Online survey on the needs of professionals
In recent years, Europe has recognised the importance and necessity of media literacy and has started to initiate reforms to promote active media literacy. These are urgently needed - especially for people with disabilities:
Studies show that young people, especially those with intellectual disabilities, are at increased risk in the digital world and are particularly vulnerable to online risks. Therefore, they need specific support and guidance to develop digital skills.
Our project AMEDY wants to make this support and accompaniment possible: It deals with the challenges of the digital world for young people with mild intellectual disabilities and with the needs of the pedagogical professionals working with this target group. Following the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD), the project consortium defines intellectual disability as "a disability characterized by significant limitations in both intellectual functioning and in adaptive behavior, which covers many everyday social and practical skills". Young people with a mild intellectual disability have an IQ of 50 to 69. They are able to read, write and use digital devices, but still need support in coping with it.
Thus, the project aims to design a blended learning training course for these professionals, which is to be carried out in parallel with their work. In addition, strategies for action will be discussed with the involvement of the professionals but also of the young people with disabilities and their support system. In order to draw attention to the topic and the need to deal with the situation of this target group in particular, a toolbox with various activities to raise awareness will be developed in parallel.
With these approaches, the project aims to improve the chances of these particularly vulnerable young people and support them in becoming well-informed and competent European citizens.
In order to identify the requirements for professionals in terms of their media literacy as well as the needs of mentally handicapped young people aged 13 to 29, the project consortium has developed an online questionnaire which can be accessed via the following link:
https://project-amedy.eu/survey/index.cfm/lang.1
This is explicitly aimed at educational professionals who work with young people (13 to 29 years old) with mild intellectual disabilities.
Supplement dated 06.01.2020: The online survey is now finished. Many thanks for all who participated. You will find the first evaluation results in the following post.