"<< Background >>Project wants to develop and transfer to VET teacher and trainers innovative teaching approach and tools for students with learning difficulties, exploiting the potential offered by Haptic training not yet applied to the VET system.Over the last few decades, the EU has tackled disability-related issues with an approach aimed at integrating disability policies across all the areas in which they are applied.One of objectives of the Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030 is to progress towards ensuring that all persons with disabilities in Europe, have equal opportunities, equal access to participate in society and economy. It builds on the results of the previous European Disability Strategy 2010-2020. Its evaluation notes that the strategy, by putting disability high on the EU agenda, has helped to improve the situation in several areas, in particular accessibility for people with disabilities and promotion of their rights. However, people with disabilities continue to face significant barriers in accessing health care, education, employment and recreation, and participating in political life. They also present a higher risk of poverty or social exclusion (28.4%) than people without disabilities (18.4%)Osnabrück Declaration on VET outlines new policy actions for 2021-2025 including promoting resilience and excellence through quality, inclusiv and flexible VET.According to CEDEFOP, competences of teachers are crucial to ensure the quality and labour market relevance of training actions. Training goals dictated by the current innovative impulse represent the scope of reflection for the VET teacher who must reflect the current cultural dynamicity and respond to the needs of students with disabilities with adaptable teaching strategies that promote the activation of skills for inclusive participation and autonomy in work.OCSE Teaching and Learning International Survey 2018 underlines:- special needs students are at particular risk, since schools lack teachers equipped to support them: shortage of teachers with competence in special needs students,- 1 in 5 teacher reports a high need for Professional Development in teaching students with special needs.From a study conducted in May 2020 “Haptic Feedback for training and Development” by Rose Ridder - Swarthmore College, emerged the countless applications of Haptic tools and stimuli in promoting attention, training and rehabilitation. It reports how students with ADHD improve their use of objects through ""Haptic training"".From the survey conducted in the different countries of the consortium, there are several applications and methodologies that use new digital technologies and aids for special and inclusive education, but they are still limiting and exclude some types of disabilities, from the visually impaired to the blind, to those who have a distorted perception of reality (autism and other intellectual disabilities). For these people, tactile (haptic) perception combined with audio-visual input is a fundamental element to stimulate learning, but little has been done to date for digitization in the haptic domain.Needs Analysis conducted revealed the following issues:- need for a larger number of specialized teachers to provide support to students with disabilities- more training opportunities for their staff to specialize in support, and lack of adequate tools (often too expensive) especially in the areas of sensory and intellectual disabilities- insufficient economic resources to invest in staff training and the purchase of technical equipment- greater opportunities to acquire specific skills and ongoing professional development - lack of training, use of updated tools and teaching methodologies appropriate to the specific disabilities<< Objectives >>The project wants to develop and transfer to VET teacher and trainers an innovative teaching approach and tools for students with learning difficulties, exploiting the potential offered by Haptic training not yet applied to the VET system. The objectives of the project are, therefore, a response to the context and the problems mentioned above. In particular, the partnership intends to:- Develop Cognitive-Haptic Learning paths applied to vocational training, with the description of pedagogical models and cognitive learning strategies based on tactile experiences. This objective will be realized in the realization of the IN-Haptic-VET Handbook, with the description of models and learning strategies aimed at VET students with sensory disabilities and learning disorders.- Develop highly innovative and quality digital tools and content to be used in instructional design and teaching of students with disabilities in different modalities (traditional, blended and distance learning). This objective will be realized in the realization of the In-Haptic App, an application for the design of multimedia learning contents characterized by video, audio and tactile track and will allow its use on touch devices (smartphone/tablet) equipped with the haptic-vibrational component. In addition, ASMR and binaural acoustic streams will be used for learner learning enhancement.- Identify and describe the VET Teacher Competency Profile using instructional methods (know HOW to teach), materials, aids, tools (know WHAT to teach), and content (know WHAT to teach) targeting VET students with sensory disabilities and learning disabilities and based on the use and enhancement of tactile perceptions for inclusive learning.- Train teachers/trainers/support staff for the use of digital tools in didactic design and teaching students with disabilities with particular reference to visually impaired/blind students and students with intellectual disabilities or autism. This objective will be realized in the design and testing of a training program for teachers to provide them with the specific skills to create tactile experiences aimed at learning with the help of digital tools and content created through the project (Tactile Application)- Develop a pathway to assess VET teachers and trainers’ competences by adopting a PERFORMANCE- BASED approach. This objective will be realized with the definition of a validation tool to guarantee that VET teachers and trainers carry out their tasks according to an optimum pre-defined level, supporting visually impaired/blind students and students with intellectual disabilities or autism.<< Implementation >>In order to guarantee the achievement of the project objectives and the delivery of the results, specific work activities will be implemented both in terms of management and implementation of project activities, and monitoring and evaluation of the same and risk management activities.A series of methodologies related to Project Management, Project Quality Assurance and Risk Management will be used since they have been successfully tested in previous projects:- PROJECT MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES:1.1 Project and finance management according to the timetable and the budget planned with the setting up of the relative management bodies;1.2 Drawing up of a project handbook;1.3Drawing up of a handbook for the accounting-administrative management;1.4 Organization of partnership meetings;1.5 Drawing up of six-month and final reports on the activities carried out;1.6 Collection/filing of documents.