"BackgroundICT tools in ECEC services targeting vulnerable children (approx. 6% in EU28) are available a) to directly increase the efficiency of child related learning and b) to organizational processes. Despite the availability of these tools and APPs (e.g. 800 for children with autism) OECD points out, that professionals in most EU28 do not use them sufficiently. Lack of structured training (60% report auto-didactic learning) , myths (danger of addiction), skepticism towards early usage and missing exchange possibilities (which tool is useful/which not) inhibit the implementation of ICT tools despite the EU digital agenda, findings which highlight supporting effects regarding academic skills and a huge number of APPS and tools to be used in ECEC settings. Existing product platforms mainly follow commercial motivation and do not allow professional exchange within a community of practice of the professionals.AimsLets try I(C)T aims to increase the quality of ECEC services by increasing the usage of available ICT tools, a) on the level of concrete support for disadvantaged and/or disabled children and b) on the level of service planning, documentation and assessment.This aim in terms of further lifelong professional training is reached1) by a community of practice, where professionals learn from he experience of others (comparable to a trip-advisor system)2) by blended training regarding available best practice examples and tutoring (professionals become ICT multiplier for other3) by learning events within multiplier events (also available for other professionals within mobilities)Target groups-Professionals in Early childhood Intervention -Kindergarten teachers-Parents of disadvantaged children or with special educational needs (SEN) Products/Intellectual outcomes1) SEN- APP-ADVISOR: Platform of common learning and exchange for professionals comparable to social platforms like tripadvisor2) APP and Tool Multiplier: Online learning regarding best practice 3) APP-Tutoring: Didactic guidebook for multipliers in ECEC services to address the training needs of professionals regarding ICT Impact:Increase of usage of available ICT tools in ECEC in order to increase quality and efficiency of services by better trainingPartnership:Multisectorial and multigeographical consortium (Early Intervention (HR, DE) ,kindergarten, research (PT, TR), training (AT), SME (AT) , NGOs), most with high experience in EU cooperation. Expertise in ICT (AT, BE), in specific research (PT), EU dissemination (Down Sendromu Dernegi) and training (AT). Cooperation with training Institutions in DE (Medical School Hamburg).SustainabilitySEN-APP-ADVISOR: It remains (self) sustainable if a critical mass of ""users"" APP and TOOL MULTIPLIER: Involvement of governmental structures (quality control) and parental organisation to increase mainstream usage of participative/transparent and time-efficient ICT planning and documentation tools in ECECAPP-TUTORING: Implementation of APP tutoring workshop in mainstream training"

"BACKGROUND AND NEEDIn many EU27 countries the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF, WHO 2005) is introduced as a common language to describe (special) educational needs. In AT regulations foresee that special educational expertise in school has to be based on ICF (Rundschreiben 23/1, BMB); in CH both the SSG (Schulstandortgespräche) and SAV (Strukturiertes Abklärungsverfahren) use ICF countrywide as common structuring language and WHO qualifier to assess the severity of problems. “A common language” disseminates and exploits recent Erasmus+ tools (www.icfcy-meduse.eu) from the preschool and health into the school sector: Schools in most EU27 seem rarely prepared to use this UN-convention conform and politically required system. By increasing knowledge and competences for professionals in school ICF contributes to high quality skills to address inclusive challenges, to social cohesion and full participation De-stigmatization is supported as parents and pupils (using adapted ICF) are a part of the “team around the child”. ICF is a holistic way to describe abilities and restrictions of a person with a health problem and a category system to assess the needs and eligibility of e.g. support needs in school. In DE the new Law on Participation (Bundesteilhabegesetz) at least for services for persons with disabilities (PwD) oblige the focus on “ICF-participation”. Phoenix (DE) also introduced ICF to plan individual support goals in a team. In MK ICF is generally recommended for teachers (Brochure of Ministry of Education, UNICEF). In TR the potential of ICF to be used as a meta language between diverse sectors is highlighted. In practice the approx. 