"""Diffability: HE Curricula & Transition Programme Empowering Students with Different Abilities"""

<< Background >>2023-year data of the Department of Lithuanian Disability Affairs indicated that the number of students with disabilities in higher education institutions is decreasing every year – last year the students with disabilities generated only 0,5 % of all students’ sample. Data show that the pandemic period has further alienated some groups of students with disabilities from the study process, for example deaf students (University of Ljubljana data). It prompted the project partnership to reflect on how we can contribute to a more inclusive society through more accessible education. Through such data we identified that some groups of students are particularly disadvantaged when it comes to distance learning. We wanted to create outcomes that would support empowerment of such students and attract them to enrol in study programmes. It seemed to be obvious to stimulate innovative solutions to promote more inclusive working environments followed or being in line with studying processes. Thus, the emphasis referred to comprehensive understanding of disability inclusion with a specific focus on the transition from education to work environment for individuals with visual/hearing impairments as awareness is the first step towards inclusivity.<< Objectives >>Through the project, we aimed to address vulnerable target groups with disabilities who face various barriers to education, such as inappropriate study materials and assessment methods. The aim of the project was to create an overview of best existing practices and to present innovative solutions for the development of learning content for teaching and distance learning in higher education in the field of entrepreneurship, accessible to differently-abled students, with a focus on content accessible to blind, partially-sighted, deaf and hard-of-hearing students. The key themes that the project addressed are connected to inclusive (higher education) systems, the design of digital education systems adapted to differently-abled students and the promotion of innovative (digital) teaching practices. Through documents, produced in R1 (State of Art, Needs Analysis, Service Packs), we wanted to show that the accommodations that make higher education accessible for the target groups have a positive impact on the whole learning community, etc.<< Implementation >>The activities implemented in the project refer to (1) Project management and actions: A1. Project Coordination Handbook developed in which management, coordination, internal communication and monitoring/evaluation guidelines were established; A2. Project Partner Meetings organized in hybrid mode: TPM1, Faro, M2; TPM2, Ankara, M7, TPM3, Ljubljana, M23 (TPM4 in Brussels connected to the international closing conference was not organized due to reduced project grant and eliminated activities by external experts); A3. Online Partner Meetings organized: 14 online meetings initiated with both project consortium and separate institutions in order to present status qua of the project, plan future tasks, solve pending issues and oversee internal workflow. A4. Internal Evaluation of the project was accomplished through established evaluation criteria of project outputs and activities and was based on individual interviews and consultations taking into account the needs of partners with visual impairment to maintain conversations and provide verbal feedback on the spot. A3. Reports developed (Interim and Final): project activities and financial reports managed by the project coordination institution. Other activities implemented in the project refer to (2) Project results’ development actions: R1. SERVICE PACK FOR HEIs AND EMPLOYERS developed: R1.1 State-of-Art developed in which research was conducted on previous findings of the partners’ institutions; R1.2. Needs Analysis accomplished and good practices presented; R1.3. Service Pack for HEIs developed in which the information was adapted into a comprehensive set of tools designated towards HEIs; R1.4. Service Pack for Employers developed in which the information was adapted into a comprehensive set of tools designated towards Employers; R1.5. Introductory videos (2) developed, edited with transcription and adapted to the sign language; R2. LEARNING CURRICULAR prepared: R2.1. “Review of good practices: existing curricula, trends and expectations” developed; R2.2. Curricula design prepared; R2.3. Adaptation of upscaled curricula to students with vision impairment, as well as R2.4. Adaptation of the upscaled curricula to students with hearing impairment accomplished after the feedback from quality control groups made – namely, the Training Programme with courses/lectures developed; R2.5 and R2.6. Evaluation reports from quality control groups prepared; R2.7. 6 videos created and adapted to the requirements of the differently abed students on curricula specifics; R3. TRANSITION PACK from study-to-work developed: R3.1. Training Programme for Employers developed; R3.2 Apprenticeship Training for Differently Abled Students developed R3.3. and R3.4 Evaluation reports for feedback prepared by the quality groups; A3.5 1 video created, edited and adapted into sign language; 5. Policy and Sustainability activities partly developed: R5.1. Memorandum of Cooperation prepared and signed between all project partner institutions; R5.4. Policy Recommendations developed; R5.5. Sustainability and Follow-up Planning prepared as an annex to the Memorandum of Cooperation; A6. Policy and Sustainability introductory video created, edited and adapted to sign language; R6. Community of Practice and Dissemination developed: R6.1 Visibility and Dissemination Materials prepared – project logo, templates; R6.2. Visibility and Dissemination Plan developed; R6.3 Community of Practice: website created and maintained; R6.4. Introductory videos (2) created which present project idea and results translated into sign language. 8. MULTIPLIER EVENTS organized: A1. ‘'Curricula of opportunities”, Ljubljana A2. “Enterprises for E-Opportunities”, Faro A3. “Forum”, Kaunas A4. ‘Open doors for DIFFABILITIES’, Munchen A5. ‘’Differently able to work’’, Ankara. << Results >>RESULTS R1: Service packs for HEIs and Employers based on the state of art and the needs analysis of the target groups adapted. R2: Remote accessible learning curricula for HEIs adapted to Differently Abled Students with visual/hearing impairment. R3: Transition Pack (staff training programme and apprenticeship training) adapted for successful study to job transition of Differently Abled Students R4: Policy and sustainability activities delivered to foster a systematic change in the recognition of remote and accessible entrepreneurship curricula and study to job transition programmes for Differently Abled Students. R5: Community of practice is formed together with a communication and dissemination activities: R1-3: 20 Differently Abled Students/Practitioners with vision/hearing impairment involved in the control group activities. Multiplier events organized involving 252 participants. 12 videos created to present developed results (the videos are edited with the transcription and adapted to sign language).