Abstract:

Enabling inclusion involves creating learning, work, and social contexts where individuals can benefit of equal opportunities, and where they are valued and appreciated as themselves. Inclusion, accessibility, and acceptance of diversity are fostered by access to validated information, high-quality knowledge, best practices, and adequate resources that consider the unique experiences, issues, and needs of individuals. Information technology is a key enabler of inclusion, as it provides access to information and best practices, as well as to accessibility tools and accessible services. Information technology also supports the fight against misinformation, streamlining and consolidating inclusion and accessibility efforts.

In the context of education, inclusion involves access to the same educational opportunities, at the same time, and at the same cost for everyone. This work, implemented in the context of Erasmus+ project INCLUDEME (http://includemeproject.eu), presents a learning intervention for promoting access to quality education for all, including disadvantaged and disabled learners. A digital learning environment is under development that deploys gaming elements for fostering and nurturing positive learning experiences for all. It promotes access to mainstream learning content through digital technologies that help overcome the challenges faced by disadvantaged and disabled individuals, such as web pages, e-books, operating systems, software applications, digital devices, and more.

More specifically, the INCLUDEME learning environment promotes the easy design and delivery of customizable, user-centered educational activities that motivate, engage, and increase the performance of disadvantaged learners. The proposed digital learning environment introduces a learning resource center, namely a repository of games adapted for addressing the needs of disadvantaged learners. It further includes an authoring tool through which educators can easily co-design and co-create gamified learning paths using game mechanics such as rewards, meaningful missions, collaboration, a sense of affiliation, and more. The platform includes an information booth that allows students to be in contact with mentors. Finally, learning analytics provide educators information on student progress, allowing the personalization of learning experiences.

The proposed learning intervention further promotes the capacity of educators to deploy digital technologies in inclusive learning through resources, training, and networking. It supports communities to be more inclusive, by increasing awareness and equipping the relevant stakeholders with the knowledge, methodologies and tools needed to address social exclusion and equality issues. And it creates synergies among local and European communities that drive awareness, change of perceptions, leading to immediate actions, and long-term strategies that support inclusive education.

The work is implemented in Romania, Greece, Germany, Cyprus, Ireland, and Bulgaria from 2021 to 2024.

Keywords:

Inclusion, learning, disadvantaged individuals, gamification, personalized learning paths.