education, assessment, rehabilitation, vocational training, consultancy and R&D. VISIO has specific expertise concerning the healthcare, education and social support of the target group; also for the group with additional impairments as: deaf blindness, psycho-neurological problems, mental diseases. VISIO has a good co-operation with the Dutch Blind Union and other specific and regular training institutes on national and European level as well.
Corresponding to the e-learning subject VISIO provides over sufficient experiences by carrying out the ADAPT funded project ”Let’s vitalize” (1998-2000) and cooperating in the project ”E-Learn-ViP” (2005-2006), funded by the E-Learning programme. Both projects considered distance monitoring and e-learning for visually impaired people. This institute belongs to one of the two largest vocational training providers in the Netherlands and has close connections to the Dutch Federation of the blinds and visually impaired.
In the applied project, VISIO’s key tasks and responsibilities are:
- Development and maintenance of project website, forum and fileserver
- Carrying out national conference for stakeholders and target group in e-learning
- Development of detailed curriculum for subject ”Communication tools”
- Development of tutorial for subject ”Communication tools
Contact Adress:
Amersfoortsestraatweg 180
1272 RR, Huizen The Netherlands
http://www.visio.org
visio@e-covip.eu
Except of FISAF are all project partners member of the:
