1st ACCESS on-line training on inclusive education

From the 20^th to the 22^nd of July 2020 the 1^st ACCESS training “Inclusive Education: Context and Background” was conducted on-line, jointly delivered by the University of Alicante (UA) and the University of Macedonia (UOM).

This first training was supposed to be held on the same dates at the University of Macedonia in Greece, together with a study visit and a coordination meeting. However, due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, in order to continue with the project activities as initially planned, the training was conducted on-line using the Livestorm webinar platform. The use of this platform has allowed sharing presentation and videos, questions and answer sessions, a practical workshop and open discussions with moderation by the project coordinator, UA. Furthermore, the three sessions have been recorded allowing partners to view the sessions at any time.

The objective of the training was to provide an overview of inclusive education in higher education institutions as well as to present different tools and mechanisms for the implementation of a Support Service for Students with Disability.

The first day of the training, delivered by the University of Macedonia, was focused on key principles, important requirements and significant challenges for promoting students with disabilities’ access to general curriculum and peer counseling basics for faculty, staff and administrators.

The second day, delivered by Josefa Parreño Selva, Director of Secretariat for Students support and Employability and José María Fernández Gil, UA Digital Accessibility Specialist was focused on the current status of disability and inclusive education policies, operation of a Support Service and assistive technology for students with disabilities.

The last day consisted of two practical training workshops, one focused on the implementation of a support service for students with disabilities at partner Higher Education Institutions, conducted by UA and the second on the dimensions of resilience (emotional, social, physical, mental) and helping students to develop strategies to maintain and/or strengthen their resilience and well-being, one conducted by UOM.

The main aim of the "ACCESS" project focuses on improving accessibility, guaranteeing learning conditions and promoting policy changes towards the inclusion of students with disabilities in the context of Higher Education in Costa Rica, Cuba and the Dominican Republic through modern inclusion, training and networking practices.

ACCESS has a consortium composed of 2 Higher Education institutions from Costa Rica, 4 from Cuba and 5 from the Dominican Republic, the Ministry of Public Education of Costa Rica, the Ministries of Higher Education of Cuba and Dominican Republic, the University of Macedonia and the University of Alicante, which is the project coordinator.