5-6 July 2011 Irma van Slooten 1

studyabroadwithoutlimits.eu(SAWL)

LINK Conference ‘How do you make change happen?’5-6 July 2011, Antwerp, Belgium

Irma van Slootenwww.handicap-studie.nl (also in English)irma.vanslooten@handicap-studie.nl

5-6 July 2011 Irma van Slooten 2

• Introduction

• SAWL in a nutshell

• Challenges and solutions

Outline

5-6 July 2011 Irma van Slooten 3

SAWL in a nutshell Rationale:

Low participation of students with disabilities

Reason: lack of information

> Formal information: HEAG

http://www.european-agency.org/agency-

projects/heag

> Informal information / exchanging experiences

5-6 July 2011 Irma van Slooten 4

SAWL in a nut shell

Partners:

> Handicap + studie, The Netherlands (coordinator)

> AHEAD – Ireland> VEHHO (now: Siho) – Flanders

> Institut Integriert Studieren – Johannes Kepler Universität – Austria

> Karolinska Institutet – Sweden

Project submission to Socrates AccompanyingMeasures Programme > Funding 2006-2008

5-6 July 2011 Irma van Slooten 5

• physical

• psychological

• sensory disabilities

• chronic illness

• specific learning disabilities (e.g. dyslexia)

Definition of disability

5-6 July 2011 Irma van Slooten 6

Stimulate and support successful study abroad for swd

Means: online place to:- exchange experiences/ informal

information on accessibility of HEI and student life

- working with crews of ‘local experts’

Aim of SAWL

5-6 July 2011 Irma van Slooten 7

International student conference

> workshops to train ‘crew members’

> workshops to build and sustain the national crew

> brainstorm about the website design

Main project activities

5-6 July 2011 Irma van Slooten 8

Website test meeting:

> Checking accessibility and useability of the prototype of the website

> Main input from students themselves

Main project activities

5-6 July 2011 Irma van Slooten 9

Project outcome:

5-6 July 2011 Irma van Slooten 10

Opportunity to ask questions:

5-6 July 2011 Irma van Slooten 11

Checklist

5-6 July 2011 Irma van Slooten 12

Testimonials

5-6 July 2011 Irma van Slooten 13

1. Visitors and questions:

- diminishing numbers

- questions not always ‘relevant’

Challenges and solutions

5-6 July 2011 Irma van Slooten 14

2. Student crews: how to sustain the crews?

- s(wd) are a floating people

- energy problems

Swedish solution: involving student union

Challenges and solutions

5-6 July 2011 Irma van Slooten 15

3. The Countries: how to expand the number?

- Item on the website

- Socrates Accompanying Measures 2010

Solution: working with the LINK Network

Challenges and solutions

5-6 July 2011 Irma van Slooten 16

4. Higher Educational Staff:

awareness raising and professional development

Possible solution: ‘Everyone on Board’:

development of Toolkit for the inclusion of swd in exchange (Socr. AM 2011)

Challenges and solutions

5-6 July 2011 Irma van Slooten 17

1. Pioneering for swd & studying abroad

2. Successful: enthusiasm, growing awareness > possibilities!

3. Learned a lot!

4. Efforts to build on the results

5. SAWL has a future: link to LINK!

Conclusions

5-6 July 2011 Irma van Slooten 18

Thank you for your attention!

Questions?

Comments?

Things to add?