1400 items describing relevant aspects of education require intensive “on the job” training and availability of tools: Lack in both areas partly explain why school systems are still not adequately prepared. However ICF can increase the quality of schooling-processes within global inclusive strategies by a) bringing together diverse sector perspectives b) providing a common inclusive language and c) match special needs with support resources (Styrian BHG 2004. The focus is on what a pupil is able to do and how the environment is supportive. ICD 10, e.g. focuses on deficits (in MK still called “defects”) and tend to rely on a medical understanding of disability. However at the moment – with exception of CH – no tools for teachers or other professionals in school are available to implement ICF. Innovatively also the parents and the pupils are seen as full members of the “team around the child” to increase empowerment, citizenship and equal participation of all actors. The use of a common inclusive language in school therefore increases the quality of inclusive support as all involved groups within a team (including the parents an d children) use ONE terminology. Recent Erasmus+ www.icfcy-meduse.eu already created training materials and ICT tools focusing on pediatric and preschool services. The use of ICF for teachers (age-group and curriculum issues will be addressed), for school psychologists ( “translation of test-results into ICF codes and qualifiers), of parents (family friendly version of ICF) and of pupils (assessment) are adressed. OBJECTIVES “Common inclusive language” increases key inclusive competences for school professionals by disseminating, adapting and exploiting recent ICF-EU products. ACTIVITIES a) Exploiting and adapting ICF training materials towards the school setting b) Actively involving parents and pupils as fully participating partners by providing them with tools (e.g. self assessment and a family-friendly version for parents) c) “translation” processes of tools for school psychologists (e.g. tests) into ICF-language RESULTS (exploitation of www.icfcy-meduse.eu) O1: Briefing Package ICF in School for teachers ( 4 modules) O2: “Lets use the same language”: Family-friendly ICF-brochure for parents O3: “Let me be part of the team”: ICFself assessment for children with special educational needs (based on previous pilot data with adolescent learners) O4: “ICF Test-translator”: adaptation of ICF “practice translator” to match the results of psychological tests with ICF-items and WHO qualifier. IMPACT Focus on abilities rather than disability Awareness rising, knowledge and use in school systems (teachers, school psychologists etc) as legally required Mainstream into continuos training for teachers, psychologists Full participation of disadvantaged groups Certification towards ""ICF train-the-trainer"" CONSORTIUMMultisectoral and geografical: (PH-ST with 2 Praxisschulen, Phoenix -School DE & SVS Stip, MK), ICF-training center MSH (DE), ICF-research (Dr.Pretis, AT), Association of School Psychologists (AT), developmental specialists (TR), dissemination partner (MK) and parent association (TR) and strategic partners."

"<< Background >>Inclusion of students with disabilities (SwD) in mainstream education is regarded as a top priority in the national legislations of the partner countries, all of which signatories of international documents promoting inclusion (the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the UNESCO Salamanca Statement). The documents require the States Parties to ensure that children with disabilities are not excluded from free and compulsory primary education. However, significant differences are detected between the legal provisions and the circumstances. Also, inclusion rates differ not only among countries, but also among regions/states: in AT they range from 50 to 95%, in DE from 26 to 83%, in TR 68% inclusion nationally. There are no official data for MK, except that 0.4% of the children enrolled in regular primary schools in 19/20 had some type of disability. In 2001, the WHO published the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), focusing on a functional understanding of health. ICF offers an ability-based, interacting and holistic view of SwD in diverse settings. As a non-stigmatising meta-language, it increases participation, goal-oriented planning for teachers, full participation of the “team around the family"", and transparency of interventions.National education systems are not always fully prepared for mainstream inclusion, so GAPS between the future strategy and the status quo are visible. In its Education Strategy 2018-2025, the government of North Macedonia sets increasing and improving inclusion in education as a priority, but also recognizes a lack of capacity: lack of mechanisms; discriminatory attitudes among parents, teachers, and peers; educators’ lack of competences; scarcity of didactic materials, resources and aids; insufficient no. of related professionals (spec. educators, psychologists, assistants). Teachers