Teachers/facilitators

Maria Mouka (European University Cyprus – Cyprus, Vocational Training Center MARGARITA – Greece)

Katerina Mavrou & Eleni Theodorou (European University Cyprus)

This session is organized by European University Cyprus

Description/abstract

Mobile technology is an integral part of the lifestyle and culture of contemporary life, with lifelong vocational training being a fundamental part of this evolution. Persons with intellectual disabilities are a key group of users whose needs are often overlooked in exploring the facets of this area.

In this workshop, we will explore the importance of communication soft skills for persons with intellectual disabilities when using mobile technology, in addition to the ability that these persons need to have, in order to make use of digital training materials. The above apply interestingly during the first stages of working at a recently acquired job placement. A case study will be presented, regarding a woman with intellectual disability. The case study will emphasise the vocational path that the person themselves has followed during the previous years, as well as some enabled changes in her behavior, both affected also by digital readiness developments. It will also emphasise relevant changes yielded in the supporting organisations and workers.

Expected learning outcomes

At the end of the session the participants will:

•           Have a deeper insight in current vocational training needs of persons with mild or medium intellectual disabilities, and how these can relate to their digital readiness (soft and hard skills of the persons);

•           Have increased their knowledge regarding approaches of services delivery in an NGO engaged in the vocational training of persons with intellectual disabilities, and the way that the organisation’s digital readiness fundamentally influences these processes; and

•           Appreciate the power of inevitable changes when enabling learning and digital readiness in involved contributors, regarding vocational training of persons with intellectual disabilities.