Research
Research
Lifestyle Redesign through ICT
The social inclusion of elderly people is an important challenge to behold the life satisfaction and independency of the persons at age living at home. To promote these needs, a method called Lifestyle Redesign® was developed in the United States. This method tries to change the daily habits of these older people by ergo therapeutic interventions. The goal is to improve the wellbeing and health of these people and to make sure the elderly can function longer without being dependant on external help (e.g. Jackson, et al. 1998).
The Lifestyle Redesign® program teaches the elderly the importance of continuous participation in social life. Mainly the increase of the social contacts where described as very valuable in breaking the threatening isolation. Thanks to the program there was social inclusion again. Not only did the elderly live longer, they also lived more qualitatively with a wide interest in social life (Clark, et al., 2001). An interesting link for this research is the application of ICT as a facilitator in the Lifestyle Redesign® program. In which ways can ICT support and contribute positively to the program?
Anysurfer Netwerk
The Anysurfer Network builds on the Anysurfer project. Six organisations collaborate to expand the target group of the Anysurfer project. Blindenzorg Licht en Liefde, initiator of BlindSurfer en AnySurfer, is joined by 5 new members Fevlado, ISdAC, K-point, Wablieft en WAI-NOT. These members have additional expertise in web accessibility for special target groups.
By creating a single point of contact, the network wants to facilitate the making of accessible websites for a large audience, including people with intellectural disabilities.
The Telenet Foundation supported the Anysurfer Networkin 2008 and continued to do so in 2009.
Incluso
The INCLUSO project is a collaborative action between seven European partners, funded by the European Union in its 7th Framework programme of Research.
INCLUSO complies with action line 3.7: ICT for independent living and inclusion and carries out activities put forward in call ICT-2007.7.2 Accessible and inclusive ICT, subitem Stronger RTD capacity through delivery of proof of concept for ICT solutions facilitating social inclusion of marginalized young people
INCLUSO's AIMS and GOALS
INCLUSO aims to deliver a verifiable proof that ICT, and more precisely, social software tools, can facilitate social inclusion of marginalized young people. INCLUSO will make suggestions for future research and development, based on desk research, expert input, pilot projects in 4 countries, the development of a measurement tool to screen evolution in social inclusion/exclusion and a business and sustainability model for organizations working with ICT in the area of social inclusion.
13 and 14 September 2010: The INCLUSO 2010 conference. (www.incluso.org/conference)
Inclusive Internet
This 3 year research program is trying to define better design rules for websites in order to make them accessible for people with intellectual disabilities. The research involves end users in order to obtain valid information about real expectations and skills of the target group members. The results of the project will be available in April 2008.
EasyICT
The main aim of the project is to include mentally disabled people in the information society and in this way prevent them from becoming the most disprivillaged society members. This goal is going to be achieved by:
- the development of a certification framework, which will allow institutions to run internationally recognized examinations,
- the creation of an online testing environment which will help in assessing ICT skills,
- the implementation of an administration environment which will help in administrating the whole process, and
- the training of institutions which will run certified examinations and use the tool.
More information can be found on: http://www.epractice.eu/cases/EasyICT
ICT instrument for plain and easy-to-read language
This research project develops ICT tools that support the writing of plain and easy-to-read Dutch language.
WAI-NOT
WAI-NOT promotes the use of ICT for people with intellectual disabilities. WAI-NOT supports e-inclusion by offering:
- The http://www.wai-not.be/ website for youngsters;
- The http://www.wai-not.org/ website for teachers, parents, coaches.
More info is also available on http://www.epractice.eu/cases/wainot
ICThelpt (ICT helps)
ICThelpt (ICT helps) brings together information that supports young people with special needs. This information includes new software tools, hardware, websites, good practices and more. ICThelpt builds collaboration between strong partners with expertise in different areas of ICT and disabilities. ICThelpt is supported by CERA and is now working together with Klascement, the largest educational portal in Flanders.
Klaar voor Klare Taal (ready for easy-to-read language)
"Klaar voor klare taal" developed tools that supports the writing of easy-to-read Dutch language. A train-the-trainer course was developed to support intermediate organisations to better communicate with target groups.
"Klaar voor klare taal" also pays attention to gender aspects in written language.
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