Amuse

The AMUSE project intends to establish active cooperation between the Ukrainian and European higher educational institutions in the area of inclusive education and special needs education.

The project equips the pre-and in-service teachers with augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) methodology, required for successful learning of children with speech impairment. Based on this reliable methodology, this international initiative aims to positively affect the learning climate in Ukraine, particularly in terms of educators’ readiness and skills, and creation of a more inclusive educational environment.

The training of pre-service teachers, particularly in the field of natural sciences, will provide speech-impaired children with the knowledge and understanding of the fundamental ideas of the world in which they live, and which influences their lives. The project will adapt and adopt EU higher education didactic and approaches to updating curricula, revising existing and creating new courses as well as content-wise – the use of AAC in teaching natural sciences.

Objective

This international initiative aims to improve the learning environment in Ukraine by strengthening educators’ skills and readiness and by supporting more inclusive education. This is especially important due to the ongoing war and its impact on many children with speech difficulties.

The training of pre-service teachers, particularly in the field of natural sciences, will provide speech-impaired children with the knowledge and understanding of the fundamental ideas of the world in which they live, and which influences their lives.

Duration

1 November 2024 – 11 November 2027

Social pages

Facebook – facebook.com/p/Project-AMUSE-61572834142277

LinkedIn – linkedin.com/showcase/project-amuse

Approach

The AMUSE project is where we take part alongside other 14 partners from The Netherlands, Ukraine, Norway, Poland and Estonia with an aim to provide the following results:

– An AAC-based textbook “World Around Us for Kindergartens”, which will be the first textbook for speech-impaired children in Ukraine.
– A training course, ‘Inclusion and AAC Material Development’ for 150 in-service teachers (MOOC).
– An international conference, ‘AAC and Inclusion in Teaching Natural Sciences at Different Levels,’ held in Ukraine, gathering 200 teachers from preschool, primary, secondary, and university levels.
– A scientific and practical conference, ‘Inclusion and AAC in Teaching and Research’ targeting 100 Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral students from partner institutions and beyond.

Impact on education

The project will adapt and adopt EU higher education didactic and approaches to updating curricula, revising existing and creating new courses. All the outcomes (courses for students, MOOC, and the textbook) will be extensively piloted and promoted in Ukrainian educational institutions of different levels and will hopefully remove some barriers from the Ukrainian system of education making it open to all.

This project is funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.