ALPE

Four partners are involved in the ALPE project:

• Indra (ES)

• Spanish Distance Learning University (UNED, ES)

• The Open University of the UK,(EN)

• Panhellenic Association of the Blind (PAB,GR)

Picture of the ALPE Consortium taken during the first Consortium Meeting held in Madrid, at UNED offices, the 5th of February 2007. From left to right: Alejandro Rodríguez Ascaso (UNED), Nikos (PAB), Maria Kolionika (PAB), Carmen Barrera (UNED), Christopher Douce (OU), Olga C. Santos (UNED), Alicia Fernández del Viso (INDRA), Jesús G. Boticario (UNED) and Carlos Rebate (INDRA)

INDRA (www.indra.es) is the formal coordinator the project (administrative and financial coordination, milestones monitoring and coordination and communication with the EC). It will also contribute to the Market Analysis in Spain and to the market validation of the ALPE service. In addition INDRA will lead the Business Plan work package.

Finally INDRA will also contribute to the Dissemination and promotion of the project.

UNED is the only National Governmental higher education institution in Spain with more than 120 study centres spread throughout the country, including Support Centres Abroad in relevant European Capitals (London, Paris, Brussels, Berlin). UNED provides online learning on a yearly basis for more than 160.000 users, which implies to manage more than 1800 courses per year. The so-called “Unidad de Atención al Discapacitado” (Disabled Attention Unit) is the UNED’s department in charge of providing assistance to roughly 3.800 students with disabilities. Through its continuing education department, it also provides continuing education for adult learners including those who enrol in basic skills courses.

The UKOU is Europe's largest educational establishment with over 200.000 students studying its courses at any one time. This currently includes over 9.300 disabled students. It is an Open Access university requiring its students to have no prerequisite qualifications before commencing study. It has thus developed numerous methods of supporting such students in basic study skills. The UKOU has an active widening participation strategy which brings people from a perceived educationally disadvantaged position to one where they can begin work on a Foundation Level course at the start of a Bachelors degree programme. The local colleges in question all have Basic Skills programmes including those for students with poor literacy and numeracy skills.

Within UKOU the ALPE project is located within the Institute of Educational Technology. However this work will be undertaken with close collaboration with the university’s Centre for Widening Participation (CWP) which is a key stakeholder for ALPE within the university. Which staff member within CWP will act as the point of liaison for the project has yet to be determined so in lieu of a CV a brief introduction to the centre is included here:

The Centre for Widening Participation is committed to achieving the following aims:

• to promote social inclusion and educational opportunity by working to remove the barriers to
  learning experienced by those adults who have taken no part in education and have had no or
  limited access to training;

• to increase the successful participation of adults from under-represented groups in learning and
  further study with the Open University and elsewhere;

• to equip individuals and groups with knowledge and skills relevant to their educational,
  personal and vocational needs in a period of rapid social and economic change.

The centre runs a series of “Openings” courses. Openings attracts large numbers of students, 13.500 by July 2006. 35% of registered students from 2004/05 moved on to further study with the OU. Of the registered students 6% declared a disability. The number of students who are studying Openings whilst in prison has risen to 3% of all Openings students. There are eight Openings courses in presentation in June 2006 with a further four in production (two of which are replacement courses). This includes the numeracy course “Starting with Maths”.

The Panhellenic Association of the Blind with its 9 Branches all over Greece and with more than 5000 members can give the user's needs and make a reliable testing to the e-Learning Platform. It will also help achieve the best alliance strategy in Greece.

PAB is currently involved in a number of educational projects and sees it as one of its core objectives to explore opportunities and means to broaden the intellectual and educational level of the visually impaired. In addition, PAB will also contact end-user organisations in Greece addressing hearing impaired and adult learners. ALPE offers the ideal opportunity to validate a service through which education content can be provided to enhance the skills and capabilities of the Greek impaired population.