report lack of concrete methodologies concerning team-work and didactic processes for ALL children. Necessary exchange processes with other relevant sectors (health/social) are challenging due to different professional description systems.The participating organisations have sufficient knowledge, skills, and experience in inclusion, ICF, and education of students with disabilities, so they feel the obligation and the need to contribute to fostering inclusion and increasing quality of education for all children. The project goal is to increase the quality of education by increased participation goal-orientation and enhances inclusion and equity; it creates synergies between different sectors related to education of SwD by introducing ICF and providing team teaching methodsThe project addresses the NEEDS to:- Address the developmental situation of SwD in a common language for all;- Cooperate in relevant teams at school (with other teachers in the team and other professionals in the “team around the family”);- Apply diverse teaching methods to provide inclusive education<< Objectives >>The partners in the project ""Inclusion-Friendly Classroom: The ICF as a Problem Solving Tool for the Team around the Child in Educational Settings"" have set the GOAL to increase the quality of education by increased participation goal-orientation and enhance inclusion and equity. The consortium creates synergies between different sectors related to education of students/pupils with disabilities (SwD) by introducing ICF and providing team teaching methods. The OBJECTIVES towards achieving the goal of the project are:1. To enhance the skills of educators towards a COMMON ability-based and participation-focused language by using ICF;2. To increase (participation) goal orientation and inclusiveness in the classroom by means of an ICF evaluation tool; 3. To increase team work in the “team around the family”4. To promote inclusion by facilitating teaching processes based on reflective self-learning of teachers.<< Implementation >>Sharing expertise and validated experience on team teaching, the Partners jointly design the results (see: www.icf-school.eu or Pretis, 2020), pilot them, and share results through multiplier events (linked to needs). The usability of the outcomes is validated by external steering groups. Based on strategic partnerships (support letters by the Macedonian Ministry of Education and Science and the Board of Education Styria - Austria , teacher network - 3 model regions of inclusion in AT, Corum RAM Guidance and Research Centre of the MoE in TR) tools are prepared to be mainstreamed for ALL schools.<< Results >>Addressing the needs of the target groups - educational staff in primary and preschool institutions (teachers, special teachers, teaching assistants, rehabilitators, therapists), but also parents, administration, policy makers and SwD, the project is expected to result in:- Increased communication and exchange concerning children with disabilities, and increased efficiency of teaching processes by using a common language in school and participation goal orientation.- Increased inclusive teaching competences and increased (participation-)goal orientation as a key factor of meaningful (school and preschool) support, achieved by use of the provided methodological tools and guidance.Three project products (outcomes) have been plan as tools towards achieving the project goal and objectives:Project result 1: “ICF Inclusion Checklist” – a tool for educators, including parents, to evaluate inclusive acting in the classroom and functionally describe the student’s health situation and his/her education support needs;Project result 2: “Participation Goal Incubator” - a guide which provides concrete self-guided teacher training on how to create ICF-based meaningful participation goals based on functional descriptions with and for students with disabilities; and Project result 3: “Teachers-Teamwork-Toolkit” – a toolkit providing team-teaching methodologies to help teachers cooperate and coordinate classroom activities in the “team around the family”.The positive impact of the project results includes:1) Participation goal orientation in school is increased based on the number of users. 2) Teachers act more inclusively in the classroom: using the ICF tools increase inclusive thinking of teachers and increase outcome orientation by using the WHO classifiers. 3) Team-teaching processes are evidence-oriented and improve team coordination/cooperation. Teachers benefit from concrete didactic tools and didactic support methods for ALL children.4) Using the ICF-based goal setting tools the individual match between goals and necessary teachings strategies for ALL students in classrooms therefore will be increased. On classroom level this will be measured by selected focus groups with SwD or parents."

