Digital skills are crucial to fully participate in today’s life – that was already true before the global pandemic hit and is even more true going forward. While at least in developing countries the accessibility and affordability of ICT devices and online services has markedly improved, we are still lagging behind in providing the necessary skills to use these technologies to large population groups, including people with disabilities and elderly users.

The ENTELIS+ project intends to help in that regard by developing and implementing innovative methods and practices to foster inclusive education and promote common values.

In a first step, the project consortium created a Glossary to generating a common vocabulary with definitions of key concepts around inclusive education and accessibility. You can find the glossary here: https://entelisplus.entelis.net/2020/11/the-entelis-glossary/

The project also intends to enhance the digital skills and competences of digitally excluded groups, particularly persons with disabilities of all ages, through strategic public and private partnerships. These partnerships include AIAS Bologna onlus in Italy, Atempo in Austria, Saint John of God Community Services in Ireland, and Vocational Training Center MARGARITA in Greece, who are piloting the developed materials with their members, clients, end-users.

In order to better reach the end-users, the pilot partners in the ENTELIS+ project have started a grassroots campaign called the #RightToConnectNow. Around this hashtag, the training material is shared via social media and user stories are collected to feed back into the project work.

Also, to continue the reach and impact of the project outcomes beyond its 2-years period, the project partners have committed to building a community of practice. In a first step, they have listed a number of online discussion groups and fora, dedicated to inclusive education and accessibility: https://entelisplus.entelis.net/2020/12/online-forums-and-groups-for-social-media-engagement/

If you are interested in learning more about and connecting with ENTELIS+, have a look at the material, follow #RightToConnectNow and get in touch!

About ENTELIS+

Run between 1st January 2014 and 31st December 2016, the European Network for Technology Enhanced Learning in an Inclusive Society (ENTELIS) project gave birth to a Consortium of 10 partners – nine from across the European Union and one from the United States. The aim of this newly born network was to empower older persons and persons with disabilities to participate in the digital society by providing them with digital literacy and making assistive technologies more easily accessible. The ultimate goal of the Consortium was to enable persons with disabilities to be more competitive on the job market and to receive high-quality education.

Building on the outcomes of the ENTELIS and IE+ projects, the ENTELIS+ project aims at developing and implementing innovative methods and practices to foster inclusive education and promote common values, as well as enhancing the digital skills and competences of digitally excluded groups, particularly persons with disabilities of all ages, through strategic public and private partnerships.

Learn more about ENTELIS+ at: https://entelisplus.entelis.net/homepage/