MESSINA. The European project is still ongoing “Dygi4Adu”a project financed by the Erasmus+ program and started in October 2022 which aims to revolutionize the educational and social approach towards dyslexia in adulthood: the Messina association “Education In Progress – Italy” is coordinating the initiative aimed at changing one of the paradigms that most impact the daily lives of those afflicted by this condition, namely the adaptation of existing courses using assistive technologies, which can overcome the limited access of dyslexic students to large-scale courses stairs. As? By training educators, providers, communities and dyslexics themselves by providing them cutting-edge digital tools to address dyslexia and giving them the opportunity to understand and adapt the entire educational process to specific needs of those who are interested in it. And, precisely for this reason, a manual will be created aimed at adult educators which will provide them with a general understanding of the signs and symptoms of dyslexia as well as the most effective strategies for treating it. All results can be consulted on the project website.
“The idea of the project is based on the belief that, despite the rapid progress of technology and its active penetration into all areas of our community, including education, teachers and trainers working with adult learners are not yet well equipped to respond to the specific needs of some of them – we read in the project sheet – Essentially, the problems of adult students suffering from dyslexia are still underestimated, even if all studies show that, due to the frequency of dyslexic symptoms, it is, as mentioned, a significant social problem. A person with dyslexia who is not identified or who does not receive timely support, therefore, is unable to reveal his or her abilities. This loss of opportunity for them to thrive means society as a whole misses out on their valuable contributions.”
“The “Dygi4Adu” project therefore aims to increase educators’ knowledge to identify the hallmark symptoms of dyslexia in their adult students and understand how the condition differs in manifestation and degree of difficulty; in short, it wants to provide them with the tools they need to face the challenges that this condition poses more efficiently. At the same time the Consortium of partners wants facilitate adults with dyslexia to increase their confidence, to improve the quality of their work, so that they are able to learn independently. Ultimately, it is something much more complex than a simple educational program; is a movement that promotes equality, inclusion and empowerment for all people with dyslexia – concludes the sheet – With its integrated approach and its commitment to innovation, this project looks at a radical change in the world of education and is creating the foundation for a future in which every individual has the opportunity to reach their full potential.”
The project is largely fueled by collaboration with a vast network of international partners from different sectors: Universities, non-governmental and non-profit organizations and private companies have come together to carry out this important mission which has allowed access to high-level resources and skills, thus expanding the scope of activities and guaranteeing significant results. The help ofUniversity of Latviawith its Faculty of Education, Psychology and Art, offers its vast experience in the field, while companies such as Eurospeak Ireland And Danmar Computers LLCspecialized in the development of technological solutions for inclusive learning, provide their expertise in the field of artificial intelligence and user interface to create accessible and intuitive tools for dyslexics.
But among the key partners there are also several non-governmental and non-profit organizations (from the coordinator Education In Progress – Italyto theEuropean Knowledge Spot – Greece and to theDyslexia Association – Bulgaria) who lead the project on the advocacy and awareness front. These aspire to ensure that the voices of people with dyslexia are heard and represented effectively, but at the same time they aim to raise awareness among public opinion and institutions of the challenges and potential of these individuals, promoting greater understanding and acceptance of condition.