"<< Objectives >>The “Int.. Classification of Functionning, Disability and Health“ (ICF) enabled a bio-psycho-social, ability based and non-stigmatizing approach, focusing on „participation“. ICF is included in regulations of additional support needs in most EU27; implementation in schools is still pending. Only assessing bodies (SPF-Gutachter, DMs) learnt about ICF in HLGs (Styria and NÖ) and pilot regions. For Inclusive and mainstream teachers (planning and performing support) a knowledge/skill gap is bridged<< Implementation >>1 After the tool-development pilots are performed in AT (pre-/inservice teacher training and Praxisschulen), in MK (School administration) and TR. 2 Together with BDs (Stmk, NÖ, W) and PHs, 5 ICF-assessment centers in MK, expert networks in TR outcomes are dissminated.3 Mainstreaming: 15-20% of inclusive teachers in AT are reached, in NÖ existing electronic Förderplan is amended. MK School Administration ensures mainstream in the Central region. RAM (TR) reaches 4000 teachers within trainings.<< Results >>1) ICF-support-plan: (anonymous) online tool for inclusive and mainstream teachers to plan and perform additional educational support (based on ICF-categories and participation goals). This ""plan"" is linked to1a: training modules previous Erasmus+ projects in AT, DE, MK, UNICEF (BG, TR)1b: ICF Best practice-expert-plans from previous projects1c: FAQ to provide target specific answers for teachers1d: Link to indepth-tools from recent Erasmus+ (www.icfcy-meduse.eu, www.icf-school.eu, ""I am”)"

"Background/Context2 major interconnected initiatives in the field of persons with disabilites (PwD) - the UN-Convention on the Rights of PwD (1986) and the International Classification of Functionning, Disabilty and Health (2002) (CY= children/youth version) focus on the full participation of PwD, on the necessity of inclusive settings and on a common language for professionals in order to describe limitations, strengths and facilitators for PwD. Both iniatives focuse on better chances for disadvantaged target groups and decrease inequality in EU28. Most of EU28 parliaments ratified the UN-convention, in most of national political disability strategies in EU28 the usage of ICF-(CY) is foreseen or even defined as one supportive factor towards an increase of quality of life for PwD: reducing inequality, facilitating full particpation by using a common language between professionals and the , assessment and demographic data collection, increase of service quality and efficiency). However despite high political will in most of EU28 the transectorial implementation of ICF(CY) can be assessed as challengeing, as trainings and available tools are frequently assessed as difficult to handle. Therefore a major gap between political will and concrete implementation of ICF (CY) can be observered, due to missing on-the-job training, and usable Tools.Within the specific field of and Early Childhood Intervention and Social Pediatry (children and adolescents 0-18a with up to 6% of children assessed as disabled or at risk in EU28) this lack of implementation also decreases necessary exchange processes between the relevant sectors of medicine, education, labour market etc. ObjectivesICF-CY Med-Use 1) increases the usage of ICF-CY by tansfering electronc tools into clinical practice and combining them with on the job-training (peer-to-peer learning). 2) transfers training curricula into EU strategies (learning outcome, EQF) by blended learning possibilities and makes trainings comparable (trainer certification)3) integrates formal and informal (on-the job-learning by training passports)Profile of participantsThe consortium consists of multisectorial (medicial, educational, roof organisations, training) and mutligeographical partners (DE, AT, TR, UK, IT, MK). Partners contribute specific expertise: curricula and training (DE), ICT (AT), transition (AT), best practice (IT), research (UK), strategic implementation (MK, TR).Description of activitiesThe partnership transfered finding from previous LLL projects (www.icf-training.eu, www.ebiff.org) into the specific field of Social Pediatry (143 SPZ in DE), transfered roof-organisation training curricula (DE) into EU learning outcome-models and online training platforms, initiated trainer certification (based on online self-assessments) and iniatiated the usage of individual training portfolio (to assess furher training needs of users). Beside 6 consortium meetings national multiplier seminars are organised to increase knowledge and skills concerning ICF.Results1) ""ICF-CY practice-translator"": Current static icf-cy lists (1400 items) were transfered towards usable forms (easy usability to be transfered into daily clinical practice, including ""context-search-functions, local community of practice tools)2) ICF-CY training platform: Transfer of existing training curricula (e.g. VIFF) into EU learning outcome frames,availablility of online blended learning environments. Certification of trainers to ensure comparability in cooperaton with national bodies. Roof partner in DE are involved in curricula3) ICF-CY online training passport in terms of online assessment based on learning outcomes, EQF-levels to assess formal and informal learning in the field or on the job.Impact: ICF-CY Med-USE - based on ""on-the job learning"" in the field of prevention of disability increased the quality of services introducing a common language and common assessment criteria. Relevant exchange processes between medical field, education and transition into labour market for disadvantagded groups were initatiated and therefore the chances of vulnerable Groups were increased.Long term benefitEspecially the roof partners in DE (representing the relevant systems Social Pediatry and Early Childhood Intervention), strong political will in MK and legal requirements in TR and AT contributed to sustainability (clinical usage, better exchange towards transition). Both consortium partner in DE represent certification bodies focusing on longterm training and implementation (in cooperation with WHO). A common language increased the understanding and compliance of PwD and their families and quality of life of disadvantaged groups (including employability due to better information exchange between sectors) were focused on."