Aktualności

In December, members of the project consortium had the opportunity to meet at the first Transnational Project Meeting within the project "Ready Teddy Go!". The meeting aimed at planning tasks of each partner, preparing detailed schedule and discussing other aspects related to the start of the project.

During this meeting, the foundations for future cooperation were built and the next steps of activities were defined. Partners presented their organizations and offered their views on the aims and objectives of the project. Participants shared valuable feedback and clarifications on questions before concluding to common understandings, procedures and plans for the project progress. We analyzed the overall outline of the project and shared the first tasks. A fruitful discussion helped to assign next steps and deadlines.

The aim of the "Ready Teddy Go!" project is to address digital transformation through development of digital readiness, greater adaptability and capacity, as well of SEN students as teachers/educators, and to develop social/civic and digital competences of SEN students, thus to promote inclusion and diversity in all field of education. This vision guided us throughout the whole duration of the meeting.

For the next two years we will be working in this very special project that aims the SEN educators to make use of hi-tech devices supporting the developmental progress within SEN students in the classroom environment. Thanks to a mobile app-based TEDDY Avatar, SEN learners will be more willing to acquire and develop basic skills and competences. As a result, they will learn how to interact with one another, overcome some obstacles and solve problems.

The topic of autism has received more awareness in the past years. Nowadays, the internet is for many people is the first source of information where they will look for information and resources, however, it needs to be treated with caution as there’s still a lot of misinformation around the topic of autism. Additionally, for both parents and special needs educators finding the right information might take some time to research.

In this context, the partners of the RTG project, put together the E-COMPENDIUM which consists of existing solutions and practices applied in the partner countries (Cyprus, Poland, Lithuania, Greece, Spain, Italy), which target the acquisition of key knowledge and competencies for SEN educators and parents.

The E-COMPENDIUM can be found on our website here

The outcome of project 2 focuses on the development of online training for teachers, social workers, parents and educators.

The objectives are:

• strengthen the profile of teacher educators, social workers, SEN teachers and school principals in dealing with children's social competences and children's communication skills;
• improve the teaching and learning methodology used in schools to support children and improve the quality of education offered to children-pupils with disabilities;
• support parents and teachers in becoming aware of new tools, solutions, teaching and learning methods;
• And to raise parents' and teachers' awareness of new tools, solutions, good practices, toys, etc., that can be used to support children's social competences, communication, interaction, etc.,

In order to achieve these objectives, four modules have been developed, entitled:

1. Augmentative alternative communication systems
2. Tools and resources for social competences and skills
3. Tips and pitfalls of integrating SEN children in mainstream schools
4. The role of parents in the development of social skills

You can find the modules here.

At the end of each module there is an evaluation, in which the participant must pass 70 % of the questions in order to obtain the certificate.

This product, comprising several related elements, will provide resources, tools and training to different groups who could benefit from the project. The E platform providing learning/teaching materials and gathering all the products will consist of:

1. E-compendium - a list of already existing solutions and practices boosting SEN children’s social competences and ability to learn,
2. Online training course for teachers/educators aimed at summing up conclusions from e-compendium,
3. Downloadable mobile app-based TEDDY Avatar together with the manual responding to the diagnosed learning/ teaching needs,
4. Case studies to enhance the learning/teaching material,
5. Project videos produced to raise awareness of the project outputs.
6. The user interactive space to exchange comments, experience, good practices

On 6-7 June 2022, the partners met in Turin, Italy, at the 2TPM.

We were able to comment on the completion of the first Output and the implementation of the subsequent results.

At this stage, a Guide was finalised that aims to strengthen the skills and knowledge of educators, teachers and professionals in the various methodologies for working with children (9-14) with communication disorders (and autism spectrum disorder). Furthermore, this Output aims to strengthen the role of parents, so that the child's social and communication skills develop even more effectively.

Subsequently, a work plan was organised to develop Output 2, an online training course for educators, social workers, parents, psychologists and support teachers.

All the training materials will be translated by the partners in their national language.

Finally, the consortium also decided on the functionality of the TEDDY Avatar, its mode of presentation and facial expressions.

The Istituto dei Sordi was delighted to host the consortium and looks forward to further opportunities for discussion and sharing experiences.

The Ready Teddy Go! project partners met on November 14th and 15th in Reus (Spain) to discuss the progress of the project and clarify some doubts.