- MONITORING AND EVALUATION ACTIVITIES (Project Quality Assurance)2.1 Setting up of the monitoring and evaluation committee coordinated by a QA expert2.2 Working out of a monitoring, evaluation and quality plan2.3 Assessment of processes, deliverables, impact and surveys through qualitative-quantitative tests made up of open questions, closed questions and multiple questions.- RISK MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIESDrawing up of a Risk Management Plan and setting out of shared measures and rules for solving problems and conflict resolution.- PRODUCTION OF PROJECT RESULTS:1. RESEARCH ACTIVITIES:- bibliographic research on the Internet and on networks focused on Haptic/tactile experiences for training;- qualitative and quantitative survey through suitable questionnaires made up of closed questions with multiple choice answers and focus groups/informative sessions;- data collection through CAWI (Computer Assisted Web Interviewing)and social networks to disseminate questionnaires via web and direct interviews;- methodologies and techniques for carrying out focus groups, meant as an integral tool to questionnaires and carried out with facilitating techniques as well as visualization techniques and through the Goal-Oriented Project Planning;- data processing: analysis techniques, setting out of indicators, graphics. comparison and synthesis;- reporting techniques.2. IDENTIFICATION, VALIDATION AND CERTIFICATION non-formal and informal SKILLS according to ECVET.3. arrangement of profile in several activity areas through JOB ANALYSIS: identification and analysis of the activity areas (ADA) of the profile of the VET trainer and teacher who uses inclusive teaching methodologies based on Haptic feedback combined with audio-video experiences and planning of teaching units aimed at fostering the right accomplishment of the tasks of each area.4. ECVET for the acknowledgement of credits for VET teachers and trainers.5. developed training starting from the beneficiaries’ NEEDS based on learning products and modules.6. production of teaching contents in open formats and open licenses: production of open educational resources (OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES).7. PERFORMANCE-BASED COMPETENCE ANALYSIS evaluating the VET teacher and trainer who uses inclusive teaching methodologies based on Haptic feedback combined with audio-video experiences in accomplishing the relative tasks through Performance Focused Interview (PFI).8. use of “SOCIAL CHALLENGE” through a virtual Head Quarter that VET teachers and trainers can use to share inclusive teaching methodologies based on Haptic feedback combined with audio-video experiences.<< Results >>Expected results and outcomes that are split into the main activities (A) are the following:A1. PROJECT MANAGEMENT1.1 Project Management Team on behalf of the Lead Partner 1.2 Local project management teams on behalf of each partner1.3 Management Committee 1.4 Implementation team of project results 1.5 Handbook of the Project 1.6 Handbook of administration-accountancy1.7 Agenda of meetings, reports and minutes of meetings, presence sheets of participants, Videos and pictures, PPT presentations, etc..1.8 Six-month and final reports on the activities carried out, to-do lists and work plans.1.9 Project documents and reports to analyse timeframes, budgets, methodological issues, comparison between expected and achieved results, communication results//tools etc..A2. PROJECT QUALITY ASSURANCE AND RISK MANAGEMENT 2.1 Monitoring and Assessment Committee 2.2 Monitoring Plan, Assessment Plan and Project Quality Plan2.3 Risk Management Handbook2.4 Reports and materials/tools (tests, qualitative and quantitative questionnaires) for process assessment 2.5 Reports and materials/tools (tests, qualitative and quantitative questionnaires) for the assessment of products and results2.6 Reports and materials/tools (tests, qualitative and quantitative questionnaires) for impact assessmentA3. PRODUCTION OF PROJECT RESULTS1. IN-Haptic-VET Handbook, with the description of models and learning strategies aimed at VET students with sensory disabilities and learning disorders2. In-Haptic App, as a tool to design and realize training contents based on tactile experiences3. Competence Profile of the “VET IN-Haptic Expert”, 4. Training Curriculum for the “VET IN-Haptic Expert”5. Competence Validation Tool of the VET IN-Haptic Expert,C1 Blended Mobility3.1 Structured surveys3.2 CAWI Research & Analysis Questionnaires3.3 List and Literature (also on line) of the most significant studies, research and tools surveyed to support good practices on Haptic feedback for training and developmentA4. DISSEMINATION AND EXPLOITATION4.1 Internal and External communication plan based on newsletters, articles, Skype videoconferences, social network, Head Quarter and Apps, etc…4.2 Local stakeholder committees4.3 Mailing list and contact database4.4 Video and photographic report of the most significant activities4.5 Reports and Memorandum of Understanding4.6 Local Focus Groups, developed during the implementation of project activities that involve other organizations/operators which are not the same as the partner organizationsE1 – E5 Workshops and E6 final conferenceExpected NON TANGIBLE results at the end of the project are: - development of competences in the field of pedagogical models and cognitive learning strategies based on tactile experiences of VET teachers and trainers of the VET System and of Vocational Training to the needs of disabled students- innovative development and increase of quality in terms of training efficiency of an equal and inclusive European VET System;- Acknowledgement and valorization of “professional” teachers and trainers working with disabled students in the VET field;- promotion and development of “mobility” culture, through the experiences of blended mobility put forward to VET teachers/trainers – fostering the language of social networks and digital natives in the VET field.- development and dissemination of EQF, ECVET, EQAVET European transparency tools;- setting up of territorial development networks fostering the innovation of VET systems, similar to the needs of disabled students and the ongoing digital transformation;- fostering local and regional policies to adopt the good practices for the professional development of VET teachers/trainers and for the introduction of accessible and assistive and digital technologies for VET students with sensory or intellectual disabilities"