During the meeting, some deadlines were established to finish the first outcome (E-compendium) in order to continue with the other outcomes. In this sense, we are already working on the second outcome (Online courses addressing social development, communication and interaction with students with special educational needs, as well as an analysis of the needs and problems of teachers and peers).

Finally, we talked about the TEDDY avatar, which is in the development phase and the students of the University of Łódź are raising all their obstinacy because it seems to them as natural as possible.

Thanks to all partners who can come to Reus and we look forward to seeing what is done.

The “READY, TEDDY GO!” partners met for their fourth Transnational Project Meeting (TPM) in Nicosia, Cyprus on the 6 June 2023. Partners discussed the progress of the development of the TEDDY Avatar and planned their next steps.

The digital TEDDY Avatar aims to develop digital competencies as well as social, cognitive and communication skills of children with autism. The TEDDY performs different tasks and expressions which can aid in learning these children in an interactive and fun manner.

The next step focus on the piloting of the Teddy Avatar with the involvement of special educators and students on the autism spectrum in each of the partner countries.

In the beautiful city of Vilnius, partners of the Erasmus+ project "Ready, Teddy, Go!" recently convened for their final meeting, in a festive pre-Christmas atmosphere. Over the course of two years, these dedicated partners have been working collectively to address the educational challenges faced by students with special education needs (SEN). These students often find themselves excluded from traditional school classes and, when older, encounter discrimination in various aspects of life.

The primary objective of the "Ready, Teddy, Go!" project is to provide a targeted focus on young people with SEN, offering them innovative solutions to enhance their skills and knowledge. The project has centered its efforts on developing a TEDDY avatar, a cutting-edge digital tool equipped with a multi-module system designed to address the specific learning and teaching needs of students aged 9 to 14 with SEN. This innovative approach aims to counteract the discrimination these students face in social settings and professional environments.

During the last meeting in Vilnius, partners delved into discussions regarding the sustainability of the project. A key focus was placed on sharing ideas on how to reach a larger audience and generate interest in the innovative solutions provided by the "Ready, Teddy, Go!" initiative. The partners recognized the importance of ensuring the project's sostenibility to continue making a positive impact on the lives of students with special education needs.

On 20 November 2023 FUNDACJA INSTYTUT RE-INTEGRACJI SPOŁECZNEJ organised a multiplier event at University of Humanities and Economics in Łódź. Forty people took part in the conference. there were also over 20 virtual attendees. At the outset we introduced the project to the participants through the presentation of the project objectives, target groups and project results. We navigated them both through the project website and e-platform, including the flagship product and its functionalities, that it TEDDY Avatar. Later on, the attendees had an opportunity to actively listen to the lecture “How to help children with ASD? TEDDY Avatar and animation – help for teachers and parents” to make the participants aware of the benefits resulting from various hi-tech animations in the education process of students with ASD and mild intellectual disabilities. During the event the attendees could exchange their views or approaches to inclusive education.They also actively took part in the workshop “Adventure with technology”, which was the most attractive part of the conference. Afterwards, the audience could ask various questions to our experts.

The event was disseminated through the posts on IRIS’ social media. As we cooperate with many schools and education centres we also reached the audience through mailing, phone calls and promotional meetings in person.

In general, the conference attendees were well-informed about the project and their overall impression about the project results and all event was very positive.

During the conference we expanded our network and met a lot of interesting people from the education sector and diverse education centres. We hope to enter into cooperation at least with some part of them in the future.

On September 19, the multiplier event of the Erasmus+ Project Ready, Teddy, Go! took place in Reus. This three-hour event, attended by 32 participants, showcased the potential of this initiative aimed at enhancing therapeutic interventions for individuals with autism. The gathering, held at OE's new fully accessible offices, attracted primary school teachers, therapists, representatives from organizations dedicated to autism, and family members or children affected by autism.

The event began with a comprehensive presentation of the Teddy Avatar project, outlining its objectives and sharing the achieved results. To foster a hands-on understanding of the Teddy Avatar, OE organized an engaging workshop during the event. Participants collaborated in pairs or small groups, actively implementing suggested therapies using the innovative Teddy Avatar technology. This interactive session allowed attendees to grasp the practical applications and benefits of the project first-hand.

The Reus event served as a pivotal moment in the Teddy Avatar project's journey, bringing together diverse stakeholders and facilitating hands-on engagement with the innovative therapy tool. The commitment to inclusivity, accessibility, and international collaboration showcased Open Europe's dedication to advancing autism therapy and disseminating knowledge on a global scale.